The five best NBA 3-point contests ever

By Luke Norris | Feb 14, 2017

TORONTO, ON- FEBRUARY 13: Stephen Curry watches as teammate Klay Thompson competes in the three point competition during the NBA's All-Star Saturday Night. Where players compete in three events, the Skills Challenge, 3-point shooting and Slam Dunk at the in Toronto. February 13, 2016. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

3 of 5

TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 13: Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with teammate Stephen Curry after winning the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend 2016 at Air Canada Centre on February 13, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

3. 2016

Participants: Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, Khris Middleton, Kyle Lowry, J.J. Redick, CJ McCollum, James Harden, Devin Booker

The 2016 contest was the second to feature the new rack full of money balls, meaning that the maximum score was now 34 instead of 30, so the scores may look a little inflated but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t some great shooting going on in Toronto last year.

Defending champion Steph Curry had dusted Kyrie Irving and his fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson in the previous year’s final round, scoring a record 27 points, but he had a ton of competition after him this time around. Thompson was back for revenge and led the way with 22 points in the first round. Kyle Lowry, CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton weren’t a factor but James Harden, J.J. Redick and Devin Booker were all quite impressive in the opening round, scoring 20 points each. Curry was the last to shoot and he certainly brought the drama along. He had 19 points and one money ball worth two points left on his final rack. So what do you think happened? Of course he drained it, leaving Harden, Redick and Booker to battle it out for the third spot in the finals. Booker won the 30-second shootout, scoring 12 to Redick’s nine and Harden’s eight.

Booker was solid in the final round with 16 points, Curry was better with 23 and then there was Thompson, who put on an absolute show, matching Curry’s record of 27 and brought the crowd and his competitors alike to their feet with a dazzling performance. Even Curry was behind him as he kept draining bucket after bucket. Thompson is back to defend his title this year in New Orleans against Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, Nick Young, Wes Matthews, Eric Gordon, CJ McCollum and Kyle Lowry.

Home/NBA