NBA All-Star Weekend Betting: Damian Lillard Looking to Defend Three-Point Contest Crown

The NBA All-Star Weekend festivities are set to take place this upcoming weekend in Indianapolis. Of the events scheduled, the three-point contest has drawn a ton of intrigue with the league boasting an endless amount of talented shooters.

We've seen some impressive shooting performances in the three-point contest in recent years, with Damian Lillard being the reigning champion. Besides Lillard looking to defend his crown, the other contestants in this year's three-point contest are Tyrese Haliburton, Trae Young, Malik Beasley, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Lauri Markkanen, and Donovan Mitchell.

Ahead of what should be another exhilarating shooting display, let's take a look at the top contenders in the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.

NBA Three-Point Contest Betting

Damian Lillard (+370)

It was Lillard who won the three-point contest in Salt Lake City during last year's All-Star break. The All-Star point guard took on Buddy Hield and Haliburton in the final round of last year's competition, edging out Hield by the score of 26-25.

What gave Lillard an advantage in last year's event was the shots from "Starry" range, which were deeper shots from beyond the arc. Lillard is one of the rare players in the league who possesses the ability to convert shots from a deeper range than most.

Upon being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks this season, Lillard is shooting 34.4% from three-point range thus far, which is the third-worst mark of his career. Despite Lillard not being as efficient as usual from behind the three-point line, he is fully capable of catching fire from distance at any moment.

This will be Lillard's fourth three-point contest, giving him an advantage over most of the field. If Lillard wins the three-point contest again on Saturday night, he'd become the first player to win the event in back-to-back years since Jason Kapono in 2008.

Tyrese Haliburton (+440)

The hometown player in this year's three-point contest is Haliburton from the Indiana Pacers. The league-leader in assists per game (11.7) has taken his game to another level this season, recording career-best marks in three-pointers made per game (3.2) and three-point attempts per game (7.9).

While being a career 40.6% shooter from beyond the arc, Haliburton is shooting an efficient 40.0% from three-point distance despite the increased volume of deep shots he's taking. The versatile point guard is also making his wide-open three-point shots -- no defender within six feet of him -- at an impressive 43.2% clip.

This is worth noting since there won't be a defender trying to block his shots during the contest. Even though Haliburton has a somewhat unorthodox jump shot, he advanced to the final round in last year's event.

The majority of the crowd will be rooting for Haliburton to take home the hardware during Saturday night's celebration. There has never been a player to win three-point contest in the city where their respective team plays since the event was incepted in 1986, putting a ton of pressure on Haliburton to be the first who does it.

Trae Young (+550)

Another player who boasts an uncanny ability to make shots from well beyond the three-point line is Young. The dynamic guard of the Atlanta Hawks is sinking 37.1% of his three-point shots, which is the second-best mark of his six-year career in the Association.

Young will be making his third appearance in the three-point contest, and he'll be seeking his first win in the event. Among all eight contestants in this year's event, Young leads the pack in three-pointers made (167) and three-point attempts (450).

Similar to Haliburton, Young excels at making his outside shots when he doesn't have a defender within six feet of him, converting his wide-open attempts at a 41.1% rate. The three-time All-Star shouldn't have an issue getting his shots off before the timer expires due to his jump shot being quicker than most.

Young has made five-plus three-pointers in four of his last nine games, so he'll be entering the three-point contest in decent form. A point guard has won the three-point contest in two of the last three years.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.