Shootout



MULTIMEDIA

Kerr felt the pressure of winning a three-point contest.
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SHOOTOUT SCORES

Finals Player Team Score Steve Kerr Bulls 22 Tim Legler Bullets 18 Semifinals Steve Kerr Bulls 21 Tim Legler Bullets 19 Glen Rice Hornets 14 Walt Williams Raptors 11 First round Walt Williams Raptors 18 Tim Legler Bullets 17 Glen Rice Hornets 16 Steve Kerr Bulls 15 John Stockton Jazz 12 Dale Ellis Nuggets 11 Terry Mills Pistons 11 Sam Perkins Sonics 8

Kerr, who holds the record for the best three-point percentage in a season, had never finished better than third in his previous appearances. But he amassed a three-round total of 58 on Saturday, including a closing 22 that matched the second-best final round in the 12-year history of the event.

"It was great, I had the crowd behind me," said Kerr. "I couldn't believe how many people, when I walked in the building, were just wishing me luck, telling me they were hoping I was going to win. I had a lot of good karma behind me."

Legler, who hasn't played this season because of injury, nearly didn't get out of the first round. But he found his stroke and fell just short of becoming the first repeat winner since Mark Price in 1993 and 1994.

Kerr elected to go first in the final round. He made four of five of the multi-colored "money balls," picking up eight points, and sank all five balls from his rack at the top of the circle.

Legler also started quickly, making five of his first six shots. But he struggled on the second and third racks and had no chance to win when he arrived at his final rack.

"I knew Tim was going to put up a high score," said Kerr. "Last year he was in the 20s every time, this year he was at 19. I didn't want to shoot second. I didn't want to go out there and think about some number that I had to shoot."

Kerr becomes the second member of the Bulls to win the event, joining Craig Hodges, who won three in a row from 1990 to 1992. Kerr scored 21 in the semifinal round and was the only player to eclipse 20 in any round. He earned $20,000.

"I watched a lot of guys who won this over the years," added Kerr. "Sometimes they have a tough first round but eventually they get it going. The king of all these guys is Craig Hodges. You talk about rhythm, he had a little hop before every shot. Every shot looked exactly the same. You try to do that."

Legler, a reserve guard for the Washington Bullets, sat out the entire first half of the season while rehabilitating from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee suffered late last season. He wore a large brace on the knee in Saturday's competition, but it didn't seem to hinder him.

"If I didn't think I could get back on the court after this, I wasn't going to come," said Legler. "That was the deciding factor. I was waiting for the last minute to see if the doctors thought my hamstring was healed enough to play immediately after the break. Once they decided it was, I feel like I earned the right to come back. I didn't want to give up my title without fighting for it."

Kerr tallied 15 in the first round, lowest among the four who qualified for the semifinals. Legler almost didn't make it there, but buried all five shots from his final rack for a 17.

Kerr and Legler took charge in the semifinals. Kerr racked up 21 points, including two full racks. Legler tallied 19, with four straight money balls.

Toronto swingman Walt Williams set the pace in the opening round with 18 points. But that meant he went last in the semifinals, and he obviously cooled off, scoring just 11 points. Charlotte Hornets forward Glen Rice, who won this event in 1995, scored 16 in the first round but struggled in the semifinals with just 14.

Eliminated in the first round were Utah Jazz guard John Stockton, 1989 champion Dale Ellis of the Denver Nuggets and big men Sam Perkins of the Seattle SuperSonics and Terry Mills of the Detroit Pistons.