Sources: Damian Lillard to participate in 3-Point Contest at All-Star Game
Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard will participate in the 3-Point Contest in Atlanta on March 7, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
The 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will take place prior to the All-Star Game on the same day and the Slam Dunk Contest will be performed at halftime, sources say. The Trail Blazers’ franchise player is sure to be named an All-Star for the sixth time.
Lillard, 30, is third in the league in 3-pointers made (105) while shooting 38% from that range.
There’s been controversy regarding the league’s decision to have an All-Star Game in the midst of a pandemic. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and De’Aaron Fox were among the top players critical of the idea.
Lillard’s position on the matter is ultimately that it’s a business decision for the league and he understands.
“There’s repercussions for us not [having an All-Star Game],” Lillard stated last week. “It could be something negative for us not going along with that. If that’s what we’re going to do, I’m with it. But if we’re not, I’m fine with that, too.”
The nine-year veteran has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate. He’s averaging 29.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists on the season and has the Trail Blazers stationed fourth at 17-10 in the Western Conference standings without key starters in CJ McCollum (foot) and Jusuf Nurkic (wrist).
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