South Australia 389 and 5 for 179 (Weatherald 49, Head 49, Kelly 3-34) lead Western Australia 254 (S Marsh 63, Sayers 4-54, W Agar 3-60) by 314 runs

Four wickets to Chadd Sayers and three to Wes Agar have helped South Australia establish a 314-run lead over Western Australia with a day to play in Adelaide.

WA were bowled out for 254 partway through the third day before Jake Weatherald and Travis Head both made 49 as the home side pressed towards a final-day declaration.

WA lost 6 for 81 to concede a 135-run first-innings deficit. Sayers picked up his third wicket early in the morning session with Josh Philippe failing to a stunning diving catch at cover from William Bosisto. Cameron Green's patient 43 came to an end when he holed out at fine leg off Nick Winter. Agar nabbed his third with Josh Inglis slicing a catch to Weatherald at gully in the following over.

Joel Paris and Liam Guthrie both faced in excess of 50 balls but contributed just 30 runs between them to delay the inevitable.

South Australia scored at a healthy rate from the outset in the third innings with a declaration in mind. Henry Hunt and Weatherald combined for 85 in 22 overs but both fell in consecutive overs for 35 and 49 respectively. The platform allowed captain Travis Head to club 49 off 50 balls with six fours and two sixes before falling one short of a half-century.

Matt Kelly was the pick of the WA bowlers nabbing 3 for 34 but their batsmen will be left with a mountain to climb on the final day.

Colin Munro's 60-ball 104 put Auckland briskly on course to chase down the 284 they needed to win the Ford Trophy title before Mark Chapman anchored an unbroken 32-run stand for the ninth wicket to help them seal it. Otago's Jacob Duffy took a four-wicket haul, which included the wicket of Martin Guptill for a second-ball duck at the start of the chase, and then the wicket of Munro to leave Auckland 149 for 4 at the start of the 21st over. But the rest of Otago's bowling, barring Michael Rippon, proved expensive as they used eight bowlers in an innings that only last 44 overs.

Munro's blitz was built around 12 fours and seven sixes even as the rest of a substantial top-four line-up - Guptill, Jeet Raval, Glenn Phillips - failed to make an impact. Munro put on 67 with Phillips, who scored 20, and then 43 with Chapman before being bowled by Duffy.

One of the defining partnerships of the match for Auckland came for the sixth wicket. Wicketkeeper Ben Horne made 42 off 31 and dominated a 63-run stand with Chapman that took Auckland from 173 for 5 to 236 before Duffy returned to dismiss Horne. Shortly after, Duffy removed Kyle Jamieson and Nathan Smith got rid of Lockie Ferguson to leave Auckland 253 for 8. Chapman, who had held one end, then took the attack to Otago and ensured the remaining runs were scored within four overs of that last wicket. No. 10 Benjamin Lister made an unbeaten 1 off 8 at the other end as Chapman took Auckland to their second title in three years with three sixes off Dean Foxcroft in the 44th over, and stayed unbeaten on 84 off 78 balls.

Earlier, Otago had flown to 59 with their opening stand before losing both their openers in the same over. While wicketkeeper Mitch Renwick was run-out off the fourth ball of the eighth over, Hamish Rutherford, who was on 36 off 25, was struck on the helmet by a Ferguson bouncer and went off with a concussion. He was replaced by Matthew Bacon, a bowler, who was the last man in for Otago.

In the middle, they had another concussion scare, when Foxcroft retired hurt after colliding with Phillips on the field. He cleared the concussion test and returned to make 42 as Otago's batting collapsed in the middle overs. From 150 for 2, they lost the set Neil Broom for 39 and then Josh Finnie and Smith both fell to the part-time spin of Phillips. Ferguson then got rid of Foxcroft, and Phillips picked up a career-best three-wicket haul with the wicket of Rippon. That left Otago 187 for 7 and it was only Anaru Kitchen's 54-ball 60 and Duffy's 24 off 26 that lifted them to 283 from that point.

Bangladesh have dropped Mahmudullah in one of four changes to the squad for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe next week. Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain and Soumya Sarkar have been axed, while there were comebacks for Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman. Rookie medium-pacer Hasan Mahmud and batsman Yasir Ali have also earned their first Test call-ups.

Chief selector Minhajul Abedin suggested that senior batsman Mahmudullah needed a break from red-ball cricket, after scoring just one half-century in his last ten Test innings, before which he had hit centuries in back-to-back Tests in Dhaka, against West Indies, and in Hamilton.

