As if the 2024-25 NBA season could not be any more successful for the Cavs currently, they added to their winning theme by taking home the Skills Challenge. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley represented the Cavs as one of four competing teams. They faced Team Spurs, featuring Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama, Team Warriors, with Moses Moody and Draymond Green, and Team Rooks, which had Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher. However, though Cleveland took home the award, they made it into the final on a hilarious technicality.
Cavs Continue Winning Ways with All-Star Weekend Triumphs
Team Spurs’ players both decided to skip over the shooting portion of the course by rapidly shooting airballs to speed up their time. While they finished with the fastest time, which would have eliminated Mobley and Mitchell, they were disqualified for not playing the course as intended. Therefore, the Cavs advanced to the final to take on Team Warriors, who they beat in the final round to win the Skills Challenge.
This was the Cavs’ second time in three years to win the Skills Challenge. During the All-Star festivities in Cleveland in 2022, Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen represented the hometown team and won the award. All four members of the Cavs core four have now won the Skills Challenge. Additionally, Mobley and Mitchell are now the fourth and fifth players in league history to win multiple Skills Challenges.
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3-Point Contest
Outside of Mobley and Mitchell’s win in the Skills Challenge, Garland took part in the 3-point contest. The Cavs star finished third of eight contestants, including an impressive second-place finish in the first round of the competition. The Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro won the award following a 24-point final round.
Rounding out All-Star Weekend
After Garland fell short in the 3-point contest, his teammate Mobley was selected as a prop during the Dunk Contest. Now three-time Dunk Contest Champion, Mac McClung jumped over the Cavs 7-footer en route to his third straight championship. Mobley’s 7-foot height was not enough as McClung made Mobley stand on an extra step to make the dunk even more impressive.
Sunday night is the final part of All-Star weekend. Kenny Atkinson and his coaching staff, along with Mitchell, Mobley, and Garland, will all participate in the new tournament format of the All-Star game. The Cavs’ impressive season to this point can be perfectly summarized by the joy the team is showing during this weekend. It would be unsurprising to see a member of the Cavs win the All-Star game tournament based on their success this season.
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The Last Word
As the All-Star festivities wrap up Sunday night, the Cavs will look ahead to their first game back on Thursday, February 20, against the Brooklyn Nets. After that, the Cavs have four straight matchups against teams currently in a playoff spot, marking a difficult stretch in their schedule. Atkinson must have his team ready to go after a week off. Cleveland will look to start hot, coming out of the break as they hope to clinch the first seed in the Eastern Conference.
Photo credit: © Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
