Will Lauri Markkanen shine in the throwing competition of the star event and what is it all about? Basketball Legends unlocks the extraordinary nature of the format

Lauri Markkanella has a unique weekend ahead. The Finn is the first Nordic to participate in the star event of the NBA basketball league.

Today Markkanen will participate in the three-point throwing competition of the skills competition section. The competition has usually been won by backcourt players smaller than Markka, but the unique Finn has a chance to succeed in a rare trick.

– Success in the competition depends mostly on whether the player has such a light movement throw, former Susijengi captain Shawn Huff seal.

Markkanen’s victory as a seven-foot-tall player would be one more extraordinary achievement for a season that broke all previous expectations.

Markkanen is also in the starting five of the second team in Sunday’s all-star game.

Read more: Lauri Markkanen’s teammates only survive at the last minute – here are the answers to the hottest questions about the NBA’s all-star game

The competition is decided by the final round

The Kolmoskisa format has been in its current form since 2020. The competition includes eight players who excelled in long throws this season.

The thrower has 70 seconds to throw 27 balls. There are five places to throw five balls. Of these, the last ball going into the basket is worth two points, the others get one point.

– It is not easy to perform in that time. The pace should be fast, says the ToPo legend who has hit the third most triples in his home Korisliiga. Kari-Pekka Klinga.

All five balls in one “Moneyball rack” are worth two points. The thrower gets to choose which of the five mounts this is.

In addition, the competition has two one-ball throwing spots a little further away, which give three points if the throw is successful. The competitor starts from the corner of the field he chooses and proceeds in order from one stand to another. The three-point throw line may not be crossed during throws.

There are two rounds in the triple race. In the first round, the throwing order is drawn. Each participant completes the course once. The three throwers with the best results advance to the final round.

The one with the lowest result in the opening round starts the final round. If there is a tie in the opening round, there will be a 30-second replay between the competitors in question. In the final, in a similar situation, a 70-second replay is thrown.

The winner is the thrower with the best points in the final round.

The nature of the competition is significantly different from the game situation

The competition is significantly different from the threes taken in game situations. There are several runs in quick succession, the pitcher is practically always in place for five balls, and there is no interference.

– In the competition, the thrower has no one in front of him, in that sense, he can throw in peace, says Klinga, who once participated in the three-point competition in the Korisliiga star events.

The stand from which the balls are picked up one by one adds its own spice to the competition. According to Huff, in a game situation, the often repeated throws directly from the pass or the threes taken from one’s own drive are completely different.

– For example, the pass often comes from the front, but now the ball is picked up from the side. This concept favors throwers who have little movement in their own throw and who, for example, do not jump much, Huff opens.

Klinga has personal experience of this.

– I used my legs strongly when throwing. I always thought I was running out of time when I jumped so much in my throw, says Klinga.

According to Huff, players who throw with a small movement can easily repeat the same trajectories many times and they use little energy in their throws. For example, strong jumping can start to be felt at the end of the race.

Among this year’s competitors, Huff singles out one of the league’s all-time best pitchers Damian Lillard’s.

– Sometimes he throws really flyingly, but he also has a really good set throw. He has a light style of throwing.

According to Huff, Markkanen is also strong in this, so he believes in the Finn’s possibilities. The legend, who currently works as an NBA expert, is the third favorite in his third season in the league by Tyrese Haliburton.

– His throw is really ugly, but he doesn’t have much movement in it. Haliburton throws quite out of place, so the performance looks light, Huff analyzes in his familiar style with a twinkle in the corner of his eye.

Markkanen and Buddy Hield throw the most straight pass threes, i.e. 6.5 attempts per game. The fewest of these are thrown by Haliburton, i.e. 1.9 attempts per match.

Lillard throws the most threes from his own drive, i.e. 7.0 per game. By far, Markkanen throws the least, i.e. 0.8 per match.

Markkanen’s throwing technique is receiving praise

Basketball players often have their own favorite shooting spots. The corners of the court or the so-called knob of the three-point arc were not Klinga’s favorite places.

– Looking at the basket, I liked the most to shoot from the ten-to-miss and ten-over positions, Klinga describes, referring to the clock face.

Preferences also come up in the NBA. Participants in the triathlon decide what their 10-point bracket is. Is it worth leaving the stand for example last, even if the corner of the field is the player’s strongest throwing position?

– At such a pace, the technique can break down and, for example, by jumping you can break the rhythm, Huff reflects.

There is credit from both of Markkasen’s former players.

– His throwing looks great. The throw goes quickly and the whole body is very involved, Klinga analyzed.

He has always believed that in basketball, the throw comes from the feet, the hands just help the ball travel. According to Klinga and Huff, the repeatability of the throwing technique is important, there should be as little variance as possible.

A self-described throwing geek, Huff mentions a few details.

– It is important that the thrower gets the elbow of the throwing hand under the ball. The wrist must be locked before the throw and the hand must be straightened to the end.

Both are looking forward to next night’s historic three-way match. Before the competition, only two players of at least seven feet, i.e. about 213 centimeters tall, i.e. considered tall, have won the markka, Dirk Nowitzki and last year’s winner Karl-Anthony Towns.

– I’m most interested in the triple race at the weekend, it’s something to be excited about, Klinga muses.

On Sunday morning, it will be known whether Lauri Markkanen turned another page in Finnish sports history.