"We felt that Mahmudullah needed a break from the red ball," he said. "Al-Amin has niggles and that's why we thought he should be given the time to be fully ready for the limited-overs matches [three ODIs and two T20Is] where he is more important. Rubel is not part of our red-ball plans for the moment. Soumya had applied for a leave and therefore has not been considered.

"I believe we have selected the best possible Test squad under present circumstances. There is a very nice blend of experience and potential. It is unfortunate that some players had to miss out but our priority has been to ensure balance and continuity."

About the two newcomers, Minhajul said, "We think Hasan Mahmud and Yasir Ali Chowdhury have tremendous potential and they are very much part of our future plans. Yasir is from our high-performance squad, and he has done well in the BCL recently. We want to develop upon his potential."

Yasir has averaged 60.28 in five first-class matches in the last 12 months, while Mahmud has been picked based on his potential, because his recent form hasn't been great: he has picked up only six wickets in three matches at an average of 40.83 in the last year.

Meanwhile, Mushfiqur has returned after opting out of the Pakistan Tests because of security concerns. Mehidy and Taskin have been recalled after regaining full fitness following injury layoffs, and Mustafizur convinced the selectors of his ability in the long-form game with six wickets in Central Zone's last Bangladesh Cricket League game.

"We picked Taskin as we need a consistently quick bowler," Minhajul said. "I believe his fitness problem during the BCL is now over."

CHICAGO -- Indiana's Domantas Sabonis and Miami's Bam Adebayo will make their NBA All-Star debuts on Sunday, but on Saturday night, the first-timers didn't disappoint as finalists in the skills challenge.

The Eastern Conference big men stole the show in the eight-man contest, with Adebayo ultimately hoisting the trophy -- which he says he'll gift to his mother, Marilyn Blount.

"It's because all she's been through and all the struggles she's been through and what the living conditions I had to go through and how she still strived to make me happy and make our house feel like home," Adebayo said. "I can't do nothing but give her that and keep giving her every other accolade I get."

Prior to his victory in the skills challenge -- which features an obstacle course that tests shooting, passing and ballhandling -- Adebayo had knocked down only a single 3-pointer this season out of 11 attempts. He sank three 3s on Saturday, however, and didn't hesitate to make the naysayers eat their words.

"I just want to say something. I read a tweet that I was last to win in Vegas," said Adebayo, who was +1200 to win at FanDuel Sportsbook. "So whoever bet, I hope you got your money. I hope you go buy yourself a Ruth's Chris, Cheesecake Factory, something in that fashion."

Adebayo, 6-foot-9 and 255 pounds, became the first Miami Heat skills challenge winner since 2007 champ Dwyane Wade, who was sitting courtside to congratulate him with a hug. Adebayo, 22, said he's trying to "be like him" and "live that legacy" of Wade, but also was honored to represent for the big men in the process.

"It just shows where this league is going, and it's scary because when you got guys that are 6-10, classified as centers or power forwards, I don't believe it's any of that anymore," Adebayo said. "I mean, [Kevin Durant] is 7-foot, so KD is a center? Anyways, it just shows how this game has transformed and it gets scary."

"It's just showing how the game is changing and how big men and power forwards are basically bringing up the ball, passing the ball," added Sabonis, who is 6-foot-11. "It's more of a point guard position."

Chicago native Patrick Beverley of the LA Clippers, Brooklyn's Spencer Dinwiddie, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Milwaukee's Khris Middleton, Toronto's Pascal Siakam, and defending champion Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics were the other participants.

CHICAGO -- Between them, Buddy Hield and Devin Booker took 108 3-point shots Saturday night.

It took until the 108th and final one to determine who would come out on top in the NBA's 3-point shootout -- with Hield, thanks to hitting four of the five money balls on his final rack, ultimately winning the All-Star Weekend event by a single point.

"I felt great," the Sacramento Kings guard said. "Like I said earlier, as a shooter, this is on your bucket list. You have to come in, and you want to win a 3-point shootout. With a stacked field like that, it makes it even better.

"Pressure is on, and you've got to show up."

Hield and Phoenix Suns guard Booker each went for 27 points in the first round, followed by Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards with 26, to make up the three finalists. Then Booker rattled off another 26, setting a high bar for Hield to clear.

