By Josh Robbins, The Orlando Sentinel –
ORLANDO, Fla. — Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love bested Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant in a tiebreaker to win the Three-Point Contest at All-Star Saturday Night at Amway Center.
(PHOTO: Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love celebrates after winning the Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star festivities at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, February 25, 2012.)
Love, a prototypical “stretch 4” and the NBA’s defending rebounding champ, scored 17 points in the final tiebreaker, beating Durant, who had 14.
Orlando Magic forward Ryan Anderson just barely missed out on advancing out of the opening round.
Anderson sank his first four money balls, and he had 17 points before he attempted his final shot: a money ball from the left corner that would have propelled him past the Miami Heat’s Mario Chalmers and Love and into the final round.
But Anderson’s shot hit was short, hitting the left edge of the rim, prompting a collective groan from the crowd.
Anderson leads the league in 3-pointers made and attempted.
The Heat’s James Jones, who was the defending Three-Point Contest champ, had a chance to win Saturday’s contest outright. But he had 12 points in the final round to finish third behind Love and Durant, who were tied at 16.