Stephen Curry-Sabrina Ionescu 3-point rematch off
Thu Feb 13 1:15pm ET
Field Level Media
There will be no rematch of the hugely popular 3-point contest between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu at this weekend's NBA All-Star Game.
Curry, of the Golden State Warriors, and the New York Liberty's Ionescu hinted that there could be a rematch after Curry won 29-26 last February in Indianapolis
It was confirmed Thursday that despite last-minute efforts to bring back the event, it won't happen.
All-Star weekend begins Friday and culminates Sunday at Chase Center in San Francisco -- the home court of Curry and the home area of Ionescu.
"We weren't able to land on a plan we thought would raise the bar off of last year's special moment. We all agreed not to proceed and will instead keep the focus on All-Star Sunday's new format," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said, per The Athletic.
The report said Curry and Ionescu weren't interested in another one-on-one competition and wanted to include Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and potentially Curry's former teammate, Klay Thompson. Clark, however, declined last month, saying in a statement that she wanted her debut in the 3-point contest to come this summer at the WNBA All-Star events on her home court in Indianapolis.
A last-ditch effort by the NBA on Wednesday to lure Curry and Ionescu into a competition didn't materialize, per The Athletic.
The failure to secure the rematch must have come as a shock to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who, when speaking to reporters in Mexico City in November, foreshadowed Part II.
"They know they're going to be doing this again," Silver said, per The Athletic. "They're looking forward to it. I think as soon as they walked off the court after the competition last year, they said, in fact, they said we need more than one round. So we're going to be doing more."
Curry, 36, is a four-time NBA champion and the league's all-time leader in both 3-point attempts and makes, shooting a career 42.4 percent. Ionescu, 27, is a 36.4 percent 3-point shooter through her first five WNBA seasons.
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New Orleans Pelicans guard Brandon Boston Jr. (ankle) will miss a third straight game on Thursday when the Pelicans finish a back-to-back set of games at home against the Kings. Boston averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.4 minutes per game in his 42 games, but he won't have a chance to return to the rotation now until after the All-Star break. CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado will continue to carry the load in the backcourt, while newcomer Bruce Brown will stay involved off the bench after playing 26 minutes in his Pelicans debut on Wednesday.
Pelicans center Kelly Olynyk (not with the team) will not make his debut with the Pelicans on Thursday went the team takes on the Kings for the second day in a row. Olynyk averaged 15.6 minutes per game off the bench in Toronto before being traded to New Orleans as part of the deal that sent Brandon Ingram to the Raptors. Olynyk's role with his new team is still uncertain, but while he's out Thursday along with Zion Williamson (conditioning), there will be plenty of minutes and usage available for Yves Missi, Karlo Matkovic, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Javonte Green.
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (conditioning) will not play Thursday night to finish off a back-to-back set of games against the Kings. Williamson played 28 minutes and racked up 33 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in one of his best games of the year on Wednesday, but the Pelicans still lost their 10th straight game. Despite his recent production, Zion is still not quite ready to play consecutive days. In his place, Karlo Matkovic, Javonte Green, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are lined up for more work on Thursday in a favorable matchup against Sacramento. Matkovic fouled out in just 14 scoreless minutes on Wednesday, but he still makes an interesting streaming or DFS option since he showed intriguing upside over the past few weeks.
Guard Markelle Fultz has signed a contract with the Sacramento Kings for the remainder of the season. The former first-overall pick will add extra playmaking to the team, which recently lost De'Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell in two separate trades. Fultz, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career, has not yet played this season. He averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 21.2 minutes with the Orlando Magic last term. His agent and attorney, Raymond Brothers of I AM Sports & Entertainment, told ESPN that Fultz is healthy and ready to play. If he can regain some of his best form, Fultz could prove to be an excellent pickup for the Kings, though he likely won't have a significant impact in fantasy basketball.
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (lower leg) will not be in the lineup on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. Eason has managed a lower leg injury throughout the campaign, and the team will keep him out of action for the second leg of a back-to-back. On Wednesday, Eason had a big night against the Phoenix Suns, scoring a team-high 25 points while also recording nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals in 34 minutes. Eason started instead of Aaron Holiday, who may move back to the starting unit for Thursday's action. At the same time, Cam Whitmore and Jae'Sean Tate could see a few extra minutes with Eason unavailable.
Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (ankle) will be held out of the team's second game in a back-to-back situation on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. Adams has recently been in and out of the lineup due to an ankle injury. He will be rested against the Warriors after Adams registered five points and six rebounds in 10 minutes Wednesday night in a 119-111 win over the Phoenix Suns. Jock Landale and Jeff Green didn't see the court on Wednesday and will be fully rested to back up Alperen Sengun. However, the two don't have any fantasy value.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (undisclosed) appears good to go for Thursday's action against the Utah Jazz. Dunn didn't finish Wednesday's contest against the Memphis Grizzlies due to an unspecified minor injury. However, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters postgame that Dunn should be fine for Thursday night. Lue inserted Dunn back into the starting lineup on Wednesday, and he put in a tremendous 21-minute shift, finishing a 128-114 victory with 14 points, three rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Dunn started in place of Derrick Jones Jr., who settled for nine points and two rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (rest) will not play in Thursday's matchup against the Utah Jazz. The team does not want to take any risks with its injury-prone star following Leonard's productive 34-minute outing in Wednesday's 128-114 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Leonard had his second-highest scoring game of the season with 25 points and tallied five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Amir Coffey, who recorded 15 points against Memphis, may start in place of Leonard on Thursday, with Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones Jr. also in the mix for additional playing time.
Atlanta Hawks forward/center Larry Nance Jr. (knee) will be re-evaluated in six weeks, the team announced. The veteran hurt his right knee against the Orlando Magic on Monday and was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his right medial femoral condyle. Nance Jr. has worked as a backup big behind Onyeka Okongwu, averaging 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes this month. Okongwu has previously shared the load with Clint Capela. He recently missed time due to back spasms and has not been in the lineup for recent games, even though he is not listed on the injury report. On Wednesday, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder stated that Capela is ramping up, which suggests that the team plans to reintegrate him into the rotation after the All-Star break.
Dallas Mavericks' G Kyrie Irving scored 42 points on 15-of-25 shooting in a 111-107 win over the Warriors on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Nuggets' G Jamal Murray scored 55 points on 20-of-36 shooting in a 132-121 win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Denver Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 26 points, 10 assists and 15 rebounds in a 132-121 win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Houston's G Amen Thompson recorded a triple-double, finishing with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a 119-111 win over the Suns on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Knicks' C Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double, scoring 44 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a 149-148 win over the Hawks on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Philadelphia 76ers' G Quentin Grimes scored 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting in a 96-100 loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Grimes is owned in only 9.8% leagues.
Wizards' G Jordan Poole scored 42 points on 15-of-29 shooting in a 130-134 loss to the Pacers on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (knee) will miss the game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. He was previously considered a game-time decision for the contest, but the team has downgraded Morant's status from questionable to out. With Morant sidelined, Luke Kennard and Scotty Pippen Jr. will assume additional responsibilities. Meanwhile, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are expected to increase their offensive contributions.
Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Vince Williams Jr. (knee) will be inactive against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The team has ruled him out for the contest after initially listing Williams Jr. as questionable. Williams Jr. has only recently returned from a lengthy absence, and it was unlikely that Memphis would have him play both games in a back-to-back situation. GG Jackson II may be more involved in the action on Wednesday with Williams Jr. out. Jackson II struggled on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns but has offered low-tier fantasy value lately, averaging 12.6 points and 3.8 rebounds this month.
Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (calf) has been ruled out for at least four weeks. He suffered a left calf strain in Monday's contest against the Denver Nuggets. This is a bitter blow for Ayton, who has performed well in 2025. Donovan Clingan will take over from Ayton as the starting center in Wednesday's rematch against the Nuggets. The 7-foot-2 rookie has averaged 6.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 22.1 minutes as a starter. Robert Williams III (knee) might also see increased usage during Ayton's absence; however, health issues have restricted him to just eight appearances since the beginning of the year, and Williams III is currently out of the lineup due to right knee soreness.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray (quadriceps) will return to action as a starter on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets. He missed Monday's meeting with Denver due to a left quadriceps contusion, and Murray was initially listed as questionable for Wednesday's rematch. Murray will make his first start of the campaign with Jerami Grant (knee) sidelined. Last season, Murray logged 29 starts and didn't do much with the additional workload, so fantasy managers should tame their expectations for him.
