NBA 3-Point Contest 2017: Time, TV schedule, participants, and more

Reigning Three-Point Contest champion Klay Thompson won’t face Steph Curry during this year’s event (Saturday, Feb. 18, ~9 p.m. ET on TNT) in New Orleans. However, he will have to take down seven of the league’s deadliest three-point shooters to retain his crown, including 2017 All-Stars Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, and Kyrie Irving.

Distinguished deep shooters Eric Gordon, Wesley Matthews, Nick Young, and C.J. McCollum round up what should prove to be an entertaining field.

Thompson hopes to be the first player to win back-to-back three-point contests since Jason Kapono (remember him?) in 2007 and 2008. Thompson shoots just under eight threes per game while making about 42 percent of them, making him a pretty good bet to win again.

Lowry is another marksman to keep an eye on. He was eliminated in the first round during his Three-Point Contest debut in Toronto, but is shooting even better from three-point range this season (nearly 42 percent) than he did last year (39 percent) while hoisting eight attempts per game. He’s a real threat to knock off Thompson and bring the three-point title to Toronto.

It may come as a surprise to some that Young boasts one of the best three-point percentages of any contestant this year. A notoriously unpredictable player, Swaggy P is shooting over 41 percent on seven three-point attempts per game this season. Known for making highly contested threes, it’ll be interesting to see how Young fares with a wide-open basket.

Walker’s appearance in this contest is the most surprising. Regarded as a poor perimeter shooter for the majority of his career, Walker is now shooting an impressive 39.5 percent on 6.9 three-point shots per game. On the other hand, Matthews, a notoriously consistent three-pointer shooter, has bounced back from a rough start and is making nearly 39 percent of his seven three-point attempts per game.

Don’t sleep on Kyrie, who won the Three-Point Contest in 2013. The proven scorer doesn’t take quite as many threes as some of his counterparts (just over six attempts per game) but makes them at a rate of almost 40 percent. He’s as capable of winning it all as anyone in this group.

Gordon (almost 39 percent from three) and McCollum (41 percent from three) could also make things interesting. CJ is likely looking to redeem himself after an abysmal 14 points and first-round exit last in last year’s contest. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon is the best shooter on a team loaded with some of the league’s best three-point shooters.

Be sure to tune in Saturday night, because any one of these guys is capable of catching fire and winning the whole dang thing.

Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Nick Young, Los Angeles Lakers
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Wesley Matthews, Dallas Mavericks
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets

Date: Saturday, Feb. 18
Time: 8 p.m. ET (second event)
Place: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, La.

TV: TNT
Online Streaming: Watch TNT