SALT LAKE CITY — After years of being considered one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, Damian Lillard finally has a title to show for it.
Lillard won the 3-point Contest trophy Saturday night during the NBA's All-Star Weekend. It was his third attempt.
“The best shooters in the history of our game, most of them have one of these,” Lillard said as he held the trophy. “I just wanted to get it done at least one time. And now I have it, so I can retire from it.”
It wasn't easy, though; He only beat Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers by one point. Lillard, of the Portland Trailblazers, finished the final round with 26 points to Hield's 25. The third finalist in the contest, Pacer Tyrese Haliburton, finished with 17 in the final round but got the highest score in the first round with 31. Lillard also scored 26 in that round.
Winning his first-ever title in the annual competition included an added significance: Lillard played college basketball at Weber State in Ogden, just a half-hour's drive north of Salt Lake City where the All-Star Weekend is being hosted this year. Lillard honored his alma mater by wearing a Weber State jersey during the contest.
“I’m happy that it happened here. It’s a perfect situation. I’m happy that I did it in my home, coming back here to Utah," he said.
Utah’s Lauri Markkanen was in the contest as well, but he was eliminated in the first round along with Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Miami’s Tyler Herro, New York’s Julius Randle and Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter.
Prior to the 3-Point Contest, a trio of Utah Jazz players won the "Skills Challenge." Afterward, Mac McClung won the Slam Dunk Contest.
