Utah Jazz stars showcase skills, hoist trophies in front of hometown fans

From left, Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler and Jordan Clarkson celebrate winning the NBA All-Star Skills Challenge in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. Photo: Utah Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 18, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — It was a successful NBA All-Star Saturday Night for the Utah Jazz, who overcame a rocky start to win the Skills Challenge in front of their home fans.

The hometown trio of Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton started the evening off on a positive note with a victory in the three-team Skills Challenge at Vivint Arena.

Following some rough moments in the opening-round team relay that saw Clarkson start to dribble through the course in the wrong direction, Team Jazz won the passing and shooting competitions to secure the victory.

“It feels good, especially to do it in front of the home team,” Sexton said during the on-court trophy presentation. “We got a little advantage from the crowd.”

“We knew we had to do it four our Jazz crowd here, so at the end, we got the win,” Kessler added.

It was the third Skill Challenge title for the Jazz, who also took home trophies in the 2008 and 2014 competitions.

A late change to the lineup saw Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday fill in for injured teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo on Team Antetokounmpo, which also featured brothers Thanasis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Alex Antetokounmpo (Wisconsin Herd).

A team of NBA rookies — Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons) and Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets) — rounded out the field.

3-Point Contest

Utah’s sharp-shooting big man Lauri Markkanen turned in a respectable 20-point showing in the opening round of the 3-Point Contest but fell just short of advancing to the final.

Damian Lillard, a seven-time NBA All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers and former star at Weber State, took home the trophy with a final-round 26 to defeat Indiana Pacers teammates Buddy Hield and Tyrese Halliburton.

Both Markkanen and Lillard will be back on the court Sunday for the NBA All-Star Game.

Utah Jazz forwardcenter Lauri Markkanen competes in the NBA All Star 3 Point Contest in Salt Lake City on Saturday Feb 18 2023 Photo Utah Jazz

Dunk Contest

Former Utah Jazz star and two-time NBA MVP Karl Malone was courtside for the final event Saturday night, serving as a judge in the Slam Dunk Contest.

The final event of NBA All-Star Saturday Night was won by Mac McClung, a two-way player with the Philadelphia 76ers who currently plays for the Delaware Blue Hens in the NBA’s G League.

McClung got perfect 10s from the five judges on all but one of his dunks to defeat Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans in the final round.

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