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Friday, Feb. 16 marks the beginning of the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. There’s much to look forward to in the coming days, ranging from the skills competition to the All-Star Game.
Having said that, a large portion of basketball enthusiasts are dying to see Saturday’s three-point competition between Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu — arguably the best sharpshooters in the NBA and WNBA, respectively.
Sabrina Ionescu on growing up in the Bay rooting for Steph Curry! 🌉
Full-circle moment coming soon.
Stephen vs. Sabrina 3-PT Challenge: 8:00pm/et #StateFarmSaturday (2/17) on TNT 🌟 pic.twitter.com/O4I8hpROPs
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2024
This collision has been a long time coming and it’ll be a treat to watch two masters at their craft doing what they do best. Additionally, several online sportsbooks are offering odds on the three-point competition, adding an extra layer of entertainment to the upcoming clash.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about the Steph vs. Sabrina three-point contest at NBA All-Star Weekend 2024.
2024 NBA All-Star Weekend: Steph vs Sabrina 3-Point Contest Odds
Odds are courtesy of Bovada as of Friday, Feb. 16 at 11:45 a.m. ET.
- Stephen Curry, GSW (-250)
- Sabrina Ionescu, NYL (+165)
Curry’s -250 moneyline odds carry an implied win probability of 71.4%.
Why is Steph vs Sabrina Happening at NBA All-Star Weekend?
To find the origins of the upcoming three-point contest, you must return to July 2023.
Ionescu had just won the WNBA three-point contest, setting a record with 37 points in the final round, which is six points better than Curry’s effort at the NBA level. Obviously, the WNBA three-point line is closer to the basket, but it was still quite an impressive feat.
Sabrina Ionescu (@sabrina_i20) just set the all-time record for NBA or WNBA with a score of 37 PTS in the FINAL ROUND of the #Starry3PT Contest to be crowned the NEW 3-PT CHAMPION 🏆 | @starrylemonlime pic.twitter.com/YcGy3fDfBq
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 14, 2023
Nevertheless, Ionescu took to social media after her impressive effort to send a simple request to Curry: “Shoot out??” The two-time NBA MVP decided last month that he had no choice but to challenge the WNBA superstar to a three-point contest, to which Ionescu happily accepted.
Having said that, the talented sharpshooting duo is more than familiar with each other. Ionescu grew up as a Warriors fan and watched Curry live countless times in person. On the flip side, Curry used to take his daughters to Ionescu’s college games during her time at Oregon before she was drafted first overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
Curry and Ionescu’s friendship has only grown with each passing year. In fact, they’ve played H-O-R-S-E together in San Francisco and while TV cameras weren’t present, any mentions of the story have made it clear that Ionescu probably got the better of her male counterpart.
A three-point contest with millions of NBA/WNBA fans watching is a different, beast, though, leaving time to tell if Ionescu can best Curry under the bright lights in Indianapolis.
What are the Rules for the Steph vs Sabrina 3-Point Contest?
The upcoming Steph vs. Sabrina showdown will follow the same rules as typical three-point contests.
Each competitor will have four racks that feature four game balls and one money ball. There will also be a fifth rack that only features money balls, however, Curry and Ionescu will get to decide the placement for their respective rack. Additionally, two deep shots will truly test their perimeter shooting.
Here’s a scoring breakdown for each type of shot:
- Game ball: 1 point
- Money ball: 2 points
- Long-range shot: 3 points
The original rules had Curry shooting from the NBA three-point line while Ionescu plays from the WNBA mark, but that likely won’t be the case. Ionescu has made it clear that she wants to shoot from the NBA line because that’s where she typically practices, however, she will have the option to move up.
With that being said, Curry will use an NBA ball while Ionescu uses a WNBA basketball.
“I practice from that range in wanting to just be a better shooter, a better basketball player and get better as a whole. It was a no-brainer.” – Sabrina Ionescu on shooting from the NBA three-point line.
NBA All-Star Weekend: Steph vs Sabrina Prediction & Best Bet
At the end of the day, there are good reasons to have faith in either competitor winning this weekend.
When it comes to Curry, there’s no understating his résumé. Nobody has made more three-pointers in NBA history than him. He’s also won the NBA three-point contest twice, doing so first in 2015 before winning again in 2021. That’s without mentioning how he’s shooting 42.1% from the three-point line this season.
Steph vs. Sabrina this Saturday 🍿@channingfrye is going with Sabrina 🔥
Who ya got? 🤔 #Handles 🏀📲 pic.twitter.com/nsSLrxkaLZ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 16, 2024
On the flip side, Ionescu isn’t exactly a slouch. Not only is she the reigning WNBA three-point champion, but she’s averaging coming off a campaign that saw her average 3.6 threes made on a career-high 44.8% shooting. Additionally, she does have that H-O-R-S-E win over Curry under her belt.
I’m going to get a bit risky here by taking Ionescu to emerge victorious at Lucas Oil Stadium. Yes, Curry is used to NBA three-point contests and bigger crowds, however, you can’t ignore just how special Ionescu is. She’s as accurate can be and the fact that she’s used to practicing from the NBA line makes her an attractive underdog pick.
It’s going to be a close one, but Ionescu has a chance to make history and that should be enough to boost her to victory.
Steph vs Sabrina Prediction: Sabrina Ionescu (+165)
Get 50% up to $750 on this All-Star pick over at Bovada
NBA All-Star Weekend: Steph vs Sabrina FAQ
When is the Steph vs Sabrina 3-Point Contest?
- Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu will go head-to-head on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET.
Where is the Steph vs Sabrina 3-Point Contest?
- Saturday’s one-in-one shootout takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN — home of the NFL’s Colts.
How can I watch the Steph vs Sabrina 3-Point Contest?
- NBA enthusiasts can watch Curry and Ionescu collide on TNT.
How can I bet on the Steph vs Sabrina 3-Point Contest?
- Most major sportsbooks should be offering Steph vs. Sabrina odds for Saturday night, including some of these highly recommended choices:
