The last time Salt Lake City hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 1993, Mark Price of the Cleveland Cavaliers won the 3-point contest with a final round score of 18 out of a possible 30 – which was then known as the AT&T Long Distance Shootout. was known as Terry Porter of the Portland Trail Blazers to the sideline.
A lot has changed around the 3-point shot over the past three decades – both during the season and in the All-Stars. With the Mid-Season Classic back in Salt Lake City and the starry 3-Point Contest set for Saturday, let’s take a look at the numbers.
In 1993, the league average for 3-pointers attempted was 9.0 per team. There are eight players this season — including three in this contest in Damian Lillard (11.2 3PA per game), Jayson Tatum (9.3) and Buddy Hield (9.0) — who either match or beat that team average. The average number of 3-pointers attempted by a team in 2023 is 34.1 per game — nearly quadruple from 1993.
Not only will we see plenty of 3-point shots during Sunday’s 72nd NBA All-Star Game, but eight of the league’s top long-range shooters will compete in the Starry 3-Point Contest as part of All-Star Saturday Night. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET on TNT is the second event of the night with the 3-Point Contest.
Similar to the increase in overall 3-point shooting, the number in 3-point contests has increased in recent years, with the maximum score now at 40 points instead of 30 the last time Utah hosted a 3-point contest.
Traditional 3-point competition consists of five racks evenly spaced around the 3-point line, each containing five balls—four regular orange balls worth one point each, and one multi-colored money ball. The cost is two points. This is a maximum score of six points per rack and 30 for the competition.
When eight shooters take to the court in this year’s competition, they will have a maximum of 40 points available. The four racks used in today’s competition are the same as in traditional competition – four orange balls are worth one point and one multicolored money ball is worth two points. Then things get a bit more interesting.
First, there is the all money ball rack, which consists of five money balls, each worth two points and may be placed by the shooter on any one of five shot positions. This gives the competition an intriguing element of strategy that goes beyond being a knock-down shooter.
Second, there are two “starry” balls, placed well behind the 3-point line on each side of the middle rack. Each of these shots — from about 30 feet away from the basket — is worth three points, meaning a goal can turn up in a hurry. If a player struggles initially but hits both “starry” balls and clears all of his money ball rack, he is back in the contest.
So, let’s take a closer look at these two outdoor rules and see how this year’s sector can use them to their advantage.