During the NBA All-Star Weekend, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns competed in the 3-point contest for the fifth time in his career but narrowly lost in the final round to Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard claimed his third victory in the event, edging out Booker in a closely contested showdown.
The contest started with Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel setting a strong pace by scoring 27 points in the opening round. Donovan Mitchell followed with a solid 24 points, while Jamal Murray was eliminated after a 18-point first round.
Norman Powell delivered 23 points for the Miami Heat, but Bobby Portis scored the lowest with 15 points. Tyrese Maxey made 17 points before being eliminated. Booker then scored 30 points, enough to remove Powell from contention. Lillard, as the last shooter of the round, needed to hit at least 27 points to advance and managed exactly that, knocking Mitchell out of the competition.
Final Round Battle Between Booker and Lillard
In the final round, Knueppel’s 17 points were quickly surpassed. Lillard set a high bar by scoring 29 points, applying significant pressure on Booker. The Suns guard, shooting last, needed to match or exceed that total with his final three shots but unfortunately missed all of them, finishing with 27 points and falling short of the win.
Lillard’s third title places him alongside legends Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only players in NBA history with three 3-point contest victories.
Booker Reflects on His Close Defeat
Booker came close to winning the event for the second time, having previously taken home the trophy in 2018. This was his first shootout appearance since 2020, when he lost in the final to Buddy Hield. After the contest, Booker admitted to reporters that he lost track of the exact number of points needed to overtake Lillard in the final round.
It’s a great feat for him,
Booker said, via The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin.
Dame is somebody I have a lot of respect for. It’s his third time winning it. Somebody I was teammates with in the Olympics. Going into it, I thought it was going to be (Kon Knueppel) or Dame or me, and it ended up being the final round. Some good shooting going on.
Despite some fan backlash on social media about Lillard’s participation while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and not playing this season, Booker expressed no issues with Lillard competing and respected the effort.
Lillard’s Light-Hearted Reaction After Victory
In his post-competition interview with NBC’s Zora Stephenson, Lillard made a joking comment about rooting for Booker to falter during the final shots.
I was praying on his downfall,
Lillard said.
I mean, I knew coming in I could see it being me, Kon and Book in the end. Knew it would be stiff competition. He was in position, just took more shots to rattle out, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Lillard also shared his intention to participate in the next year’s 3-point contest, aiming to break the three-way tie with Bird and Hodges for the most titles won in the event.
The Significance and What’s Ahead for Booker and Lillard
Devin Booker’s narrow loss in the 3-point contest underscores his enduring status as one of the NBA’s elite shooters, while Damian Lillard’s victory adds to his legacy despite his current injury setback. Both players demonstrated strong performance under pressure, with Booker proving he remains highly competitive in clutch moments. Moving forward, Lillard’s goal to compete again next year and pursue another title sets an intriguing storyline, while Booker’s experience may fuel further determination to claim another championship in the contest.
