Fansided

The five best NBA 3-point contests ever

By Luke Norris

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)
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) /
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ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 25: Former 3-point contest winner Craig Hodges shoots during the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest part of 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend at Amway Center on February 25, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 25: Former 3-point contest winner Craig Hodges shoots during the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest part of 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend at Amway Center on February 25, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

2. 1991

Participants: Craig Hodges, Dennis Scott, Terry Porter, Danny Ainge, Tim Hardaway, Hersey Hawkins, Clyde Drexler, Glen Rice

The participant list in itself should be enough to include the 1991 contest on this list but the actual contest was just as good. Defending champion Craig Hodges had been a part of every single 3-point shootout since its inception in 1996. This was one of his best performances and arguably one of the best performances in history. This was back when there were three rounds to the contest and Hodges came out firing in the opening round with 20 points. Danny Ainge was second with 18, Dennis Scott had 16 and Terry Porter and Tim Hardaway tied with 15, meaning they would have to go to a shootout to decide who would move on to the semifinals. Bradley alum Hersey Hawkins would just miss out on the shootout with 14. Glen Rice had a disappointing showing with just nine points but would redeem himself in his next appearance four years later with a win in 1995. Clyde Drexler, who did seem a little out of his element, brought up the rear with eight.

After Porter defeated Hardaway in the 30-second shootout, he found himself in the final round with 14 points, ahead of Scott at 12 and Ainge at 11. But it was the semifinal performance of Hodges that was the real highlight of the night as he made his first 19 shots of the second round and nearly broke his own record of 25 points in a round. He tired a bit at the end and ended up with 24 but easily moved on to the final round and outlasted Porter, 17-12 to take home his second consecutive title. He would beat another Bradley alum, Jim Les, the following year for the three-peat. Hodges would then make history in 1993 by becoming the first player to compete in the 3-point contest as a free agent. He’d been released by the Bulls following their second championship and hadn’t been picked up by anybody but the league decided to allow him to defend his title anyway. He made to the semifinals in his final appearance and will go down as one of the best competitors in contest history with three titles and two runner-up finishes in eight appearances. His 19 consecutive makes is still a record today and the closest to ever get to him was Steph Curry in 2015 with 13.

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