NBA All-Star Weekend H–O–R–S–E Competition

The NBA All-Star H–O–R–S–E Competition (also called the NBA All–Star G–E–I–C–O Competition because of its sponsor, Geico Insurance) was a National Basketball Association (NBA) contest which began at the 2009 NBA All–Star Weekend in Phoenix, Arizona, and only lasted for two years.[1][2] It was canceled from the All-Star festivities prior to the 2011 weekend.[2] The contest had been held on the Saturday night prior to the All-Star Game.[3]

Kevin Durant won both of the only two modern era H-O-R-S-E competitions.

History

The NBA had held H–O–R–S–E competitions during the 1977–78 season.[2] Throughout that season, CBS broadcast NBA games during the regular season and the playoffs. The host was Don Criqui and the NBA official was retired referee Mendy Rudolph. There were a total of 32 players and the finals had a match up of Pete Maravich verse Paul Westphal. Maravich was injured and replaced by Rick Barry who lost to Westphal. During halftime of those games, they showed a pre-taped H–O–R–S–E tournament pitting players from the NBA against each other. It featured, among others, Pete Maravich, Bob McAdoo, Kevin Grevey, and George Gervin. There was also a Battle of the Sexes match where Karen Logan, a female, beat Jerry West in 1975 and was matched against Oscar Robertson where she took a 7-0 lead. Her claim was that they changed the rules and she lost 10-8.[4]

In 2020, due to the suspension of the NBA season because of the COVID 19 pandemic, the NBA made a televised event in which NBA and WNBA players participated in a virtual HORSE competition while quarantining at their respective homes. The NBA raised $200,000 for charities and Mike Conley Jr. of the Utah Jazz was the first ever HORSE Title winner, beating Zach LaVine.

Rules

The modern-day All-Star Competition was similar to that of regular H–O–R–S–E, where each participant took shots from unconventional locations and in unconventional ways to diminish their opponents' chances of duplicating the shot. Certain rule adjustments were made, however, that differed from conventional H–O–R–S–E competition:[1]

  • No dunking was allowed.
  • Players had 24 seconds each to create and mimic shots.
  • An NBA referee authenticated the new shots (that the player executed what he announced) and any mimic shot.

The game took place on a 45 feet 0 inches (13.72 m) × 50 feet 0 inches (15.24 m) court, which is exactly one-half the size of a regulation length basketball court.[1]

Winners
Player (#) Denotes the number of times the player won
Team (#) Denotes the number of times a player from this team won
Season Player Team Finished with
1977–78 Paul Westphal Phoenix Suns H–O
2008–09 Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder H–O–R–S
2009–10 Kevin Durant (2) Oklahoma City Thunder (2) H–O–R
2019–20 Mike Conley Jr. Utah Jazz H–O

All-time participants
Player
(in bold text)		 Indicates the winner of the contest
Player (#) Denotes the number of times the player has been in the contest
Season Players
1977–78Paul Westphal, Pete Maravich, Kevin Grevey, Maurice Lucas
2008–09Kevin Durant, Joe Johnson, O. J. Mayo
2009–10Omri Casspi, Kevin Durant (2), Rajon Rondo

References
  1. "TNT to air H-O-R-S-E game featuring NBA players". NBA. February 5, 2009. Archived from the original (Press release) on September 12, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  2. Ziller, Tom (February 9, 2011). "NBA Kills All-Star H.O.R.S.E. Contest After Two Inglorious Years". SB Nation. Retrieved February 10, 2011.
  3. Associated Press (February 11, 2009). "Three chosen to play H-O-R-S-E". ESPN. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  4. Newspaper
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