NBA Betting Online: The Duke of Distance will be crowned Saturday night as the NBA’s top shooters go head-to-head in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest.
Defending champion Stephen Curry and Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson lead a list of five NBA All-Stars who will showcase their shooting range. The eight-player field also features Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors, as well as Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks and J.J. Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The rules for the Three-Point Contest are simple. Each contestant has one minute to score as many points as possible.
In the two-round competition, five shooting locations are positioned around the three-point arc. Four racks contain four orange balls – each worth one point – and one multi-colored "money" ball, worth two points. The fifth rack is a special "all money ball" rack, which each participant can place at any of the five shooting locations. Every ball on this rack is worth two points.
The players have one minute to shoot as many as the 25 balls as they can. The three competitors with the highest scores in the first round advance to the championship round.
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest Participants
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) .453 233 made
James Harden (Houston Rockets) .348 146 made
Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) .430 156 made
Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) .409 101 made
Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors) .397 142 made
J.J. Redick (Los Angeles Clippers) .481 125 made
Chris Bosh (Miami Heat) .368 81 made
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) .417 55 made
Curry has established himself as the best shooter in NBA history seven years into his NBA career. He’s already broken the single-season record for three-pointers twice and is on pace to shatter his own mark this season. He tattered the nets in last year’s competition with a record 27 points on his way to his first three-point title.
His biggest competition may wind up being his teammate. Thompson is on pace to have one of the highest three-point totals in league history, but his long-range exploits get overshadowed by Curry’s limitless range and ridiculous ability to make those shots.
Harden and Redick were eliminated after posting the two lowest scores in last year’s competition. Both will be looking for redemption, but Redick will be especially eager to right his reputation. The Clippers star struggled last year, in part because he continually stepped over the three-point line, setting a record for long twos in the process.
The remaining four players will all be competing in their first contest. Bosh is attempting to become the first power forward in a decade to win the shootout and the third overall. His move beyond the arc will take the place of his typical Shooting Stars Challenge appearance, which has been removed from All-Star weekend.
Booker is the first rookie to compete in the three-point contest since Curry in 2010. The 19-year-old Suns guard leads all rookies in three-point field goal percentage and is 12th overall in the NBA.
It’s hard to bet against Curry in this contest, but he did win that elusive first three-point title last season and wasn’t completely committed to return for a title defense. That leaves the door open and Thompson is the likely candidate to supplant his splash brother.
Redick could be the sleeper pick. He currently ranks first in the NBA in three-point percentage at 48.1 and is seventh with 125 made three-pointers. Redick makes his second straight appearance in the contest and understands what needs to be done. “I look forward to not shooting as many long two-pointers this time,” he said.
You can bet on the Three-Point Contest at BookMaker.eu. The world’s leading online sportsbook will post individual and head-to-head props, along with futures odds for the outright winner. BookMaker will also offer a multitude of gambling options for the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend including the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest and of course, the All-Star Game.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker sportsbook! The Foot Locker Three-Point Contest will start at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 13, 2016, at the Air Canada Centre. The competition will be broadcast nationally on TNT with coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.