The Bahamian sharpshooter managed to do just that. Needing to make four of five in his final rack to win it, Hield made the first three, then missed the fourth, setting up a winner-take-all final shot. With Booker out of his seat in anticipation, Hield buried the shot, allowing him to win the contest by the slimmest of margins.

"I think I heard the guy on the PA, the announcer, and I had 25 or 26 or something like that," Hield said. "I know Devin had 26, so I knew I had to make one more to top him. I was focused. I was locked in on that part.

"No, you want to know. So if you're losing, you've got to catch up."

It was almost a storybook ending for Booker, who wasn't supposed to be part of All-Star Weekend at all until Damian Lillard hurt his groin Wednesday, forcing Lillard to pull out of both the 3-point contest and the All-Star Game and opening spots for Booker to take his place.

In the end, though, Booker wound up one shot short.

"I knew he had a chance," Booker said. "I knew it was gonna be close and he had a chance going into that last rack. He needed four out of five, which I knew he was highly capable of. So it was all up in the air. It came down to the last shot. Obviously? I was hoping he'd miss, but congrats to Buddy, man. He's a competitor. I'm proud of him. I told him getting that trophy's important, especially for a shooter."

Hield chose to dedicate his victory to the people who died during Hurricane Dorian last fall, and told ESPN's Rachel Nichols afterward that he hoped it could deliver something positive to the people in his homeland still recovering from the storm.

"It's a blessing," Hield said. "Just knowing where I come from, and just giving a sign of hope that if I can do it, you can do it, and you gotta put your mind to it and put God first.

"Like the Mamba mentality, anything is possible, for sure."

CHICAGO -- Commissioner Adam Silver announced during his annual All-Star Saturday Night news conference that the NBA All-Star Game MVP award has been permanently named after the late Kobe Bryant.

"We were thinking about what the best way is, one of the ways to honor Kobe," Silver said at the United Center before the league's Saturday night festivities got underway. "It happened to be that his loss came shortly before we were moving into All-Star festivities. I think one of the things that stands out with Kobe, of course in addition to his five championships, is that he has [made 18 All-Star teams] and tied for the record of four MVPs.

"To all of us, it seemed like the appropriate way to bring honor to him."

The award will be named after Bryant from now on, with it being handed out first at Sunday's All-Star Game. Until this point, it had not been named after anyone. Bryant made his All-Star Game debut in 1998 at the age of 19, making him the youngest player to play in the league's midseason showcase.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend holds the NBA record for consecutive All-Star selections with 18 straight, from 1998 through 2016 (there was no All-Star Game in 1999 because of the NBA lockout).

The league is still reeling from the death of Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven friends in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26. In honor of both of them, the league changed the All-Star jerseys this year so that Team LeBron is wearing No. 24 in honor of Bryant and Team Giannis is wearing No. 2 to honor Gianna.

Saturday marked the first time Silver has discussed the events of that day, and why he decided not to cancel any of that day's games.

"The immediate issue was whether games were going to be played that night on Sunday night. Through our operation center in Secaucus, New Jersey, we have a live look into every one of our arenas, and we realized that people were already assembling for some of the games that were scheduled. People were already in arenas, and there still had not been confirmation ... that Kobe and Gigi had lost their lives.

"So it didn't feel appropriate to us that we should be canceling our events and acknowledging something that was not official yet. We were in touch with the family indirectly, and I think also, certainly in that moment, they were not prepared to acknowledge something that had not clearly happened."

Silver then added that he spoke on the phone with Oklahoma City Thunder star, and National Basketball Players Association president, Chris Paul, and that Paul concurred with that opinion.

From there, the league's focus shifted to the next game on the Lakers' schedule -- the one they had scheduled at home against the LA Clippers two days later. And, in the end, he said the decision over what would happen with that game was ultimately left up to the Lakers.

"I think this was a process where we were going to be in ongoing discussions, and I will say, for people who have been around the league for a long time know that it's fairly extraordinary to cancel a game for all kinds of reasons," Silver said. "It's not necessarily economic reasons. It's just for competitive reasons.

"We have a schedule. How will you deal with that game? When will it get rescheduled? What other impacts will that have? In many cases, it's not even clear that the players themselves want to cancel the game."

Ultimately, though, the decision was made to postpone the game in order to allow everyone involved the chance to collect themselves after what had been a very emotional 48 hours.

