Stephen Curry in the NBA 3-point Shootout. This is something I’m excited to see.

I love NBA All-Star Weekend. I know that makes me a complete and total NBA geek, and I’m OK with that. Truth be told, the game itself sometimes bores me (OK, almost always bores me), and the dunk contest, despite Dwight Howard’s best efforts, isn’t what it used to be. For me, the best part of All-Star weekend is the 3-point shootout and the skills challenge. These are events normal weekend ballers can relate to. Could I drain a few threes in a shootout? Sure. Could I run that obstacle course in the skills challenge? Of course. I’d finish with a really high time, but I could do it. Could I dunk like they do in the dunk contest? Nope. Compete like they do in the All-Star game? Not a chance. So, the skills challenge and the 3-point shootout bring the all-star festivities down to an every-man level, and that’s why I like watching them.

I’m really excited to see Curry compete in the 3-point shootout. The (official name) 2010 Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout will take place on Saturday, February 13, in Dallas. Curry is a great 3-point shooter, connecting on 42.9 percent of his attempts (78 for 182) this season. In the past 23 games, Curry is shooting 47.7 percent (51-107). It’s a well-deserved honor for the Warriors rookie point guard.

An interesting reminder from the press release I received from the Warriors is that Curry’s father, Dell, competed in the 3-point shootout twice in his career — in 1992 and 1994. Curry is also only the third rookie to compete in the event (Dennis Scott in 1991 and Kyle Korver in 2004 were the others).

Curry’s competition includes Denver’s Chauncey Billups (41.5 percent), Miami’s Daequan Cook (30.0 percent — the defending champion), Phoenix’s Channing Frye (43.8 percent), Boston’s Paul Pierce (46.7 percent) and New York’s Danilo Gallinari (40.3 percent). That’s a good field. It should be a great show this year.

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