Howard flies to slam dunk win; Kapono scores 3-pointer title
Updated: 2008-02-18 09:14
NEW YORK - Orlando Magic big man Dwight Howard donned a Superman costume to allow him to capture the NBA Slam Dunk competition while Jason Kapono of the Toronto Raptors won his second straight three-point shooting contest.
 Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic completes a dunk in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, part of 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend at the New Orleans Arena on February 16, in New Orleans, Louisiana. [Agencies] |
Howard beat Gerald Green, last year's winner, in the final round of the event, which came at the end of a night of skills as part of the All-Star Weekend.
The highlight of Howard's performance saw him remove his jersey to unveil a Superman shirt and then add a cape, which he bought in a New Orleans shop. He then flew through the air and threw the basketball through the hoop.
"Take off a just try to fly," Howard told a television audience. "Just take off as far as I could. I decided to put the cape on and found one on the street."
Minnesota's Green, who won last year's contest while playing for the Boston Celtics, had one dunk that saw him put a cupcake on top of the rim and have it lit before he blew it out during a dunk.
In another event, Jason Kapono of the Toronto Raptors won his second straight three-point shooting contest.
Two weeks after his 27th birthday, the fifth-year NBA veteran had the best showing ever in the finals and equaled the all-time point mark set by Craig Hodges in the first round in 1986 in the first-ever NBA 3-point contest.
Cleveland's Daniel Gibson was the runner-up with 17 points while Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki of Germany was third with 14. Detroit's Richard Hamilton, Phoenix's Steve Nash and New Orleans' Peja Stojakovic did not reach the final.
Kapono missed his first two shots, then fired 10 consecutive shots through the hoop from beyond the 3-point arc and clinched the crown with six shots remaining, then finished strong to match the record.
"I felt pretty good out there," Kapono said. "I knew I had to put in the time practising. I missed my first two but I slowly got back into it and I finished strong."
Kapono also led the opening round with 20 points while Gibson and Nowitzki each had 17. Serbia's Stojakovic, a two-time 3-point winner, had 15 points with 14 for Hamilton and nine for Canada's Nash.
The All-Star Game is set for Sunday.
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