"I think there was a sense that the first time there was going to be a Laker game, that there was going to be a coming together, intense coming together of Laker fans, Kobe fans, and how was this going to be handled?" Silver said. "So I think there was sort of the issue of the game itself, but then what was that experience going to be like in the arena? And I think given, when we looked at the schedule and saw that then the next home game was Friday night, we all collectively decided with the Lakers and the Clippers that that made the most sense."

In addition to being part of the NBA for all of Bryant's tenure, Silver also spent more than two decades working under his own predecessor, David Stern, before taking over for him six years ago this month.

Stern, who ran the league for 30 years, died on Jan. 1, adding another layer of sadness to what typically is a celebratory weekend for the NBA each year.

"When I came to the NBA in 1992, my first job was as the special assistant to commissioner Stern," Silver said. "I then had a series of jobs, five different jobs at the NBA, before I became commissioner, and over those 22 years, I was fortunate to always have the privilege to work directly for David Stern.

"I would just say he became not only my mentor but an incredibly close friend. He was there when I got married. He was one of the first people to hug my daughter when she was born. I remain very close to his wife, Dianne, and his two children, Andrew and Eric, and it's a huge loss certainly for the league."

Few people knew Stern better than Silver, given how long, and how closely, the two of them worked together. And, because of that, few appreciated the way Stern relentlessly pushed the NBA from where it was when he became commissioner in 1984 to where it is today.

"He was a force of nature for those who got to work for him," Silver said. "At the time -- I know it's storied, but when he came to the league, first as the general counsel in the late '70s and as the commissioner in 1984, it was a time when our Finals were still on tape delay. As I said, he had a vision for what this league could become, and that league involved it being a major factor in the sports world. He had a belief that this league can be truly global. He embraced technology when it came along. He saw how the internet could transform this business.

"He saw how satellite distribution could bring us live to 215 countries around the world, which is where we are today, and I'd say for many of us in this league, it's been a difficult time because, not only had we all worked for him for so long, but we remained close to him over the last several years, since I've been commissioner."

Silver added that the thing that he saw in common between Stern and Bryant was their singular focus on winning -- in the business world for Stern, on the basketball court for Bryant -- and how both of them changed after their times on the job came to an end.

"[Kobe] and David, interestingly, had a lot in common," Silver said. "They were both determined to win. They could be difficult at times because they prioritized winning, and often, they didn't have time for some of the niceties around personal relationships because it was about winning, at least while Kobe was a player.

"But what I also saw in Kobe, and you saw a little bit of this in David in his post in the period after he was commissioner, that aspect of their personality was a bit contrived in that they push people because they wanted them to be their very best, and recognizing that it meant at times people might not like them, but that's what it was about, that competition is about winning."

CHICAGO -- Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. outlasted Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon in a memorable slam dunk contest on Saturday that required two tiebreaker jams.

But the final result was not without controversy, with at least two judges contending afterward that they wanted the second dunk-off to end in a tie and Gordon saying he's done participating in the contest during NBA All-Star Weekend.

"We thought it was going to be tied. We were like, 'This is a tie!'" one judge, hip-hop artist Common, told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "But somebody didn't do it right. I don't know who it is."

Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker, another judge on the panel, confirmed that they had intended for the second dunk-off to result in a tie.

It wasn't clear if Jones and Gordon would have dunked again had it still been tied after Gordon's final attempt. The NBA was not going to permit co-champions, and there would have been a point -- which they were possibly at -- when judges would have had to vote and decide a winner.

Jones and Gordon each netted perfect 50s in the final and in the first dunk-off -- setting up for the second tiebreaker. Jones took off from just inside the foul line and threw down a windmill jam with his left hand, drawing a 48 from the panel of five judges. Gordon, after a short discussion with Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, brought out 7-foot-5 Boston Celtics rookie Tacko Fall and took the ball from Fall's hands while jumping over him on the way to a thunderous dunk.

The jam was met with gasps from the United Center crowd, but Gordon was awarded only a 47, giving the victory to Jones.

Parker and Common each awarded Gordon a 10 for the dunk, with the other three judges -- Dwyane Wade, Scottie Pippen and Chadwick Boseman -- each giving him a 9.

"I really felt it was an even battle, and we, as judges, felt the scores should be even and they should just have a judge-off," Common told Shelburne. "We had the cards. Put your card up for who had the best dunks."

Gordon thought his dunk over Fall deserved a higher score than he got.

