Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns became just the third big man to win the NBA Three-Point Contest after taking the competition down Saturday from Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
NBA @NBA💯 <a href="https://twitter.com/KarlTowns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarlTowns</a> approached tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MtnDew3PT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MtnDew3PT</a> contest with confidence.<br><br>The result? A final-round record of 29 points and a 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/Pw8SaVl3K7">pic.twitter.com/Pw8SaVl3K7</a>
Towns dropped a record 29 points in the last round and held on after a pair of fellow finalists, Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young and Los Angeles Clippers wing Luke Kennard, scored 26 apiece.
Eight NBA players took part in this year's competition, and here's a look at how it all went down.
1st Round (Top 3 Advance to Finals)
Los Angeles Clippers G/F Luke Kennard: 28
Minnesota Timberwolves C Karl-Anthony Towns: 22
Atlanta Hawks G Trae Young: 22
Brooklyn Nets G Patty Mills: 21
New Orleans Pelicans G CJ McCollum: 19
Memphis Grizzlies G Desmond Bane: 18
Toronto Raptors G Fred VanVleet: 16
Chicago Bulls G Zach LaVine: 14
Finals
Minnesota Timberwolves C Karl-Anthony Towns: 29
Los Angeles Clippers G/F Luke Kennard: 26
Atlanta Hawks G Trae Young: 26
Notes and Highlights
The first round featured Luke Kennard dropping 28 points, which was six clear of anyone else.
NBA @NBALuke Kennard is the early leader in Round 1 of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MtnDew3PT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MtnDew3PT</a> with a score of 28!<br><br>4 shooters left, top 3 advance.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateFarmSaturday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StateFarmSaturday</a> <a href="https://t.co/YgPWhfw3Mk">pic.twitter.com/YgPWhfw3Mk</a>
He all but solidified his finals spot at that point, but there was plenty left to sort out.
Patty Mills (21) and CJ McCollum (19) briefly held finals spots alongside Kennard, but Towns and Young had other plans.
KAT got hot at the last rack and posted 22 points to knock out McCollum:
NBA @NBAKAT closes strong to finish with 22!<br><br>He's clinched a spot in the finals of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MtnDew3PT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MtnDew3PT</a> on TNT.<br><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateFarmSaturday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StateFarmSaturday</a> <a href="https://t.co/u256PZ6sc4">pic.twitter.com/u256PZ6sc4</a>
Young needed 22 points to steal Mills' finals spot, and he got it done after making the final money ball:
NBA @NBAICE TRAE knocks down his final shot to advance to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MtnDew3PT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MtnDew3PT</a> finals! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar</a><br><br>Trae, KAT and Kennard compete for the 🏆 on TNT <a href="https://t.co/jfrooH7mNZ">pic.twitter.com/jfrooH7mNZ</a>
Towns went first and set the gold standard with his 29 points. He got scorching-hot early and never looked back.
NBA @NBA🚨 Karl-Anthony Towns opens the final round of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MtnDew3PT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MtnDew3PT</a> with 29! 🚨<br><br>2 shooters left on TNT. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAAllStar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateFarmSaturday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StateFarmSaturday</a> <a href="https://t.co/lyfAOUv6Es">pic.twitter.com/lyfAOUv6Es</a>
With that, Towns joined a pair of fellow power forward/centers in Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki and the Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love to win this competition.
Towns had the longest odds to win the three-point contest, per B/R Betting.
Many people may have been surprised, but the determined Towns wasn't one of them.
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNT"I told you, Shaq! Vegas got the odds wrong." 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/KarlTowns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarlTowns</a> had a message for <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SHAQ</a> after winning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MtnDew3PT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MtnDew3PT</a>. <a href="https://t.co/h1QXGLtR1S">pic.twitter.com/h1QXGLtR1S</a>
As far as that case goes, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report made some good points.
This night also marked an emotional moment for Towns, who honored his mother, Jacqueline Towns, by wearing her necklace during the competition. Jacqueline Towns died from complications due to COVID-19 inApril 2020.
The NBA made an exception to the no-jewelry rule for Towns, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
It's been a great start to the year for Towns, whose Timberwolves appear primed to make the play-in tournament at bare minimum after a 31-28 start. Now he has a three-point contest title to his name as he looks to close out the weekend strong in Sunday's All-Star Game.
