Last season, C.J. McCollum was a last-minute addition to the three-point contest after Chris Bosh had to pull out. McCollum didn’t get to practice in the run-up. And a little practice is required — not with the shot so much, more getting the balls out of the racks, what side you want the rack on, and the like. Just a comfort thing, this isn’t like taking a three during a game.
McCollum was bounced in the first round last year.
This season he’s giving it another shot, he told Ananth Pandian of CBSSports.com.“I will [compete],’' McCollum said at practice on Saturday. “At first, I was against it, I didn’t really want to go but seeing as how I performed last year, and my girl can’t go on vacation because she has a test on Monday, it kind of changed my view on it....
“I’ll take it seriously this year,’' McCollum said. “Last year, I was a throw in. They called me the night before, so I tried to get to a gym and did a round [using] the [ball] racks. This year I will prepare more and give it a shot.”
There has been a buzz that the Warriors’ Klay Thompson will defend his title in the shootout, and the Mavericks’ Wesley Matthews Jr. may participate as well. However, nobody else has confirmed they are taking part.
McCollum was honest — he preferred the idea of going on vacation for a few days, but since he can’t he might as well go to New Orleans, shoot some threes, eat some gumbo and chill for a couple of days.
He could win the thing, he is shooting 41.5 percent on the six threes he’s taking a game this season. He just needs to do better than last season.
