NBA All-Star Game 2021: Live updates from the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest

Scott Rafferty

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NBA All-Star Game 2021: Live updates from the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest image

Well, that was fun.

Prior to the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, a number of players battled it out in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge and MTN DEW 3-Point Contest.

Indiana Pacers centre Domantas Sabonis defeated Orlando Magic centre Nikola Vucevic to win the Skills Challenge while Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry defeated Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. to win the 3-Point Contest.

Check below for updates from each event.

2021 MTN DEW 3-Point Contest

— Goodness. It comes down to the last shot and ... Stephen Curry drains it. 28 points wins it. It's Curry's second time winning the 3-Point Contest.

— Alright, it's down to Stephen Curry. Mike Conley Jr. has set the bar high at 27.

— Jayson Tatum comes out first and scores 17 points. He went 0-for-5 on the moneyball rack. Tough to bounce back from that.

— Advancing to the final round: Stephen Curry, Mike Conley Jr. and Jayson Tatum. It should be a good one.

— So, uh, Stephen Curry can shoot. He puts up 31 points and makes it look easy. Unfair.

— A slow start and a strong finish for Donovan Mitchell. He's tied with Zach LaVine for third place with 22 points.

— Wow. We have a new front-runner: 28 points for Mike Conley Jr. He went a perfect 5-for-5 on the moneyball rack.

— Zach LaVine closes strong to finish with 22 points, putting him in second place with three more shooters to go.

— A big-time performance from Jayson Tatum in the first round, putting up 25 points.

— Minus this...

...a solid showing from Jaylen Brown, who finishes with 17 points.

— Jaylen Brown is up first!

2021 Taco Bell Skills Challenge

— The 2021 Taco Bell Skills Challenge is ... Domantas Sabonis!

A runner-up last season, this is his first time winning the event. Sabonis is also the first Pacer to win the event.

— Chris Paul had the lead ... and missed a layup. Nikola Vucevic takes advantage and advances to the Finals, where he'll take on Domantas Sabonis.

Who said this is a guard's league?

— Domantas Sabonis defeats Luka Doncic to advance to the Finals! Doncic had no chance.

— It's bigs against guards. Nikola Vucevic eliminates Robert Covington to face Chris Paul in the second round.

— Domantas Sabonis takes out Julius Randle with ease in the first round, setting him up for a matchup with Luka Doncic in the second round.

— Robert Covington made a big announcement before the Skills Challenge.

— The bracket has been set!

Indiana Pacers centre Domantas Sabonis will take on New York Knicks centre Julius Randle in the first round. The winner will then take on Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic in the second round.

On the other side of the bracket, Orlando Magic centre Nikola Vucevic will face Portland Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington in the first round, with the winner facing Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul in the second round.

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.

Scott Rafferty

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Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.