Experience and motivation can will the Cavs' star to a trophy. Here's how Donovan Mitchell can bring the three-point title back to Cleveland.
The NBA All-Star break is here, and with that comes all the traditional festivities fans and players have grown to love. The dunk contest has lost some of its shine over the last decade.Like all things in life, experience is key.
This is the third time Donovan Mitchell will be participating in the Three-Point Contest, his second as a Cavalier. His first Three-Point Contest was in 2021, when he was a member of the Utah Jazz. In that contest, Mitchell scored 22 points in the first round but was eliminated.Now it is 2026. Mitchell has been here before and is more motivated than ever. Mitchell wants nothing more than to be in the final three at night’s end. He wants to hoist that trophy. Mitchell is shooting better than his career average of 36.7% from range this season, currently at 37.6%. Mitchell has already taken and made more three-pointers this year than he did in his previous competition years in 2021 and 2024. He is a shooter who keeps on shooting, and he has found more and more success from range. And you know he has spent the last few days practicing his routine for the racks and the moneyballs and his spots, so come the Contest, he can go about his business with as little stress and nerves as possible. Mitchell is a veteran. He is a leader. He is his team’s number one scoring option. He is one of the more prolific scorers in the entire league.where he just does not miss. If he catches fire, there is zero reason why Mitchell cannot hoist the trophy at the end of the night.Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard competes in the three-point contest during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Imagescompeting at this year’s event. Damian Lillard, who has been out all season, will return to an NBA court for the first time back as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers to participate. Lillard won this contest two times, back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.Kneuppel is one of the most prolific rookie three-point shooters in NBA history . Maxey and Powell are natural scorers and are go-to options on their respective teams. Jamal Murray is an NBA Finals champion and knows how to hit a big-time three-pointer. Then there is Bobby Portis, the only forward to participate in this year’s event, but he is shooting 45% from deep so far this season. Mitchell is one of the more experienced three-point contestants tonight, but he is going against two former champions and a slew of top-of-the-line scorers in the NBA. One must remember, Mitchell is amongst those top scorers, leaving the door wide open for him to emerge tonight as a three-point champion, finally.Matthew Pisani is a sports producer and writer with specialities in sports betting and baseball. Also a music lover, you will see him frequenting concerts in the area. 2026 NBA 3-Point Contest Odds, Prediction, Participants, Past Winners James Harden Delivers Another Fourth Quarter Gem, Gives Cavs Reasons To Believe
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