NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND Saturday from Charlotte, N.C.
OKC’s Diallo leaps over Shaq to win dunk contest
Oklahoma City’s Hamidou Diallo is the NBA’s slam dunk champion.
Going over Shaquille O’Neal in the first round, then getting a boost from rapper Quavo in the finale, Diallo soared to the crown by topping New York’s Dennis Smith Jr.
Diallo topped Smith 88-85 in the finale. Charlotte’s Miles Bridges and Atlanta’s John Collins went out in the first round.
Smith leapfrogged Miami’s Dwyane Wade and took a lob from Stephen Curry to give himself a chance with his last dunk, getting a perfect score from the judges — and a round of boos from the crowd, many of whom weren’t that impressed.
That left Diallo as the night’s final participant.
Diallo pulled off a dunk that will be talked about for years in the first round — dunking over O’Neal, hanging on the rim by his elbow, then tearing open his jersey to reveal a “Superman” shirt underneath. And then he plucked the ball from Quavo as he went airborne for the dunk that sealed the title.
Harris holds off Curry to win 3-point shooting contest
Brooklyn’s Joe Harris held off Golden State’s Stephen Curry to win the 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday night.
Harris made 12 consecutive shots at one point in the final round on his way to a score of 26 points. Curry was second with 24 in the finals, and Sacramento’s Buddy Hield was third with 19 points.
The Warriors’ star made his first nine shots of the final round, then missed three of five shots from the top of the key.
Stephen Curry won the first round with 27 points out of a possible of 34. Hield was second with 26 points, and Harris finished with 25 to grab the last spot in the finals.
There were 10 players in the event, and seven went out in the first round.
Boston’s Tatum defeats Young to capture skills competition
Boston’s Jayson Tatum hit a 3-pointer from just beyond midcourt to beat Atlanta’s Trae Young in the final round of the skills competition at All-Star Saturday night.
Tatum defeated Memphis’ Mike Conley in the first round, then topped Denver’s Nikola Jokic in the semifinals.
Tatum was slightly behind Young going into the 3-pointer, the final shot of the event, and decided he needed to try the long shot to get one in before Young could shoot for the title.
Tatum says the trophy will go to his mother’s home. He says he was “just out here trying to have fun. I threw one up and it went in.”
Jokic defeated Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic, Young beat Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Dallas’ Luka Doncic topped the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma in other first-round matchups. Young beat Doncic in the semifinals.
Commissioner Silver likes NBA’s competitive balance
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he’s pleased with the level of competitive balance that currently exists within the league, though cautioned there are still many ways to improve on that front.
Silver’s annual All-Star weekend address was Saturday night. It comes with Milwaukee holding the NBA’s best record, a surprise of sorts in Denver contending for the top record in the Western Conference and Sacramento in position to end the league’s longest current playoff drought at 13 years.
Silver says there are still teams who choose, for whatever reason, to not be as competitive as others. But he says the league is striving to continue creating a fair and balanced playing field for all 30 teams.
LeBron following Duke phenom Williamson
LeBron James says he has kept a close eye on what freshman sensation Zion Williamson is doing at Duke and believes “it’s great for the game.”
Williamson, a 6-foot-7, 285-pounder, has become a national sensation with his size and leaping ability.
James said Saturday at practice for the All-Star game that the biggest thing he’s impressed with is Williamson’s athleticism, saying “we all see it,” adding that his ability to jump well behind the 10-foot rim is “beyond incredible.”
But James, who will play in his 15th All-Star game today, says he also sees what some others don’t: Williamson’s humility and love of the game.
Associated Press