Charlotte Hornets second-year swingman Miles Bridges stole the show on Friday night, as he took MVP honors in the highly-entertaining Rising Stars Challenge.
Interestingly, the 21-year-old sent out a timely tweet during halftime which ended up as a precursor to what he was about to do in the second half. Bridges came out guns blazing following the break, as he led a furious third quarter barrage by Team USA, outscoring Team World 44-24 in the period. Everyone was impressed by Bridges' showing, and even Utah Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell could not help but comment on the youngster's halftime antics.
That’s a bar 😂🔥 https://t.co/r0isPL25JF
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) February 15, 2020
The Hornets talent totally lived up to his self-imposed challenge at halftime, with the 6-foot-6 small forward eventually finishing with 20 points (on 8-of-12 shooting), five rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Bridges also had some unforgettable Sports Center-worthy moments during the contest, with perhaps none more impressive than his off-the-backboard self-alley-oop.
As always, this exciting contest was more of a showcase of individual talents as opposed to an actual competitive matchup between two rival sides. Aside from Bridges, guys like Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans rookie sensation Zion Williamson — among others — also had their fair share of highlight reel plays.
Very few, if any, will disagree with the notion that these youngsters did a pretty outstanding job in the opening act of the All-Star Weekend. The much-awaited Three-Point and Dunk Contests will take place on All-Star Saturday, with the highly-anticipated All-Star game rounding out the weekend spectacle on Sunday.
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