LaVine climbs highest to repeat as Slam Dunk champion

Gordon added: “If I knew it was going to be like that, I would have prepared better and we would have been here dunking all night, going back 50 after 50 after 50 after 50”.

Having won last year’s Dunk Contest at the NBA’s All Star weekend slew of events, it was a no brainer that Zach Lavine would compete again this year. No one could have prepared for as many attempts as they attempted on Saturday.

Gordon and LaVine were seen talking to each other during the event.

Drummond couldn’t quite get it on the first try and received a 39 for his second dunk.

“We did some things that nobody else did”, said an amazed LaVine following the contest.

LaVine’s victory came one night after winning MVP in the Rising Stars Challenge.

The Toronto Raptors Kyle Lowry was participating in the 3-point contest, but it was Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, who was the champion this year.

He defends against Denver’s Will Barton, Orlando’s Aaron Gordon and Detroit All-Star Andre Drummond.

LaVine got a ideal 50 from the judges on five of his six dunks – including all four of his jams in the final round. It began to awaken the crowd to the sleeping giant Gordon was after his less impressive first dunk in the contest. One of those memorable dunks that Gordon made was when he grabbed the ball from the spinning mascot and dunked a 360 degree to start the round.

LaVine responded by throwing an alley-oop to himself from the baseline, catching the ball and passing it through his legs for a reverse. Lavine took to the court, prowled around for a second, then took off, straight for the basket, then took off juuuuust past the free throw line then went between the legs to throw down.

Earlier in the night, No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves became the first big man to win the Skills Challenge, beating out the Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas in the finals.

“I think I can win”, Towns said.

The State Farm All-Star Saturday Night extravaganza never fails to disappoint, and we can’t wait to see what these pro-athletes have in store for us.

He outlasted Gordon in a duel that needed two overtimes and ended only when there was literally no ball to use. Curry scored 23 points and Booker finished with 16 in the final round.

Update: LaVine posted on Instagram after the contest saying that he is dedicating his dunk championship to Flip Saunders, Minnesota’s president of basketball operations and coach who passed away in October.

“Me and him are now like best friends, me and Stuff”, Gordon said.

– NBA All-Star Weekend 2016 has special meaning for Andrew Wiggins.