NBA All-Star Saturday in Indianapolis will have a special twist added to the normal festivities with the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Shootout and Slam Dunk Contest.
Following the usual 3-Point Shootout, there will be a second 3-point contest, but it will feature only two players — the premiere long-distance shooters in professional basketball: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu of the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Both players will have the five racks of balls placed around the perimeter of the 3-point line, but they will each be able to place one rack of their choosing full of the money-ball, which is worth two points apiece.
We’ve witnessed Curry’s greatness not only as one of the best scorers of all-time, but probably the best 3-point shooter in the history of basketball.
He is listed as a -215 favorite, which means you have to bet $215 to win $100 for the Golden State star to win.
By choice, Ionescu will shoot from the NBA’s extended 3-point line instead of the WNBA’s arc. The former University of Oregon standout knocked down nearly 45% of her 3-point attempts last season with the Liberty.
Curry has won the NBA’s 3-point challenge twice in his career (2015, 2021). Ionescu won the WNBA’s long-distance contest last summer in Las Vegas. Her 37 points (out of a possible 40) broke marks for both the WNBA (30, Allie Quigley) and NBA (31, Curry and Tyrese Haliburton).
Starry 3-Point Contest odds
Ionescu sits as a +164 underdog at FanDuel, but oddsmakers believe it won’t be a difficult task for her to knock down four straight 3-pointers at any juncture. When she won the WNBA’s contest last year, she hot 20 consecutive shots.
Both Curry and Ionescu are listed at -2000 each to drill four consecutive treys, but the Liberty guard is +160 to hit eight straight 3-pointers.
Curry has hit the most 3-pointers in NBA history and can knock down shots from anywhere on the court.
Starry 3-Point Contest pick
It’s never recommended to lay the price with Curry simply because he could easily have an off night, like he did Thursday night against the Jazz when he went just 2-of-8 from long range.
However, if Curry can catch fire like we’ve see so many times before, there is a nice return. Check out the prop offered by FanDuel with Curry hitting 10 consecutive shots, which is listed at +420.