NBA All-Star 2020: Predicting the winners of the main events

Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead his own team in the 2020 All-Star Game
Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead his own team in the 2020 All-Star Game

3-Point Contest

Trae Young is the highest-profile player taking part in the three-point contest
Trae Young is the highest-profile player taking part in the three-point contest

After announcing his participation earlier this month, Damian Lillard appeared to be the favorite to take home the MTN Dew 3-Point Contest trophy. However, the 29-year-old has since been ruled out through injury, leaving a wide-open contest between Davis Bertans, Devonte' Graham, Joe Harris, Buddy Hield, Zach LaVine, Duncan Robinson, Devin Booker, and Trae Young.

Harris is the defending champion having beaten Steph Curry to the title last year, and the Nets star is shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Graham, Young, and Hield are all shooting below 38 percent, but Harris could face competition from Miami's Robinson who is shooting 43.8% and Washington's Bertans (42.4 percent).

Ultimately, it could be a shootout between the trio, and Robinson, who has been catching fire from three-point range over the past month heads to Chicago as the slight favorite.

Predicted Winner - Duncan Robinson


Slam Dunk Contest

Dwight Howard returns to the Slam Dunk Contest after more than a decade
Dwight Howard returns to the Slam Dunk Contest after more than a decade

For months, NBA fans hoped that they would finally get to see Aaron Gordon face off against Zach LaVine in the Slam Dunk Contest.

However, while Gordon has returned, LaVine opted to skip the event in favor of the 3-Point Contest. With LaVine out of the picture for at least another season, Gordon will take on Pat Connaughton, Derrick Jones Jr., and Dwight Howard.

Admittedly, Howard's return to the Dunk Contest after more than a decade is a great story, but there is little to suggest that either the Laker star or Connaughton can challenge for the title. Instead, we are likely to see a duel between Gordon and Jones.

As a high-flying dunker that impressed back in 2017, Jones will push Gordon in the Finals, but the Orlando Magic star has thought up some of the most impressive and creative dunks in the contest's history and he should finally have enough to take home the award at the third time of asking.

Predicted Winner - Aaron Gordon

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