The Taco Bell Skills Challenge, MTN DEW 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk will take center stage on State Farm All-Star Saturday Night.
Give us your predictions for State Farm All-Star Saturday Night — who do you think will win the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, MTN DEW 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk?
State Farm All-Star Saturday Night 2022 will be held on TNT this Saturday starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Steve Aschburner: Give me Team Cavs for the Taco Bell Skills Challenge – there’s a little extra pride and motivation for players whose city happens to be hosting All-Star Weekend. I like Trae Young to win the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest because it’s something a star player does. In it? Then win it? And there’s no better way for Jalen Green to reset his disappointing rookie season so far than by taking home gold in the AT&T Slam Dunk. The downside is that he might get typecast as all raw skills that aren’t translating very well to the Houston Rockets’ team efforts, at least to the point. But Green was drafted No. 2 overall for a bunch of reasons, and dunking creativity should be right in his wheelhouse.
Mark Medina: In the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, I’ve to go with the Cavs. The NBA’s rookies are too inexperienced. Even though the Antetokounmpo brothers grew up together, they haven’t collectively played much basketball together on the same team. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley have played in plenty of games together and presumably have had some time to prepare together for this competition. My money in the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest on Trae Young. The Hawks’ star loves to be in the spotlight and put on a show. He also has tried to emulate at least some of his game after Stephen Curry. No better way to honor his idol than for Young to win the 3-point contest a year after Curry won for the second time in his career. In the AT&T Slam Dunk, give me Jalen Green. Even through the Rockets’ growing pains, Green has become must-see TV because of his athleticism and style. Those two traits are perfectly suited for the dunk contest, which rewards both hops and creativity. Besides, online betting sites consider Green as the favorite. Rarely are the oddsmakers wrong about these things.
Take a closer look at the field for the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest field.
Shaun Powell: I so, so badly want the Brothers Antetokounmpo to win the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, if only for the sure-to-be amusing celebration to follow. That said, the Rooks are running away with this. All three of them — Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes and especially Josh Giddey — are fundamentally sound and perhaps hungrier than the other entrants. In the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest, give me Luke Kennard in a big upset if only because he’s a classic stand-and-shooter, in a close win over Desmond Bane. And finally, the AT&T Slam Dunk, “Jumping” Jalen Green seems to bring the bounce and the creativity necessary to win. Ordinarily I’d say Obi Toppin here but he was embarrassed in last year’s contest.
John Schuhmann: I’m going with Team Cavs in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, because none of the rookies or Antetokounmpos shoot particularly well from outside the paint. Let’s go with Fred VanVleet in the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest (but not in the 2-point contest), because he leads the league in clutch 3s (and is 5-for-26 on clutch 2s). And in the AT&T Slam Dunk, I’ve got Obi Toppin because he seems to have the best hops and has been practicing in the middle of games.
Cole Anthony, Jalen Green, Obi Toppin and Juan Toscano-Anderson are set for takeoff in AT&T Slam Dunk.
Michael C. Wright: It’s the Cavs all the way in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge because we’re talking about a cohesive group here that has shown its competitiveness by where they currently sit in the Eastern Conference Standings. Much love to Giannis, but he won’t be able to carry his brothers through this, and as nice as those rookies are, they’ll struggle against the Cavs’ collective experience. In the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest, Desmond Bane’s short arms might prove beneficial in getting off shots quickly. But my favorites for this are Fred VanVleet and Patty Mills, with the latter coming out on top. A 13-year vet, Mills has knocked down plenty of shots in big games over the years. In the AT&T Slam Dunk, I’m taking Jalen Green for no other reasons than the fact I’m a native Texan, he’s a Houston Rocket, and we’re both of Filipino descent. Oh, and Green can fly, too.
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