"Work smarter, not harder."
That was the plan for Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, and Collin Sexton — Team Utah — during the 2023 Kia Skills Challenge on Saturday night.
While it didn't exactly start that way, with Clarkson "getting lost" during the team relay portion of the competition, the Jazz stuck to what they're good with and walked away with the victory over Team Antetokounmpo (Thanasis, Alex, and Jrue Holiday) and Team Rookies (Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, and Jabari Smith Jr.).
"Let's go the easy route. … We know we can pass, we know we can shoot," Clarkson said with a laugh.
Kicking off the competition was a team relay that required a long pass, dribbling through some moving objects, a floater, a corner three, and a full court sprint for a layup.
As expected, Team Antetokounmpo came out hustling, showing the same competitive spirit that led to an NBA title two years ago — only to be beaten out by the rookies next. Then came Utah's debacle with Clarkson going the wrong way, leading to Utah being down early.
However, the Jazz evened the score with the rookies when they won the passing competition, taking down Team Antetokounmpo 88-84. Surprisingly enough, Kessler led the team in passing, with Sexton finishing close behind.
When asked if the passing portion was difficult given his low number, Clarkson flashed his million-dollar smile, laughed, and said, "Um, for guys like me that don't really pass much…" before trailing off.
That meant that the third round — the shooting portion of the competition — would determine the winner, with Team Antetokounmpo leading the way with eight points.
Then in their home arena and in front of Jazz Nation, Team Utah did exactly what Clarkson said they'd do — they shot the ball. Sexton and Kessler caught fire, and thanks to some smart strategy, Utah finished with 13 points to take home the victory.
"Because I came up with the strategy," Kessler said when asked why the Jazz won.
Although his teammates were willing to agree, they also knew to make sure it didn't go to their rookie's head.
"Walk definitely came up with the strategy, and it worked," Sexton said with a laugh. "It definitely worked, and we give him credit. … But this might be the last credit we ever give you."
While the Jazz happily celebrated their victory afterward, only Kessler and Sexton walked into the media room holding their trophies. Looking around, nobody seemed to find Clarkson. After I asked him whether he took a wrong turn or got lost in the vastly different-looking hallways of Vivint Arena, Kessler provided the perfect response.
"Just like in the first part," he said with a laugh.
Unfortunately, that's where Utah's winnings ended as All-Star starter Lauri Markkanen barely missed out on the finals of the Starry Three-Point Contest. The second-to-last shooter, he tied with Boston's Jayson Tatum for the last spot in the finals — but that was before Portland's Damian Lillard stepped up.
From that point on, it became the Lillard show.
Oakland-born, Ogden bred, Lillard received the second loudest ovation of the competition when he elected to compete in his Weber State jersey from college — a mere 32.4 miles north of Vivint Arena.
Lillard took down Indiana's backcourt duo of Buddy Hield and Tyrese Halliburton to win.
"I think anytime an All-Star Weekend is in a place where somebody connects with that place, I think it's important to pay homage and to acknowledge that," Lillard said. "The fact that I lived here for four years, went to school here, like I said, I met so many friends and so many people that I still interact with and deal with on a personal level here, and just what I've laid down in this area, on the Wasatch Front, I think it was just perfect. It was perfect to be able to do that."
Wrapping up the night was the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest — and what a way to cap it all off.
Mac McClung and Trey Murphy went head-to-head in the finals, with each throwing down some nasty dunks that ignited the contingent of NBA players sitting courtside. In the end, McClung did a 720-degree reverse dunk for a perfect 50 that won it all.