Big men had won the previous two Skills Challenges. But things would be different in 2018.
Spencer Dinwiddie
Brooklyn Nets
Guard | Grade: A
Defeated Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray, Lauri Markkanen
Dinwiddie needed some help from other guards struggling to make the 3-pointer to reach the finals. Once there, he delivered his best performance, cruising past Lauri Markkanen to become the first guard to win the Skills Challenge since the NBA began pitting the top guard against the top big in the finals. Overall, Dinwiddie made three of his four 3-point attempts.
Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers
Center | Grade: C-plus
Defeated Al Horford, eliminated by Lauri Markkanen
Only Al Horford's difficulty making 3s allowed Embiid to advance after he struggled with the pass on his first run, eventually getting through the required three attempts as quickly as possible. Then Embiid, in the middle night of a three-day stretch that started with the Rising Stars Challenge Friday and will conclude with Sunday's All-Star Game, lost badly in the finals for bigs.
Buddy Hield
Sacramento Kings
Guard | Grade: B-minus
Eliminated by Spencer Dinwiddie
Who would have thought shooting would have undone Hield, who's making 42.5 percent of his 3-point attempts this season? He missed both he attempted, losing a lead over Dinwiddie.
Al Horford
Boston Celtics
Center | Grade: C-plus
Eliminated by Joel Embiid
The format of the Skills Challenge worked against Horford, who had a huge lead over Embiid only to miss all four 3s he attempted, allowing Embiid to come back and win.
Lauri Markkanen
Chicago Bulls
Forward | Grade: B-plus
Defeated Andre Drummond and Joel Embiid, eliminated by Spencer Dinwiddie
Markkanen dominated his fellow bigs to reach the finals and was step for step with Dinwiddie until he thought his first pass was going in and headed toward the hoop only to see it rim out. That forced Markkanen to backtrack, and by the time he did he was too far behind to catch up.
Jamal Murray
Denver Nuggets
Guard | Grade: B-plus
Defeated Lou Williams, eliminated by Spencer Dinwiddie
Technically flawless through the rest of the course, Murray had a tough time knocking down the pull-up 3. He eventually made one to eliminate Lou Williams in the opening round but missed both attempts in the finals for guards, allowing Dinwiddie to come from behind.
Andre Drummond
Detroit Pistons
Center | Grade: D-plus
Eliminated by Lauri Markkanen
Drummond took an early lead -- probably too early, if you ask Lauri Markkanen -- only to be stymied by the chest pass. He needed all three attempts, putting him too far behind Markkanen to catch up.
Lou Williams
LA Clippers
Guard | Grade: D
Eliminated by Jamal Murray
Nothing went right for the hometown favorite, beginning with a possible false start of his own. Williams missed his first two pass attempts and never again was competitive with Murray.