Isaiah Thomas won’t start the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, but he’ll have an opportunity to make some noise the night before.
The Boston Celtics point guard is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season with his fourth-quarter heroics and second-most points per game (29.7) in the league. So we’d say he’s more than qualified to compete in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge at All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 18 in New Orleans.
He’ll be joined by Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz), John Wall (Washington Wizards), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Kristaps Porzingis (New York Knicks) and Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers).
But let’s be honest: When it comes to the night before the NBA All-Star Game, the 3-point and slam dunk contests are the headliners.
One could make the argument that Thomas should have been in the JBL 3-Point Contest, too, but the field will be made up of Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors), Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets), Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets), Wesley Matthews (Dallas Mavericks), C.J. McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) and Nick Young (Los Angeles Lakers).
The Verizon Slam Dunk competition will be headlined by the Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon, who put on quite the show last year before falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Zach LaVine. This time Gordon will face Derrick Jones Jr. (Phoenix Suns), Glenn Robinson III (Indiana Pacers) and DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers).
All-Star Saturday Night will air on Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
