Damian Lillard reigns in the triple contest and Utah Jazz, in the skills contest
MADRID, 19 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Philadelphia 76ers point guard Mac McClung gave a surprise and made history this morning by winning the NBA All-Star dunk contest, which is held in Salt Lake City (United States), while the Portland Trail Blazers player Damian Lillard has conquered the triple contest and Utah Jazz, the skills contest.
McClung, until weeks ago in Delaware Blue Coats, the first player in the G League to participate in the contest and who has only accumulated two NBA games with the Philadelphia 76ers, amazed everyone present at the Vivint Arena with his 1.88 meters and his stellar performance.
In a final in which he competed with Jericho Sims (New York Knicks), Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans) and Kenyon Martin Jr. (Houston Rockets), McClung swept to win the trophy, which he received from Julius Erving.
On his first dunk, he jumped over two people, one on the other’s shoulders, and earned an average of 50, with five perfect scores. Subsequently, he achieved a 49.8 – only Lisa Leslie gave him a 49 instead of a 50 – with a 360º, and closed the first round with a back dunk jumping over another man.
However, he saved the best for last; Wearing the shirt of his institute, the Gate City of Virginia, McClung made the pavilion go crazy with an impressive 540º that cleared up any hint of doubt.
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard was proclaimed champion of the triple contest, in which he had already participated in 2014 and 2019 without winning. Lillard scored 26 points in the final and beat guard Buddy Hield (Indiana Pacers), the 2020 champion, by one.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton shone in the first round with 31 points, but failed to maintain his level and was third (17), while Kevin Huerter (Sacramento Kings) was the negative surprise of the day by finishing last in the first round. round with 8 points, far from the 23 needed to reach the final.
Finally, the victory in the skills contest went to the Utah Jazz team, made up of Walker Kessler, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, who beat the Antetokounmpo brothers -with Jrue Holiday replacing Giannis- and the rookies -Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jaden Ivey-.
The three teams competed in three rounds, which qualified the best two for the final. In the first round of five skills in which time was taken into account, the ‘rookies’ prevailed with 74.1 seconds.
In the second round, where each team had 30 seconds to complete passes on three moving targets that varied in size and distance, it was the Utah Jazz who came out on top. The third and last, team launch, was also awarded to the local team, winning the title.