With the 3-point Contest title on the line at All-Star Weekend, Stephen Curry made the biggest splash Saturday, putting the pressure on with a championship round of 27 to win it.
Fellow Golden State Warriors "Splash Brother" Klay Thompson also advanced to the final round but fell well short, shooting last and scoring a 14.
Cleveland's Kyrie Irving advanced to the championship round and finished with a 17. He was the first of the three finalists to shoot, followed by Curry.
Curry had earlier been ousted from the shooting stars event, along with his father, former NBA player Dell Curry, and WNBA star Sue Bird, in the opening round.
In a twist, this was a rare year when the 3-point competition has more intrigue than the dunk contest because of the notable names who are -- and aren't -- participating in each.
Atlanta's Kyle Korver, Houston's James Harden, , Portland's Wesley Matthews, the Los Angeles Clippers' J.J. Redick and defending champion Marco Belinelli of San Antonio were eliminated in the first round.
Curry set the NBA record with 272 3-pointers in a season two years ago.
Curry and Thompson combined to make 484 3-pointers last season and 483 in 2012-13, both by far the most in a season of any duo in NBA history.
The previous record of 435, set by Orlando's Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott during the 1995-96 season, came when the NBA briefly shortened the uniform distance of the 3-point arc to 22 feet.
Curry, Korver and Matthews are tied for the league lead with 161 3-pointers.
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