"I did four straight 50s -- five straight 50s," Gordon said. "That's over. It's a wrap. Let's go home. Four 50s in a row in an NBA dunk contest, it's over. But I don't know. Who's running the show?"

Gordon, who also lost a memorable dunk contest to Zach LaVine in 2016, said he was done with the contest.

"It's a wrap, bro," he said. "I feel like I should have two trophies."

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James agreed.

2 ? should have been rewarded tonight that's for damn sure!! Keep it a buck y'all. ??‍♂️!! Them boys both put on a show! Professional DUNKERS

— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 16, 2020

Jones, after the contest, thought the Gordon-Fall dunk wasn't totally smooth, perhaps sealing the deal for him.

"He clipped Tacko's head, so they couldn't give him a 50," he said. "I expected them to give him a 48 so we could go again."

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Malika Andrews contributed to this report.

The 2020 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest at the United Center in Chicago already had the potential to be memorable Saturday night.

2008 winner Dwight Howard was returning! Pat Connaughton was participating for the first time! Derrick Jones Jr. was back after coming in second back in 2017! And Aaron Gordon was ready after narrowly missing out on the crown in 2016!

Howard and Connaughton earned one 50 each, but neither made it to the final. That stage was reserved for Jones and Gordon.

Orlando Magic forward Gordon was particularly impressive, scoring 50s with his first five dunks of the night. The Miami Heat's Jones earned two 50s in the championship round along with Gordon, forcing a special dunk-off round. That's where things took a turn.

After Jones and Gordon each scored 50 with their opening dunks of the extra round, Jones took off from just inside the free throw line with a windmill. The judging panel that included Dwyane Wade, Candace Parker, Common, Chadwick Boseman and Scottie Pippen gave Jones a 48.

Gordon then brought out Boston Celtics two-way contract center Tacko Fall, completing a dunk over the 7-foot-5 big man. But to the horror of all (outside of Miami), the judges gave Gordon a 47, awarding Jones the victory.

Outrage ensued -- particularly because Gordon watched Zach LaVine edge him out in a similarly extended 2016 contest. We haven't seen folks this upset at an all-star exhibition since that baseball game that ended in a tie:

2 ? should have been rewarded tonight that's for damn sure!! Keep it a buck y'all. ??‍♂️!! Them boys both put on a show! Professional DUNKERS

— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 16, 2020

The "results." ?@Double0AG | #MagicAboveAll pic.twitter.com/d5z3bFsQzs

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 16, 2020

AG GOT ROBBED AGAIN #BS

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 16, 2020

Tacko Fall says that Aaron Gordon dunk was not planned. "I was scared for my life"

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 16, 2020

y'all just made my decision easier ?? https://t.co/RNV80N0cIY

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 16, 2020

@Double0AG bro you can have my trophy. I'm heated. ???

— Terrence Ross (@TerrenceRoss) February 16, 2020

Just spoke to dunk contest judge @common who tells @ESPN, "We thought it was going to be tied. We were like, 'This is a tie' ...But somebody didn't do it right. I don't know who it is." ???

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 16, 2020

what? ??‍♂️

— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) February 16, 2020

Kenny known for pullin a Omar and robbin sombody in a dunk contest...

— andre (@andre) February 16, 2020

The right guy won.... Kenny wasn't behind the judges table....

— andre (@andre) February 16, 2020

Dunk contest judge ⁦@Candace_Parker⁩ just posted this on IG. She confirmed ⁦@common⁩ account of the judges' intending for it to be a tie (and go to judge's choice) to ESPN pic.twitter.com/RHqFekEYhu

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 16, 2020

Dunk contest judge @Candace_Parker -who gave Aaron Gordon a 10-tells ESPN, "I ain't throwing anyone under the bus .... buttttt check the score card."

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 16, 2020

One of the craziest dunk contest I've ever seen!!! @TheRea1DJones and @Double0AG did there thing!!! They both should've just won real talk ???

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) February 16, 2020

That was legendary... but damn they did Aaron wrong again??‍♂️

— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) February 16, 2020

Can't have the dunk contest be at the level, then end it like that smh....

— ? Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) February 16, 2020

How can you single handedly have 3 of the top 10 dunks ever completed in the #NBADunkContest and never have been a champ? ?? @Double0AG #robbery

— Reggie Jackson (@Reggie_Jackson) February 16, 2020

@Double0AG got 297-300 and still lost the dunk contest..... Y'all kidding right ? @NBA #nbaslamdunk coooooo coooo coo cooool cool coo cool cooolllllllllahhh

— drew gordon (@xtraGORDONary32) February 16, 2020

GTFOH!!!!!

— Nikola Vucevic (@NikolaVucevic) February 16, 2020

I feel sick for AG man. You re the people champ bro @Double0AG !!!❤️❤️

— Evan Fournier (@EvanFourmizz) February 16, 2020

The crowd's reaction when they found out AG lost. pic.twitter.com/cIJGHNhZhj

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 16, 2020

Naturally, Gordon was upset as well -- so upset that he said he's done with dunking for us all on All-Star Saturday Nights.

If Gordon does return to dunking, Jones did say he's open to a rematch ... but that might be a tough sell after Gordon's three losses in the competition.

Interviewed Derrick Jones Jr for @SportsCenter - he said if Aaron Gordon thinks he should have won, he's welcome to come back for a rematch next year. ?

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 16, 2020

Mood ?? pic.twitter.com/rh2Nuzjn1g

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 16, 2020

"Whoever want to step out in front of me, I'm there. I'm not going to shy away from nobody."

Ready to defend that title ✈️ pic.twitter.com/qhQOMNofIW

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 16, 2020

NBA All-Star Saturday featured three competitions that came down to the wire. Bam Adebayo set the tone with a close win over Domantas Sabonis in the skills challenge. Buddy Hield used his final attempt to knock off 2018 champion Devin Booker in the 3-point contest. And Derrick Jones Jr. needed a dunk-off to beat Aaron Gordon in the dunk contest.

We graded every event and every player to take the court on Saturday during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

More: Rising Stars grades | Best of Saturday

Dunk contest

Aaron Gordon
Orlando Magic
Forward | Grade: A

Results
Round 1: 50, 50
Final: 50, 50
Tiebreaker: 50, 47

Analysis
For the second time in his career, Gordon found himself on the wrong end of an epic dunk-off, having lost to Zach LaVine in 2016 in Toronto after an identical six dunks. This time, Gordon had the higher overall score -- his final dunk, clearing 7-foot-5 Boston Celtics rookie Tacko Fall, was the only one all night that wasn't given a 50.

Gordon repeatedly made use of Chicago native Chance the Rapper as a prop, grabbing the ball off Chance's head and jumping over him for three different finishes: a reverse, a one-hand finish and a between-the-legs dunk. Probably his best dunk of the night was his fourth one, a one-hand 360 from a pass by teammate Markelle Fultz off the side of the backboard that was as good as any we saw all night.

I'm torn on which of the final two dunks was more deserving. Yes, it's true Gordon made some contact with Fall while finishing his dunk, but that's to be expected with someone far taller than any of the other players used as props save Giannis Antetokounmpo (and even Antetokounmpo is six inches shorter than Fall.) Adding to the degree of difficulty was the fact that Gordon, needing to use two more dunks than he'd expected, had never before practiced with Fall.

It's a shame that Gordon has submitted two trophy-worthy contests without walking away with one for his mantel.

Derrick Jones Jr.
Miami Heat
Forward | Grade: A

Results
Round 1: 46, 50
Final: 50, 50
Tiebreaker: 50, 48

Analysis
After finishing second in 2017, Jones won his return to the dunk contest by throwing down from a foot inside the free throw line on his final attempt with a mini-windmill to distinguish it from more famous (and longer) foul line dunks by Julius Erving (in the inaugural 1976 ABA dunk contest) and Michael Jordan (in 1988, the previous time All-Star Weekend was held in Chicago).

Jones began and ended the night with sub-50 dunks. After blowing out the candles on a cake to celebrate his 23rd birthday, Jones attempted to sky over teammate Bam Adebayo on his first turn. It took two attempts, dropping Jones to a 46. In between, Jones submitted four consecutive 50-pointers, showcasing his ability to go between the legs effortlessly with other flourishes.

On his second dunk, Jones went 360 between the legs. He then jumped over a pair of his dunk consultants, went off the backboard while jumping over the passer and off the side of the backboard. As bad as the judging process was, Jones probably had the stronger pair of dunks in the final than Gordon, and I would have chosen him the winner at that point. So he was certainly deserving in his own right.

