NBA analyst Skip Bayless is not satisfied with LeBron James’ 20th All-Star nod and Damian Lillard’s second 3-Point Contest win, issuing a challenge to both players ahead of Sunday night’s showdown.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is successfully wrestling with the hands of time as he’s set to play in the NBA All-Star game for a record 20th time on Sunday night.
His fellow All-Star starter, Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks, is also on a historic tear. Ahead of his eighth appearance in the All-Star game, Lillard took home his second consecutive Starry 3-Point Contest win during Saturday night’s festivities.
In spite of both James and Lillard’s grand achievements, FS1 analyst Skip Bayless has unearthed familiar areas he’s holding the two stars hostage, issuing a challenge to each surrounding All-Star Weekend and the playoffs.
Skip Bayless challenges LeBron James to Dunk Contest and Damian Lillard to playoff surge
Bayless began by expressing his gripe with James for never having competed in the Dunk Contest. James has put together a highlight package of slams that give him a case for being the best in-game dunker in NBA history.
Due to the fact that James has never taken his unparalleled athleticism to the Dunk Contest, Bayless has cleaved unto pressuring the four-time league MVP into making an appearance, even now at 39 years of age:
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If only LeBron had had the guts to do JUST ONE DUNK CONTEST. All the greats did at least one and often more … starting with Air Jordan.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 18, 2024
James has been wishy-washy about giving the basketball world what they desire. In previous years, James has flirted with the idea of taking part, but seems to have put that to bed at this juncture in his career. Bayless has found a multitude of areas to compare James to Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan. The latter won the event twice, giving Bayless a card in his back pocket to utilize in his regular Jordan vs. James debates.
James was not the only player that Bayless called out. The famed personality pushed Lillard’s button as well, inquiring whether he could translate his marksmanship from the 3-Point Contest over to the latter stages of the playoffs:
Also … just once I'd love to see Damian Lillard make some clutch threes in an NBA Finals … or even in a conference finals.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 18, 2024
Lillard earned the nickname “Dame Time” for his two series- clinching buzzer-beater threes against the Houston Rockets in 2014 and the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019.
However, both historic shots came in the first round. This has given Bayless a highway to hold Lillard to a higher standard and demand he lead his team to the Finals. Now that he’s next to former league and Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, Bayless sees no excuse for Lillard dropping the ball as a franchise player masquerades as a No. 2 option under Bucks head coach Doc Rivers come postseason time.
