Domantas Sabonis smokes the field in the 2021 NBA Skills Challenge
By Alex Mcewen
Indiana Pacers big man comes up victorious in the 2021 NBA Skills Competition, after losing the finals last year.
The 2021 NBA Skills Challenge almost did not happen. However, it was a bit different this year, as it did not take place on All-Star Saturday Night, instead the league opted to hold all the events on Sunday.
The Participants
Domantas Sabonis
Julius Randle
Luka Doncic
Nikola Vucevic
Chris Paul
Robert Covington
For the first matchup, Sabonis and Randle faced off. Sabonis ran away with the contest, he completed each challenge on his first try and easily advanced to the next round. Where he comfortably eliminated Luka Doncic and advanced to the final round.
Next up, it was Vucevic versus Covington, and once again the big man reigned supreme. However, it was a bit closer this time as both participants were shooting from 3 at the same time, but Vucevic got his shot off first and it was money.
The most intense round of the event came when Vucevic and Chris Paul came down to a shootout. The Suns’ guard and the Magic big man both got off multiple attempts before Vucevic narrowly edged out CP3 to advance to the finals.
It all came down to big man versus big man in the final round, which followed a trend from recent years. Both players were crisp and precise and once again it came to the final skill, 3-point shooting. Sabonis’ shot was online until Vucevic’s shot knocked things off course. It took a few tries, but it was Domantas Sabonis who came out victorious.
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It was good to see Sabonis walk away a winner this year, after a close defeat against Bam Adebayo. Perhaps, Mr. Sabonis had been waiting a year to avenge last year’s loss.