It came down to the last second, but ultimately the clock read 'Dame Time' on All-Star Saturday again.
DAME TIME ⌚️
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 18, 2024
Dame hits his last shot to win #Starry3PT pic.twitter.com/vdT6n7enWv
In a highly competitive three-point shooting contest, Lillard sank his final shot, a two-point money ball, to defeat Atlanta's Trae Young, 26-24. Lillard had to survive a close first round in which four players put up 26 points, followed by a tiebreaker round in which he eliminated Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton on a three-point Starry ball shot.
Dame advances to the championship round
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 18, 2024
Trae vs. KAT vs. Dame for the #Starry3PT crown pic.twitter.com/plFRdQLfCm
It's no surprise that Lillard, one of the NBA's greatest practitioners of deep threes, excelled at the Starry balls, which are placed six feet beyond normal three-point range. That was the difference in the final against Young.
With the victory, Lillard became the first repeat champion since Jason Kapono, who won in 2007 and 2008. He also joined a small number of multiple three-point champions, a list that includes Kapono, Steph Curry, Peja Stojakovic, Jeff Hornacek, Mark Price, and three-time winners Craig Hodges and Larry Bird.
Lillard was pushed hard by Towns, who has the final-round record of 29 points, as well as Young. But ultimately it came down to one clutch final shot, and that's what Lillard loves.
It had to be extra sweet to do it in Indiana, a team that Lillard's Bucks have struggled with and feuded with all season. Haliburton even did the Dame Time celebration after beating Milwaukee in the in-season tournament.
"Y'all know what time it is."
— ESPN (@espn) December 8, 2023
Tyrese Haliburton called 'Dame Time' on the Bucks pic.twitter.com/pdAUDHVsxt
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