2019 NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest: Predictions, Odds and How to Watch

What: 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest

Where: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC

When: Saturday, February 16th at 8:00 PM EST

How (TV): TNT

Overview

The Three-Point Contest is an annual NBA event held on the Saturday preceding the NBA All-Star Game as a part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities. It is the second to last event of the evening before the NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest.

Participants attempt to make as many three-point field goals as possible from five points behind the three-point arc in one minute. Players begin from one corner and move from station to station along the arc until they reach the other corner. At each station is a rack with five basketballs. Of the five balls, four valued at one point (Standard Spalding game balls) and the fifth one (often nicknamed the “money ball”) is worth two points. The goal of this contest is to score as many points as possible within one minute. Before 2014 a perfect score used to be 30 points. Since the 2014 contest, a rack consisting only of “money balls” was added. It can be placed on any of the 5 spots of the player’s choice, bringing up the maximum possible score to 34 points.

Contestants (by Odds)

Favourites to Win

Stephen Curry (GSW)

Odds: +275

Hot Zone(s): 54.9% (Left Corner), 49.7% (Left Shoulder), 46.9% (Top), 36.5% (Right Shoulder), 36.5% (Right Corner)

It is never wrong to doubt the ability of Stephen Curry, one of the NBA’s most deadly shooters. There isn’t a spot from range that Stephen Curry doesn’t hit above the league average from.

Curry is an excellent shooter on the move or from a stand-still. Despite his prowess, Curry has only won the competition once before out of five attempts.

Buddy Hield (SAC)

Odds: +400

Hot Zone(s): 53.7% (Left Corner), 43.1% (Left Shoulder), 43.3% (Top), 42.9% (Right Shoulder), 42.9% (Right Corner)

Hield is currently the NBA’s fourth most capable three-point shooter. Like Curry he has been hitting at a tremendous clip from three, from any position.

This will be Hield’s first time participating in the event and such inexperience has taken away from even the most capable shooters in this competition. Other than that, there is no reason to assume Hield wouldn’t do well.

Devin Booker (PHX)

Odds: +450

Hot Zone(s): 41.7% (Left Corner), 34.0% (Left Shoulder), 33.3% (Top), 30.0% (Right Shoulder), 30.0% (Right Corner)

Devin Booker is the reigning champion of this event. While he has never shot tremendously above the league average, he really cooks in this event. Booker currently holds the all-time three-point contest record with a score of 28/34.

Booker’s shooting is nothing to get excited about this season. He is decent from three but with the lack of quality on the Suns he is forced to take a lot of difficult shots, lowering his averages. Don’t let the percentages fool you though, on spot up attempts Booker is deadly.

Best Long Shots

Seth Curry (POR)

Odds: +600

Hot Zone(s): 78.6% (Left Corner), 36.4% (Left Shoulder), 52.6% (Top), 45.8% (Right Shoulder), 45.8% (Right Corner)

There’s really something in the genes of the Curry family. If not in the genes, their hard-work and familial standard for shooting has clearly been passed down from father and NBA Legend Dell Curry to his sons Steph and Seth.

Seth doesn’t shoot at the same volume as many other competitors, but he certainly capitalizes on every opportunity. He is scorching from the corners and with his brother and father watching on in his hometown, don’t be surprised to see the less heralded Curry take home the trophy.

Danny Green (TOR)

Odds: +800

Hot Zone(s): 40.9% (Left Corner), 39.4% (Left Shoulder), 35.5% (Top), 41.6% (Right Shoulder), 41.6% (Right Corner)

Heralded for his three-and-D capacity, it is surprising to see that this will be Green’s first entry into the three-point contest. Once a throwaway piece on LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers, he made a name for himself on the Spurs as a Bruce Bowen-esque defender and shooter.

Green has the game that complements this competition. He shoots above average from every spot and is the beneficiary of open looks on a Toronto Raptors team filled with talent. Green is a name to watch.

Dirk Nowitzki (DAL)

Odds: +1600

Hot Zone(s): 20.0% (Left Corner), 35.0% (Left Shoulder), 29.0% (Top), 33.3% (Right Shoulder), 33.3% (Right Corner)

How can a player at the bottom of the odds table, who is twenty years into the league, and shooting 30.9% from three be a good bet to make in the Three-Point Contest? Well if that players name is Dirk Nowitzki, it will always be a good bet.

Nowitzki won this competition in 2006 and is a career 38% shooter from three. He is only playing 11 minutes per game and has appeared only 26 times this season. The world knows Dirk is lights out from three and he has the benefit of being a 7-footer – not needing the elevation and effort needed to put up shots like smaller players. Want to bet against Dirk? His accolades suggest you should do otherwise.

2019 NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout Predictions and Odds

The odds makers favour Stephen Curry (+275) to win the 2019 NBA Three-Point Contest. The WSN Team agrees with the odds makers pick of Stephen Curry, but also see legitimate threats in Buddy Hield (+400), and long shot plays in Seth Curry(+600) and Dirk Nowitzki (+1600).