Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Harris is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, but it wasn’t enough on Saturday night.
Joe Harris can stand toe-to-toe with the best three-point shooters in the world. After all, he shocked the world by beating Stephen Curry in the 2019 three-point contest. However, the Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter wasn’t able to defend his title on Saturday night.
Devin Booker, Buddy Hield, and Davis Bertans were too much for Harris, who shot last, to handle. The Net poured in 22 points, but only managed a fifth-place finish out of eight participants.
Defending champion Joe Harris knocked out in the first round! #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/FSM9dn4Vy6
— Dan (@statsbydan) February 16, 2020
“Are you kidding me?!”@DevinBook was lights out! ? #MtnDew3pt pic.twitter.com/cra9nO9Aq8
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
Buddy drains his last SIX shots ? pic.twitter.com/mWzB0ugria
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
Davis Bertans went OFF to end his round ? #MtnDew3pt pic.twitter.com/cLs5Bu8QF8
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
Earlier on Saturday, Harris said that his strategy was just to “shoot the damn thing.” Unfortunately for Nets fans, Bertans, Booker, and Hield had the exact same strategy. Go figure.
Much like Harris, Trae Young, Devonte’ Graham, Duncan Robinson, and Zach LaVine were all eliminated in the first round as well.
In the final round, Bertans started out with a 22, Booker followed that up with 26, and Hield stepped up to center stage. The Sacramento Kings star entered the final rack, his money rack, with 19 points.
Calm, cool, and collected, Hield drilled his first three shots on the rack and only needed to hit one of his final two shots. Miss. Make. The three-point assassin made it interesting until the very last shot and took home his first three-point contest victory. His ability to heat up on the final racks gave him the edge on Saturday night.
Although Harris wasn’t able to defend his title, he and Booker welcomed another into the fraternity of three-point contest winners.