Pat Connaughton
Milwaukee Bucks
Guard | Grade: B+

Results
Round 1: 45, 50

Analysis
Connaughton was a hard-luck elimination in the first round. His cheeky first dunk was an homage to Billy Hoyle. Wearing Hoyle's famous short shorts and backward cap, Connaughton reenacted the climactic alley-oop from "White Men Can't Jump" using Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich for the assist. The resulting score of 45 got booed by fans who thought Connaughton deserved better -- only the start of a frustrating and confusing night of scoring by the judges.

Connaughton got a perfect 50 for his second dunk, grabbing the ball over bent-over teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo to dunk on the third try. The true quality of the dunk was only clear on replay, which showed Connaughton tapped the ball off the glass before dunking. Still, that left him one point shy of a spot in the final.

Dwight Howard
Los Angeles Lakers
Center | Grade: B-

Results
Round 1: 41, 49

Analysis
In his first dunk contest since 2009, the 2008 champion flashed back by once again donning a Superman cape on his second dunk. The "S" on Howard's T-shirt was also adorned with a No. 24 as Howard paid homage to the late Kobe Bryant. He brought back former Orlando Magic teammate Jameer Nelson to deliver a perfect alley-oop that Howard dunked home for a generous 50. (It was Nelson's first assist on an NBA court since March 2018.)

On his first turn, Howard did a one-handed 360 dunk, pulling back before finishing going away from the basket. Because he took two tries -- and because the judges hadn't yet begun handing out 10s regularly -- it drew the night's lowest score of 41.

3-point contest

Buddy Hield
Sacramento Kings
Guard | Grade: A

Results
Round 1: 27
Final: 27

Analysis
Hield provided plenty of suspense in the final. He needed to make four shots on his final money ball rack to surpass Booker. After hitting his first three, Hield missed, leaving him with a winner-take-all last shot that he swished. Unlike his third-place finish last year, when he scored 26 points in the first round but just 19 in the final, Hield was consistently strong from start to finish this time around.

Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns
Guard | Grade: A

Results
Round 1: 27
Final: 26

Analysis
A last-minute replacement for the injured Damian Lillard, Booker easily could have walked away with his second win in the past three years (having previously won in 2018 in Los Angeles). He was the only player all night to knock down both of his attempts from the longer distance in a round, scoring 27 in the opening round to tie for first place, and nearly matched it in round two. Only a slightly subpar performance from his money ball rack (3-of-5) cost Booker the title.

Davis Bertans
Washington Wizards
Forward | Grade: A-

Results
Round 1: 26
Final: 22

Analysis
Had the 3-point contest been held solely on the right wing, Bertans would have won going away. That's where he put his money ball racks, and he went 5-of-5 in the first round and 4-of-5 in the final. With time running down in the opening round, Bertans made his final shot (a money ball) to advance. He wasn't quite as strong in the final round, finishing last of the three players who advanced.

Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls
Guard | Grade: B

Results
Round 1: 23

Analysis
The hometown crowd badly wanted LaVine to advance, and that looked likely after a perfect start on the opening rack. LaVine also went 5-of-5 from the other corner, but chose to put his money ball rack at the top of the key, where he missed a pair of shots. Had he put it in the corner, LaVine would have come within a point of advancing.

Joe Harris
Brooklyn Nets
Forward | Grade: B

Results
Round 1: 22

Analysis
The defending champion went into the final rack with a chance to reach the final, but missed his first three attempts there and was eliminated. Harris was clearly thrown off by the addition of the longer shots, nearly running past the ball both times on his way to the next traditional rack, but recovered to make the second 3-pointer.

Duncan Robinson
Miami Heat
Guard | Grade: B-

Results
Round 1: 19

Analysis
The betting favorite, Robinson was unable to live up to the hype. He missed six shots in a row at one point, and was never seriously in contention with a score of 19.

Devonte' Graham
Charlotte Hornets
Guard | Grade: C

Results
Round 1: 18

Analysis
Graham recovered from a dismal start that saw him miss his first seven attempts, including an air ball on his first try and another shot from the corner that hit off the backboard. After settling down, Graham became the first player to make the inaugural shot worth 3 points and went 4-of-5 from his money ball rack at the top of the key.

Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks
Guard | Grade: C

Results
Round 1: 15

Analysis
Young never seemed to find a rhythm during the competition, particularly struggling from the top of the key, where he missed four of his five attempts.

