The NBA’s H-O-R-S-E competition will begin tomorrow, but not with the field that fans were probably hoping for when the project was first discussed.
The eight-person tournament will include just four current NBA players, Thunder guard Chris Paul, Hawks guard Trae Young, Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Jazz guard Mike Conley. The field will be rounded out by a pair of retired players, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce, along with three-time WNBA All-Star Allie Quigley and newly-elected Hall-of-Famer Tamika Catchings.
The talent pool is understandable given the restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus. All the participants will be shooting on their home courts, either indoors or outdoors. Many active players don’t have access to courts with training facilities being shut down, and fears of transmitting the virus make it impossible to bring the competitors together in one location.
Oddsmakers have installed Young and Paul as the favorites, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, who notes that Young has 2/1 odds to win the tournament, while Paul is 5/2. They are trailed by Conley (3/1), Pierce (4/1), LaVine (5/1), Billups (6/1), Quigley (8/1) and Catchings (10/1).
The competition will follow traditional rules of the popular playground game. A coin toss will determine who goes first, and each player must describe the shot before shooting. Dunking won’t be allowed.
The tournament will raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and will provide the first glimpse of live basketball on television in more than a month. However, it won’t answer the question of who’s really the best H-O-R-S-E player in the NBA.
Once the league gets back to normal, we’d like to see an expanded version, maybe involving a representative from each of the league’s 30 teams. Imagine a tournament with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Damian Lillard and other stars competing under the same format.
We want to get your input. Who do you think has the best array of shots to win a league-wide H-O-R-S-E tournament? Please leave your answer in the space below.
You’d think he NBA would tell the stars to participate
I mean there’s only 4 total NBA players/spots available — so I’m not sure they really need to lose sleep over making the “stars” participate. I get what you’re saying but it’s also not exactly the most riveting thing to watch — though given how deprived I am of live sports right now I will most likely be tuning in. I’m actually the most excited to see what Paul Pierce’s got up his sleeve (I’m admittedly a Celtics fan) but I think it will be cool to watch him and Billups compete against the current NBA players too. As for the WBNA players — idk I guess that’s kind of neat. But personally I think I’d have preferred it to be 2 more recently retired guys or current NBA players — don’t get me wrong I think they’ve got as good a chance as any of being good/winning or what not. But it’s just like… I don’t really follow the WBNA (and assume most NBA fans don’t really either) So maybe making a separate competition for them and their fans would’ve been better — that way the NBA fans get to see 8 guys they know as opposed to 6 and WBNA fans would get to see 8 of their own as well.
None of these dudes n gals are going to entice me to watch is all.
I’m more likely to watch a state farm cp3 commercial than this.
I watched the pistol pete ones before all of this, and I think the MJ vs Bird commercial is going to be better.
CP3 is only there because I bet state farm is one of the advertisers. No Curry mans without the best all time shooter its the who is available squad.
Kinda be hard for KD rn
Lillard and Curry would be fun to watch. Who would make the most shots from half court and beyond?
I’d rather watch players play video games
I’d rather watch you watch players play video games
I’d rather watch you watch him watch players play video games
I’d rather just play video games
Oh, wonderful.
A bunch of nobodies…..
Quigley “down under” takes it.
lol Dad joke at its finest….but I’m an old man too so I knew exactly what you meant hahaha
Steph or Kyrie
Best shooters in the league are Ice Trae, Luka, Lillard & Harden.
Hmmmmmm……Curry
Doncic isn’t even the best shooter on his team. You know he shoots 31 percent from 3. Right?
Hahahahaha so wrong. Curry and Thompson are 1 and 2… Everyone else is miles behind so why bother? Hell, they would of been better off dragging out Ray Allen than any of these second rate scrubs. Trae young? Been a busy so far, maybe horse will change some minds? Luka can’t shoot, no knock to his abilities, but shooting isn’t one of his strengths. Might as well throw Shaq out there…
with oddsmakers weighing does this mean you can bet on this?!….I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if so lol
Putting the two women last is a risk. I’d bet on them and get the high multiple. They’re against non-players who may have been assigned to show up, as part of a scheme to get women some more airtime.
waiting for espn and sports journalists to become so desperate that they start covering kids playing their dads in their front yards.
and yes I’d bet on it.