All-Star Saturday: Markkanen just misses out on 3-point finals as Lillard repeats

INDIANAPOLIS — Experience may have cost Lauri Markkanen in the 3-point Contest Saturday at All-Star Weekend.

During last year's event in Salt Lake City, Markkanen put his money rack in the final corner; he made just one of them.

"I know the order and where I want the money balls and stuff like that," Markkanen said on Thursday. "So that helps, and I'm sure the timing is a little bit easier. Now you kind of know your rhythm. So get a couple of practice rounds and then it's good to go."

Markkanen opted to change where he placed the money rack this time around, moving it to the first wing position. He probably wishes he could have that decision back.

Markkanen made his final nine shots — including a perfect final rack — but his 25 points just missed out on making it to the finals.

Trae Young, Karl-Anthony Towns, Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton all finished the first round with 26, eliminating Markkanen and forcing a tiebreaker round, which Haliburton lost, to determine the final three participants.

In the finals, the clock struck Dame Time, the same thing that happened in Salt Lake City a year ago.

Lillard won his second straight 3-point crown, but he made sure there was drama involved. Lillard got to the final rack needing to make just one shot, but he missed his first four shots.

His final shot, though, was pure, giving the Weber State legend a repeat title.

Former Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points in the first round while he wore a "Money Merrill" jersey as a shoutout to teammate and former Utah State guard Sam Merrill.

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