Skills contest

Bam Adebayo
Miami Heat
Forward | Grade: A

Results
Round 1: Defeated Spencer Dinwiddie
Round 2: Defeated Pascal Siakam
Final: Defeated Domantas Sabonis

Analysis
A deserving winner, the 6-foot-9 Adebayo showcased the versatility that has made him a first-time All-Star (a process detailed earlier this week by ESPN's Zach Lowe) with error-free performances through all phases of the skills challenge. He cruised to victory in the first round over Dinwiddie, beat Siakam when he missed his first shot before making the second and then survived needing three shots in the final against Sabonis.

Pascal Siakam
Toronto Raptors
Forward | Grade: A-

Results
Round 1: Defeated Patrick Beverley
Round 2: Eliminated by Bam Adebayo

Analysis
After a perfect first-round win over Beverley, Siakam kept pace with Adebayo until missing his first shot. That was all the opening Adebayo needed to advance to the final.

Domantas Sabonis
Indiana Pacers
Forward | Grade: B+

Results
Round 1: Defeated Jayson Tatum
Round 2: Defeated Khris Middleton
Final: Eliminated by Bam Adebayo

Analysis
Sabonis' path to the final was a little shaky. In the opening round against Tatum, Sabonis nearly doomed his chances by losing the ball after a dunk but recovered when Tatum missed his first shot. In the second round, it was Sabonis who struggled with the shooting, benefiting from Middleton's dribbling miscue. Though Sabonis was right behind Adebayo in the final round, he wasn't able to make the shot necessary to secure victory.

Khris Middleton
Milwaukee Bucks
Forward | Grade: B

Results
Round 1: Defeated Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Round 2: Eliminated by Domantas Sabonis

Analysis
Give Middleton credit for his ingenuity in the semifinals. Having fallen behind Sabonis when he mishandled the ball at midcourt, Middleton tried to play bump to prevent Sabonis from winning. Alas, that effort proved unsuccessful. Middleton's first-round win over Gilgeous-Alexander was clean aside from a single missed 3-pointer.

Spencer Dinwiddie
Brooklyn Nets
Guard | Grade: B

Results
Round 1: Eliminated by Bam Adebayo

Analysis
The skills winner in 2008, Dinwiddie caught a tough opening draw against Adebayo. His only miscue was missing one pass attempt, but Adebayo's perfect round never gave Dinwiddie a chance to catch back up.

Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics
Forward | Grade: B-

Results
Round 1: Eliminated by Domantas Sabonis

Analysis
The defending champion, Tatum had the edge over Sabonis heading into the 3-pointer but missed both of his attempts, opening the door for Sabonis' comeback.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City Thunder
Guard | Grade: C

Results
Round 1: Eliminated by Khris Middleton

Analysis
The passing obstacle tripped up Gilgeous-Alexander, who was the only player to miss all three of his attempts in the opening round. That left Gilgeous-Alexander so far behind that his only hope was attempting a shot from well beyond half court.

Patrick Beverley
LA Clippers
Guard | Grade: C-

Results
Round 1: Eliminated by Pascal Siakam

Analysis
The Chicago native didn't seem to be going at game speed, putting him way behind Siakam -- so far behind, in fact, that Beverley didn't even really get a shot at the basket.

Boston Red Sox starter Chris Sale, still recovering from a case of the flu and pneumonia, continued to work with teammates Saturday at spring training. But interim manager Ron Roenicke made it clear Boston will not rush Sale's progress, even if it means he misses Opening Day.

Roenicke told reporters in Fort Myers, Florida, that Sale, who missed the last six weeks of last year's regular season with a left elbow injury, played catch on Saturday, stretching out his arm and that the thought is that he's "progressing along fine."

Sale has made the past two Opening Day starts for Boston.

"We're going to still go a little bit easy with him," Roenicke said. "He's huge for our starting rotation, and he's one of the best pitchers in the game. So whenever we can get him to start up, it would be silly for us to try to push him to come back sooner than probably he should physically.

"It's not worth taking a risk on having him Opening Day exactly and where we're pushing him to get him there. He's important to us as we go through the season, and hopefully get into the playoffs, and keep him strong there."

Sale, 30, like the Red Sox overall, struggled last season, finishing 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 147 1/3 innings. He won his last two starts in August, over the Dodgers and Indians, before the club shut him down.

Boston, a year after winning the World Series, finished in third place in the American League East, at 84-78.