NEW YORK—Stephen Curry, who is on pace to shatter his single-season three-point record, will attempt to defend his long-range shooting title at next week’s NBA All-Star Game weekend in Toronto.
The announcement Thursday comes less than 24 hours after the Golden State superstar Curry finished one three-pointer shy of matching the one game NBA record of 12 three pointers in the Warriors’ 134-121 win over Washington.
Reigning league Most Valuable Player and current NBA scoring leader Curry has made 232 three-pointers in 49 games this season, putting him on track to break his own record of 286 which he established last season.
The NBA also announced that Zach LaVine will attempt to become the first repeat champion in the popular slam dunk contest since Nate Robinson did it in 2009 and 2010.
Curry highlights an eight-player three-pointer field that also includes Warrior teammate Klay Thompson and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors.
Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks and JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers are expected to take part in the Skills competition on Feb. 13 at Air Canada Centre arena.
Curry, who is averaging 29.8 points per game, has led the league in three-pointers in each of the past three seasons. He is the first player in league history to sink 200 in four straight seasons.
LaVine is hoping to join Michael Jordan (1987-88), Jason Richardson (2002-03) and Robinson as the only back-to-back slam dunk winners.
The 20-year-old LaVine is also the lone player from last year’s competition willing to take part again as Denver’s Will Barton, Detroit’s Andre Drummond and Orlando’s Aaron Gordon are making their slam dunk debuts.
In Los Angeles, with a lead slipping away again, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant showed his younger teammates how to put away an NBA game.
Bryant, 37 and heading into retirement after this season, drained three three-pointers in the final 6:07, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 99-96 victory over the Pelicans in New Orleans.
Although the shots sounded the death-knell for the Pelicans, they were greeted by cheers from fans, who like their counterparts around the country have greeted Bryant like one of their own during a season that has turned into a farewell tour.
Bryant, who scored a season-high 38 in a win at Minnesota on Tuesday, has lately given those adoring fans a glimpse of past glories.
“He’s on a nice little roll,” said Lakers coach Byron Scott.
“Our young guys are still so young they don’t understand when you’ve got a double-digit lead you can’t relax,” Scott said. “Not in this league.”
The Lakers led 85-73 with 8:32 to play, but the Pelicans scored six straight points to trim the deficit.