Perhaps the most intriguing event for many fans ahead of the 2024 All-Star Weekend is the Three-Point contest between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu. Just a few days before the contest, Sabrina Ionescu has made a hilarious plea. In the game against the Pacers, Curry nailed six triples in the first quarter itself without a miss. As Ionescu saw this mind-boggling showing, she urged the defenders to pick up their game against Steph so that she wouldn’t have to pay the price during the contest.
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The WNBA star recently took to Instagram and wrote, “Someone plz contest his shots I need him a little out of rhythm… thx.” Curry has been on fire lately and has continued to make double the number of three-pointers of even his elite shooting peers. He has made nine and eleven three-pointers respectively in the last two games and has made nine or more threes thrice already this month. With 234 three-pointers made thus far, Chef Curry is at the top of the total three-pointers made this season.
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Therefore, Ionescu’s concerns are valid. It isn’t that this is the first time that an incredible shooter has hit such a window. However, with the three-point contest a few days away, she wants someone to cool off the NBA All-Time three-point leader. This could also be an attempt from the New York Liberty star to flatter the Dubs star as well ahead of the contest so that he doesn’t have any extra motivation to beat her.
Meanwhile, Curry’s former 2x championship teammate Kevin Durant recently changed his tune after backing Steph for the contest against Ionescu. Earlier he had said, “I’m going Steph. Sorry Sabrina, you can shoot, but not against the greatest.” When reporter Leigh Ellis asked Stephen Curry who did he think KD picked to win the shootout, Curry stated that he believes his former teammate must have picked Ionescu to mess with him. He replied, “Knowing him[KD], he’s an instigator. I’m sure he picked her[Ionescu]”
The Steph vs. Sabrina 3-Point contest over NBA All-Star weekend is gonna be huge.
I asked him about it and got a prediction from Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/x34tzJpw4n— Leigh Ellis (@LeighEllis) February 5, 2024
KD engaged in this banter once again and after seeing his former championship teammate flip, he changed his stance. He declared, ”I can’t believe u would call me an instigator, Stephen. I’m taking Sabrina [Ionescu].” After learning about KD’s change of heart, Ionescu commented “I’ll take it” and tagged Durant on Instagram. With such a riveting build-up, let us have a look at how the rules will work out for the three-point contest.
An intriguing shootout between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu
Initially, it was reported that Sabrina Ionescu would shoot from the WNBA three-point line which is 20 feet, 6 inches. whereas Stephen Curry would shoot from the NBA three-point line of 22 feet from the corners and 23 feet, 9 inches from the other areas. However, Ionescu then declared that she wanted to shoot from NBA range too. In terms of the ball size, Steph will use the Size 7 Ball whereas Ionescu will shoot with the Size 6 ball.
In terms of points per make, there will be Four racks of four game balls with each ball worth a point. Each of the four racks will also have a money ball worth two points. Apart from that, there will be a fifth rack with money balls. The money ball racks will be arranged as per the shooter’s wish. The contest will also have two shots from the “Starry-Range” which will be each worth 3 points. There will be 70 seconds to get all the shots in, so the Three-Point Contest will follow the NBA All-Star Three-Point rules.
