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Salt Lake City (United States) (AFP) – Guard Matthew “Mac” McClung, a player in the NBA affiliate league, revived the flagging All-Star dunk contest on Saturday with a spectacular victory, while star Damian Lillard won his first triple title.
The night of the contests in Salt Lake City (Utah), which serves as an appetizer for the 72nd All-Star Game on Sunday, had the unexpected protagonist of the semi-unknown McClung, who has barely played two games in the NBA in his career.
The white guard, 1.88 meters tall, achieved the maximum score in three impressive dunks that led him to receive the title from the legendary Julius Erving, who from now on will give his name to the trophy of this event.
“I feel blessed that the NBA gave me this opportunity,” thanked the current G-League player from the center of the Vivint Arena court.
McClung is the first player from the affiliate league to be invited by the NBA to participate in this event, which has received much criticism for the low level of recent years.
This same Saturday, the commissioner of the NBA, Adam Silver, affirmed that the exposure that this contest previously offered has lost interest for the great stars of the league at a time when their plays are within the reach of any fan with a single ‘click ‘.
Wearing a Philadelphia 76ers uniform, the team that has his rights, McClung stole the ‘show’ from the other competitors with his amazing ability to jump and agility in the air.
In the first half, McClung took the first of his first high scores with an action in which he jumped over two people, hit the ball against the backboard and dunked.
Forward Trey Murphy III, of the New Orleans Pelicans, also went to the final while Kenyon Martin Jr. (Rockets) and Jericho Sims (Knicks) were eliminated.
In the final, McLung took two other top scores from the jury, which included two-time contest winner Dominique Wilkins and former local heartthrob Karl Malone.
In one of them, the guard made another jump over the person who gave him the ball and made a rectification in the air before dunking from behind, with his head almost at the height of the rim.
The 24-year-old McLung’s actions stunned Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the NBA stars who were in the band recording the moment with their cell phones as well as other figures in the distance.
“Incredible performance by McClung! It’s fun to be surprised after every dunk!!!” Argentina’s Emanuel Ginobili wrote on Twitter.
‘Dame time’
In the other big moment of the night, Damian Lillard won his first All-Star 3-point contest, beating Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton, both of the Indiana Pacers, in the final.
In his third appearance in the contest, Lillard competed wearing a uniform from the university where he was educated, Weber State, located just 60 kilometers from Salt Lake City.
“This makes it even more special”, acknowledged the point guard when picking up the trophy. “I’ve tried twice before and I’m happy to get it here.”
“The best shooters in history have one of these and I wanted to win it at least once before I retired,” said Lillard, who is also the first winner of the contest in Blazers history.
The point guard succeeds the Dominican-American center Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves), surprising winner in 2022.
Lillard had 26 points in the first round of the contest, in which Tyler Herro (Heat), Kevin Huerter (Kings), Julius Randle (Knicks), Jayson Tatum (Celtics) and Lauri Markkanen (Jazz) were eliminated.
In the final, the point guard repeated 26 points again, surpassing with his last triple from the corner the 25 that Buddy Hield got before.
Haliburton tried to move past Lillard afterwards but fell to 17 points.
Lillard, who is averaging 31.4 points and 4.2 triples per game this season, will participate in his seventh All-Star Game on Sunday.
In the other contest, the skills contest, Utah Jazz players Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton prevailed.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), who is due to captain one of the All-Star teams on Sunday, was sidelined as a precaution because of a wrist injury he suffered Thursday.
The Greek was relieved by his Bucks teammate Jrue Holiday, who competed alongside the other two Antetokounmpo brothers: Alex (Wisconsin Herd – G League) and Thanasis (Bucks).
© 2023 AFP
