Utah point guard defeats Tamika Catchings, Chauncey Billups and Zach LaVine on way to victory
Friday 17 April 2020 06:51, UK
Mike Conley Jr. won the NBA HORSE Challenge, defeating Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine in the final round.
"To be able to compete with these guys, they were great opponents," Conley said after winning H-O to H-O-R-S-E. "It was just a fun environment to be part of it and give us all something to do in this time when we're all just sitting around the house."
Conley, who leaned on strong off-hand shooting - he said he writes right-handed, even though he's left-hand dominant as a dribbler and shooter - previously defeated former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups in the semi-final. Billups also lost by three letters, going down on a two-handed, underhand "granny" free-throw.
Conley's winning shot against LaVine, who had knocked off Chicago Sky sharpshooter Allie Quigley in the other side of the bracket, was the same layup over-the-backboard-while-sailing-underneath-it that beat WNBA legend Tamika Catchings in Round 1.
LaVine, who was on the ropes early after Conley opened with two straight tough makes for letters, acknowledged Conley's prowess: "It came down to making shots and he made some very, very, very tricky ones."
Conley, who was playing from an indoor gym in Columbus, Ohio, quickly saddled LaVine with H-O, the second letter coming when Conley made a free throw with both his eyes closed while LaVine missed his matching attempt.
LaVine, playing outdoors in Snohomish, Washington, later was at H-O-R and within one letter after Conley missed a three-point bank from the top of the key. But Conley converted back-to-back shots, the second a running hook over the backboard that LaVine was unable to match, saddling with him H-O-R-S-E.
"You deserve that championship, I'll let you know that," LaVine said after falling short. "I did everything I could. I got a real tough opponent in the championship game, and he had some tricks I hadn't seen before.
Conley expressed his joy about seeing LaVine. "It was good to see another NBA guy, man," Conley said. "Cooped up in the house. It was good to see you."
In the semi-finals, also aired on Thursday, Conley finished off Billups with a two-handed underhand free throw.
The former star known as "Mr. Big Shot" could only marvel at Conley's performance. "Mike was a little too tough," Billups, who was playing in Denver, said. "He's got too many trick shots for me."
LaVine repeatedly used his athleticism in his semi-final win over Quigley, who was playing in Deerfield, Illinois. That prompted Quigley, one of the WNBA's best three-point shooters, to remind LaVine that he made 13 three-pointers in a game earlier this season.
LaVine didn't take the bait and eventually finished off his Chicago hoops counterpart. "It was so much fun," Quigley said afterward. "It was such a good experience."
