Mike Conley Jr. won the NBA HORSE Challenge, defeating Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine in the Final Round, H-O to H-O-R-S-E.
“To be able to compete with these guys, they were great opponents,” Conley said after winning. “It was just a fun environment to be part of it and give us all something to do in this time when we’re all just sitting around the house.”
Conley, who leaned on strong off-hand shooting — he said he writes right-handed, even though he’s left-hand dominant as a dribbler and shooter — previously defeated former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups in the semifinal. Billups also lost by three letters, going down on a two-handed, underhand “granny” free-throw.
Conley’s winning shot against LaVine, who had knocked off Chicago Sky sharpshooter Allie Quigley in the other side of the bracket, was the same layup over-the-backboard-while-sailing-underneath-it that beat WNBA legend Tamika Catchings in Round 1.
NBA HORSE Challenge @MCONLEY10 goes reverse over the backboard to win the NBA Horse Challenge presented by State Farm! pic.twitter.com/J8a38OSaM9
— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2020
LaVine, who was on the ropes early after Conley opened with two straight tough makes for letters, acknowledged Conley’s prowess: “It came down to making shots and he made some very, very, very tricky ones.”
