“It’s only right if I do it with some drama,” Dame said after defending his title and winning the second straight three-point contest. Eight sharpshooters entered the Starry 3-point contest after the Indiana Pacers bunch took over the Skills Challenge. The haul included Trae Young, Tyrese Haliburton, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Lauri Markkanen, Karl-Anthony Towns, Damian Lillard, and Malik Beasley.

Throughout the contest, Damian Lillard faced not only the pressure of the ticking clock but also the monumental scores posted by other players. Entering the final round as the last contestant, Lillard clinched the trophy rights in style. Sinking into his much-needed last money ball, his signature ‘Dame-Time’ was on full display, solidifying his victory memorably.

Following his victory, Dame acknowledged the high-pressure situation he found himself in. However, when asked about the laid-back officiating, he responded, “I see the referees out here, they no enforcing no rules. I’ve seen a couple rules being broken. So I figured I could get away with a little bit.”

While the 3-point contest proceeded smoothly without major officiating controversies, there were a few instances where certain details were overlooked. For instance, in one of his rounds, Karl-Anthony Towns began with his leg placed on the three-point line, a fact visible on the TV broadcast. Despite this, the flow of the game was not affected, as Towns was granted all the buckets he made in the set.

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Furthermore, Lillard released one of his shots after the buzzer. Despite the timing discrepancy, he was granted 2 points, leveling him with Towns’ 16. However, the outcome of the game remained unaffected since Lillard had already surpassed Tyrese Haliburton to secure his spot in the ultimate showdown.

Damian Lillard had all the top players in deadlock

The 2024 edition of the Starry 3-Point Contest featured two former winners. 2022 champion Karl-Anthony Towns and the defending titleholder Damian Lillard, aiming to leave their mark on history. The anticipation escalated when the initial round unfolded surprisingly, resulting in a rare tie among four players.

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Despite each player reaching the 20-point mark, Young, Haliburton, Towns, and Lillard all leveled at 26 points. Consequently, a 30-second extended round ensued, eliminating Tyrese from the intense competition. Interstingly, through his first round to the winning one, Lillard’s fate came down to the last second. Lillard avoided elimination in the first round. Furthermore, he then marked his final round entry in the tie-breaker, before winning it all in the last second.