Jazzmen Snubbed As Booker Replaces Lillard In All-Star Game, Three-Point Contest

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Six Utah Jazz players were robbed of the chance to participate in the 2020 MTN DEW 3-point contest as NBA commissioner Adam Silver selected Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker as Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard’s’ replacement in the NBA All-Star Game and three-point contest.

Lillard announced that he would not participate in the all-star game or three-point contest after he suffered an injury during the Blazers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on February 12.

During his postgame interview, Lillard mentioned Booker as a possible replacement for the all-star festivities.

Booker was announced as Lillard’s replacement the following day.

Respect 🙏 pic.twitter.com/VyZgNdtxXg

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 13, 2020

The Phoenix all-star joins Davis Bertans (Washington Wizards), Devonte’ Graham (Charlotte Hornets), Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets), Buddy Hield (Sacramento Kings), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat), and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) as a three-point contest participant.

Booker will participate in the NBA All-Star Game as a member of Team LeBron.

Welcome @DevinBook!!! Well deserved G! #TeamLeBron👑

— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 13, 2020

Devin Booker’s Three-Point Shooting

This is Booker’s first all-star selection and fourth time competing in the three-point contest.

Booker won the 2018 three-point contest.

The fifth-year Suns guard ranks No. 96 among NBA players in three-point percentage this season. Booker is shooting 35.8 percent from distance in 52 games. He averages 1.9 made triples on 5.4 attempts per contest.

Booker’s led the Suns to a 22-33 record at the all-star break. Phoenix sits in third place in the Pacific Division and has the 12th best record among Western Conference teams.

Devin Booker left no doubt in the three-point contest with this record-setting performance! pic.twitter.com/TJgEGTGVcE

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 18, 2018

Jazzmen From Distance

The Jazz enter all-star weekend ranked No. 1 in the league for three-point shooting. Through 54 games, Utah has shot 38.7 from deep. The next closest team is the Milwaukee Bucks who shoot 37.8 percent from three. The Jazz average 13.1 made three-point field goals on 34.0 attempts per game.

Six Jazz players rank higher than Booker in shooting from behind the arc this season.

• Bojan Bogdanovic
• Georges Niang
• Royce O’Neale
• Joe Ingles
• Donovan Mitchell
• Mike Conley

Bojan Bogdanovic

Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic ranks No. 9 among NBA players in three-point shooting this season. Bogdanovic is having a career-year in his first season with Utah. The forward is scoring a career-high 21.0 points per game on 45.4 percent shooting including a career-high 42.5 percent from distance.

Bogdanovic is averaging 3.2 made three-pointers in 7.5 attempts per game this season. He’s appeared in 53 games this season.

BOJAN AT THE BUZZER 😱 pic.twitter.com/00sMajpYfa

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 10, 2020

Georges Niang

Utah forward Georges Niang ranks No. 14 among players in three-point shooting this season. Niang is shooting 42.5 percent from behind the arc in 48 games played this season. He is averaging 1.3 made triples in 3.1 shots from distance per contest.

That's Mr. Minivan to you!!#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/zWPpljUaBD

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 12, 2020

Royce O’Neale

Jazz forward Royce O’Neale ranks No. 22 among NBA players in three-point shooting this season. O’Neale is shooting 40.7 percent on three-point shots in 54 games played this season. The forward is averaging 1.2 made triples on 3.0 attempts from behind the arc per game.

ROYC3#MACU3 | @MountainAmerica pic.twitter.com/qTKd4oolUZ

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 5, 2020

Joe Ingles

Utah forward Joe Ingles ranks No. 38 among players in three-point shooting this season. Ingles is shooting 39.6 percent on triples this season. The Jazzman is averaging 2.0 makes on 5.1 attempts from deep per game. Ingles has played in 54 games this season.

🎥🔥👇🏽🎶This is my favorite play from the Jazz win vs the Mavericks on Saturday. @rudygobert27 Rudy with the block, leads the break, no-look dime to Ingles in the corner for three. #TakeNote @KSLSports #GoJazzGo pic.twitter.com/SzYClw4JeW

— Sam Farnsworth (@SFarnsworthKSL) January 26, 2020

Donovan Mitchell

Jazz all-star Donovan Mitchell would’ve have been an easy choice to replace Lillard in the three-point contest. Not only does Mitchell have a higher three-point shooting percentage this season, but he will also be attending all-star festivities including playing in the NBA All-Star Game.

Mitchell, alongside teammate Rudy Gobert, was selected as an all-star for the first time of his three-year NBA career this season.

The Jazz guard ranks No. 96 in the NBA for three-point shooting this season. That’s ten spots higher than Booker.

Mitchell is shooting 36.3 percent from behind the arc through 53 games this season. He is averaging 2.4 made triples on 6.7 attempts per contest.

Donovan with 23 pic.twitter.com/bckaId2nyu

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 13, 2020

Mike Conley

Utah guard Mike Conley ranks No. 91 among NBA players in three-point shooting at the all-star break. Conley is shooting 36.1 percent from deep this season. Conley averages 1.8 made threes in 4.9 attempts per game. He’s played in 32 games for the Jazz this season.

#MountainMike on the board ☔️ pic.twitter.com/SO6TEUYbfS

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 9, 2019

All-Star Events

The Jazz head into NBA All-Star weekend on a four-game winning streak. Utah sits in fourth place in the Western Conference standings and 5.5 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Lakers.

The MTN DEW 3-point Contest takes place on Saturday, February 15 at 7 p.m. (MDT). The event will be televised on TNT.

The 69th NBA All-Star Game is scheduled to tip-off on Sunday, February 16 at 6:20 p.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on TNT.

RT to wish @utahjazz players @rudygobert27 and @spidadmitchell good luck in the 2020 @NBAAllStar Game! 👏 #NBAAllStar #TakeNote https://t.co/Nxf7svtBsn

📷: Deseret News pic.twitter.com/1TgfT8dWRh

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 13, 2020

2020 NBA All-Star events take place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.