The NBA HORSE Challenge rolled on with the semifinals and finals on Thursday night, with Chauncey Billups taking on Mike Conley Jr., who continues to have a prohibitive advantage thanks to his indoor gym in Columbus, Ohio.
Conley jumped out to a quick H-O lead thanks to a banked in three and over the backboard swish shot that Billups was unable to answer.
Getting things started #TeamMike | @espn pic.twitter.com/pFRk5Ltxqh
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) April 17, 2020
NBA HORSE Challenge @MCONLEY10 gets @1MrBigShot to H-O with the over the backboard swish!
: NBA Horse Challenge presented by State Farm on
ESPN pic.twitter.com/pR9uiIIRFX— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2020
Billups was able to avoid total disaster by matching Conley on a spinning, one-legged effort from the top of the key.
Chauncey’s got some work to do, but he got this one to go.
Watch on @ESPN pic.twitter.com/fTg2kTaGBb
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 17, 2020
Conley handed Billups his third letter with this corner three after throwing the ball in the air, spinning, catching it and shooting off one leg.
𝘈𝘊𝘙𝘖𝘉𝘈𝘛𝘐𝘊#TeamMike | @espn pic.twitter.com/dlwd6DzDve
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) April 17, 2020
It was the second time Billups got behind three letters in this competition, but unlike against Trae Young, he wasn’t able to go on a huge run. He did get a letter back with a bank shot from the top of the key to avoid a disaster.
Chauncey on the comeback on @ESPN pic.twitter.com/1c6I27SJyV
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 17, 2020
Conley hit an “off-handed” three, as he continues to break out his ambidexterity in emergency situations when he needs a to pick up a key letter, with Billups clanging a left-handed effort in response.
using that offhand #TeamMike | @espn pic.twitter.com/jRSeYK9FJ2
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) April 17, 2020
Billups would draw things back to H-O-R-S to H-O with a banked in three from the break, but Conley ultimately closed things out with a granny shot free throw to move on to the finals.
NBA HORSE Challenge @MCONLEY10 moves on to the Finals with the underhand free-throw!
: NBA Horse Challenge presented by State Farm on
ESPN pic.twitter.com/6x09qwZnay— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2020
Conley has to be the prohibitive favorite at this point, given his ability to effectively steal letters at will with “offhand” shots, and his indoor gym. He’ll face the winner of Allie Quigley and Zach LaVine later on tonight’s broadcast.