Paul Pierce will compete in the NBA Three-Point Shootout over All-Star Weekend, defending his title against a field including Kevin Durant, Daniel Gibson, James Jones, Dorell Wright...and teammate Ray Allen.
It's tough enough to come out on top against any seven shooters in the NBA, but Ray Allen is a different monster all-together. After all, by that point, nobody will have more experience making threes than Allen - he's just two away from breaking Reggie Miller's record.
Last year, Paul Pierce, motivated by his embarrassing performance from 2002, took the contest seriously. He scored 20 points in the final round, knocking down five clutch "money ball" shots to top Stephen Curry's score of 17. But Pierce just isn't going to outwork Ray Allen, the man who shows up to the stadium hours before everyone else, shooting while the dance teams are still on the court.
Of course, it's anyone's game. Kevin Durant is the only participant currently shooting below 40 percent from beyond the arch, and it was just at last year's All-Star Weekend that we saw him trade three after three with Rajon Rondo chasing the HORSE championship.
The Foot Locker Three-Point Contest will be held on Feb. 19. We'll find out then if Paul Pierce can hold onto his title against a shooting legend, a superstar and three young guns.