Bulls guard Zach LaVine is adding the 3-Point Contest to his All-Star schedule after earning his first career selection for the game itself this season.
This will be LaVine's second straight year participating in the 3-Point Contest, which is set to be held before the start of the 2021 All-Star game on March 7 in Atlanta, Ga. Though he was eliminated from of the shootout early during All-Star weekend in Chicago in February 2020, LaVine previously expressed interest in participating again.
And it makes all the sense in the world. LaVine is enjoying a career season across the board in 2020-21, particularly shooting the ball. As of Tuesday, he owns a 43.3 percent success rate from 3-point range on a whopping 8.1 attempts per game.
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Broken down by zone:
- Left corner: 59.3%* (27 total attempts)
- Left wing: 41.1% (107 attempts)
- Top of key: 33.9% (59 attempts)
- Right wing: 54.5% (55 attempts)
- Right corner: 31.6% (19 attempts)
* 2nd in NBA (min. 25 attempts)
So it will be interesting to see where he places his money ball rack, a point of consternation after last year's defeat. En route to 23 points, and a first-round ouster, LaVine sank just two of his five money balls, which he placed at the top of the key.
NBA
“If I would’ve changed it around, I would’ve put the money balls in the corner, last,” LaVine said that night. At that point in the season, he was shooting 51.3 percent on corner triples. Buddy Hield went on to win the competition.
Now, a chance at redemption.
The stakes are the same as last year. With a win, LaVine would become the first player in NBA history to win both the 3-Point and Dunk Contest in his career. His competition: Steph Curry, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The star-studded shootout begins at 5:30 p.m. CT on March 7.