Trae Young, Chris Paul upset as NBA-WNBA HORSE competition kicks off
The NBA and ESPN are getting creative in the absence of live sports.Â
On the heels of an NBA 2K tournament involving players, the quarterfinal rounds of a NBA/WNBA H-O-R-S-E event aired on the “worldwide leader” Sunday night. Â
In the first matchup, NBA legend Chauncey Billups upset Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young, who was considered a favorite in the event.Â
Billups, playing on his court emblazoned with the nickname “Smooth,” picked up three letters, but he stormed back, hanging five straight letters on Young — who was playing on a driveway hoop in Norman, Oklahoma — for the victory. Mr. Big Shot’s winner was a top-of-the-key 3-pointer off the glass.
The second quarterfinal pitted Hall-of-Fame-bound Tamika Catchings against the Jazz’s Mike Conley. The Utah guard won fairly handily, though he had a decided advantage that even he admitted afterwards helped him greatly: He has an indoor court at his Columbus, Ohio, home. Catchings was playing outdoors in a cold and windy Indiana.Â
Despite the indoor setup, Conley’s winner was perhaps the nicest shot of the first round. He went up over the backboard and through on a scoop shot.Â
The Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine secured a clean sweep against Celtics legend Paul Pierce. Despite dunking being prohibited — LaVine is a two-time winner of the Slam Dunk Contest, so he’s quite good at it — the Bulls star found some creative ways to take advantage of his athleticism against the retired Pierce. Â
The final matchup was also the closest (eight letters were dispensed), with WNBA sharpshooter Allie Quigley taking down Chris Paul, another player considered a favorite in the event. This matchup featured probably the most creative shots in the true spirit of HORSE, and also seemed to last the longest, with the two stars answering each other repeatedly.Â
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