» This Story:Read +| Comments
Page 2 of 3   <       >

Howard Soars in Spectacular Dunk Contest

SLIDESHOW
    Previous          Next    
Wearing a Superman costume, Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard soars toward the basket in the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Wearing a Superman costume, Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard soars toward the basket in the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Utah Jazz's Deron Williams competes in the basketball skills challenge Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Utah Jazz's Deron Williams competes in the basketball skills challenge Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Toronto Raptors' Jason Kapono holds the trophy after winning the 3-point shooting contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA basketball All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Toronto Raptors' Jason Kapono holds the trophy after winning the 3-point shooting contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA basketball All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Wearing a Superman costume Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard flies toward the basket during the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. Howard won the contest. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Wearing a Superman costume Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard flies toward the basket during the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. Howard won the contest. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Toronto Raptors' Jason Kapono takes a shot during the final round of the three-point basketball shooting contest as Cleveland Cavaliers' Daniel Gibson, lower left, and Phoeniox Suns' Steve Nash look on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. Kapono won the competition for the second year. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Toronto Raptors' Jason Kapono takes a shot during the final round of the three-point basketball shooting contest as Cleveland Cavaliers' Daniel Gibson, lower left, and Phoeniox Suns' Steve Nash look on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. Kapono won the competition for the second year. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard (12) waves after beating Minnesota Timberwolves' Gerald Green (15) in the finals of the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard (12) waves after beating Minnesota Timberwolves' Gerald Green (15) in the finals of the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber) (Bill Haber - AP)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard hugs the trophy after winning the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard hugs the trophy after winning the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Orlando Magic Dwight Howard wears a Superman costume during the NBA basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Orlando Magic Dwight Howard wears a Superman costume during the NBA basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber) (Bill Haber - AP)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard attempts a dunk during the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard attempts a dunk during the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard celebrates as judge Karl Malone holds up a "10" during the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard celebrates as judge Karl Malone holds up a "10" during the basketball slam dunk contest Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at the NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay - AP)
Discussion Policy
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

"At first I thought he was going to take the cupcake, eat it and then dunk it," Howard said. "I thought he would have won with that."

This Story
View All Items in This Story
View Only Top Items in This Story

In the second round, McCants sat on the top step of the ladder and handed the ball off to a rising Green, who crushed another dunk.

That's when Howard stripped off his blue Magic jersey to reveal an "S" on his chest. As the crowd stood, he tied the cape around his massive shoulders.

"I didn't have time to get the telephone booth," he quipped.

Nelson placed a piece of tape to mark Howard's take-off spot, and after a running start from near mid-court, the Magic's main man took off just inside the free-throw line and fired down the ball with authority.

In the final round, Green performed two acrobatic dunks, one in only green socks after removing his sneakers. But neither of those could top Howard's last two efforts.

First, Howard bounced the ball off the floor, tapped it left-handed off the backboard and dunked with his right hand. For Howard's finale, Nelson affixed a miniature Orlando backboard next to the rim and balanced a ball on it.

Howard flew in from the right side, picked the ball off cleanly and slammed it in. He then only had to wait for fans to text message a result that seemed to be a no-brainer. Howard won in a landslide, receiving 78 percent of the vote.

Earlier, Jason Kapono showed nobody's close to him from long distance.

The NBA's best 3-point shooter this season, the Toronto forward with the silky touch won his second straight 3-point Shootout, tying a 22-year-old record with a final round of 25.

Kapono missed his first two shots in the last round before dropping 10 straight. By the time he approached the last rack of balls, Kapono had already clinched the win and didn't have to fire up another shot.

But he knocked down a few more anyway, matching three-time winner Craig Hodges' mark of 25 set in 1986. When his final shot swished through, Kapono, who made all five money balls _ worth two points apiece _ and went 20-for-25 in the last round, slapped high-fives with other All-Stars and hugged Raptors teammate Chris Bosh.


<       2        >

» This Story:Read +| Comments

More in the Wizards Section

Lee

Wizards Insider

Michael Lee provides exclusive coverage of the Wizards and keep you up-to-date with NBA news.

Steinberg

D.C. Sports Bog

Dan Steinberg gives you an inside look at all of your favorite local teams.

© 2008 The Associated Press