A person with knowledge of the situation says the NBA is changing the format to this season’s 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday by adding a pair of deep shots that will be worth three points apiece.
That change means each round will now be a total of 27 shots instead of 25, and competitors will now get 70 seconds to finish their shots instead of the customary 60. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NBA was scheduled to announce the changes along with the rest of the All-Star Saturday lineup later Tuesday night.
The two additional shots will come from six feet beyond the 3-point line, between the racks located on the wings and the one at the top of the key. Those shots – only one from each spot called the MTN DEW Zone – will be taken with a special green ball.
The change is being made in part to stay consistent with the times, since NBA players are shooting more shots from deeper distances than ever. There have been nearly 300 shots made from at least 30 feet this season, already more than the total from last season.
The rest of the format for the 3-point contest – five shots per rack, five different racks, most shots worth one point and a special “money ball” worth two points – remains unchanged. There is one rack composed of five “money balls,” which a shooter can place at any of the competition’s five regular spots. The maximum score that can be reached is now 40, six more than the previous maximum.
The list of competitors for the 3-point contest this season includes Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, Washington’s Davis Bertans, Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham, Miami’s Duncan Robinson, Atlanta’s Trae Young, Chicago’s Zach LaVine and Brooklyn’s Joe Harris.
Lillard, Hield, Bertans, Graham, Robinson and Young all rank among the NBA’s top 10 in 3-pointers made per game this season. LaVine made 13 3-pointers against Charlotte on Nov. 23, the top single-game effort in the NBA this season.
Robinson, at nearly 44% this season, has the best 3-point percentage entering Tuesday’s games of any of the eight selected for this year’s contest.
Lillard and Young are All-Stars this season. Harris is the defending champion. Bertans, Graham, LaVine, Robinson and Young are all first-time 3-point contest participants. Harris and Hield are in for the second time and Lillard is entering for the third time.
The dunk contest and skills contest competitors were being announced later Tuesday.
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