NBA Begins First Ever H.O.R.S.E. Challenge

AP

Past and professional basketball players entertain fans amid pandemic

The past few weeks have been drastic for sports fans across the country, as the lasting impact of coronavirus has canceled all major sporting events for the foreseeable future. However, the National Basketball Association (NBA) held the first round of their 8-person H.O.R.S.E. competition on Easter Sunday to entertain their basketball-deprived fans.

H.O.R.S.E., an old-school basketball game often played in backyards and driveways, tests players shooting abilities and creativities.  

To play the game, players must make a shot of their choosing from a particular spot on the court. The opposing player or players must make that exact same shot on the first try or they will receive a letter.  Once a player receives five letters for their five missed shots to spell out H.O.R.S.E., they lose the game. 

Four current NBA players participated in the contest: Zach Lavine, Chris Paul, Trae Young and Mike Conley. Additional players included Tamika Catchings and Allie Quigley of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), as well as two retired NBA alumni Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups.  

After a slow start for Billups, a five-time all-star, he upset one the NBA’s brightest stars, Trae Young to move onto the next round. Meanwhile, Pierce showed why he has been retired for three seasons, as Chicago Bulls star Lavine easily handled him in a shutout victory. 

On the other side of the bracket, Quigley displayed the most creativity out of all of the contestants to upset Paul. Utah Jazz point guard Conley showed his remarkable consistency with offhand shots to clinch a win over former Indiana Fever legend Catchings, who battled a windy atmosphere.

Natural settings and poor filming played a major role in decreasing the quality of the contest. As Catchings and Young complained about the unfair wind affecting their shooting abilities throughout the contest, spectators and current players mocked the poor technology used and ultimate lack of interest in the contest.  

New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard, J.J. Reddick, tweeted about his disinterest in the entirety of the contest on Sunday.   

“H.O.R.S.E. could not be worse,” Reddick said. “I gave it 5 min. Hard pass.”

Many other players and fans chimed in about their disinterest towards the NBA’s event due to incredible lags in the video quality and lack of preparation for the event.  

Despite everything the NBA tries, such as the H.O.R.S.E. contest or video game tournaments, these minuscule events can only entertain the fans for so long.

With the rest of the NBA regular season and playoffs out of the picture for now, the sport of basketball must hope that as the pandemic’s circumstances improve so that its season can come back with eager fans. Until then, the final round of the H.O.R.S.E. tournament will air on ESPN on Thursday, April 16, at 6 p.m. PST.