They all said the dunk contest was dead
Once the darling of the NBA's All-Star Weekend festivities, the dunk contest has seen a decline in interest over the past decade, as the league's stars have eschewed the competition and up-and-coming athletes have failed to capture the imagination in the way that the likes of Michael Jordan, Vince Carter and Dwight Howard did in the past.
After a disastrous change in formula last year, the event went back to its tried and tested format last night, and was rewarded with the finest performance in years from Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine.
The 19-year-old dominated the field with a series of above-the-rim slams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYbx_PV3318
LaVine wasn't the only one to impress the crowd, however. Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo first wooed the Big Apple fans with a rendition of New York, New York before wowing them with a stunning 360 reverse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM9t5Rl1lWY
There was also the small matter of the three-point shooting contest, which was won by Golden State Warriors guard, and league MVP candidate, Stephen Curry, who hit a remarkable 13 in a row to defeat team-mate Klay Thompson and Cleveland's Kyrie Irving with a record 27-point total in the final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IsY76VNnAw
