NBA

Building the perfect field for the NBA players H-O-R-S-E competition

and others

• 4 min read

With the NBA season suspended due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the NBA is finding new ways to see players compete, with plans to host a H-O-R-S-E tournament.

The competition would see players compete from their respective locations/home gyms in accordance with the league's isolation protocols.

H-OR-S-E hasn't been seen in the NBA since it's brief All-Star Weekend appearance in 2009 and 2010, with Kevin Durant taking out the trophy on both occasions.

Prior to that, in 1977-78, the NBA held H-O-R-S-E competitions through the season, with Paul Westphal winning from a field of 32 players.

Fast forward to 2020 and H-OR-S-E is back, so with fans eager to see their favourite players compete, we've put together a list for the perfect field for the tournament.

According to the New York Post's Andrew Marchand, players who could potentially line up for the tournament include Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul, Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.

Check out our field of eight must-have players:

Kevin Durant

The champ is the champ till proven otherwise, and right now Kevin Durant is the only NBA player that can lay claim to a H-O-R-S-E championship.

Between Durant's size and ability to bury tough jumpers, he would be a front-runner for the event.

Kyrie Irving

Every game it seems like Kyrie Irving hits a shot that belongs in a game of H-O-R-S-E.

Between his ridiculous layup package, finishing off the glass, his use of angles and as we all know, nailing clutch shots, Uncle Drew would be must-see TV in a game of H-O-R-S-E.

Trae Young

One word: Range

LeBron James

LeBron James is is no stranger to hitting tough shots, whether it's one-legged fadeaways off the glass to win playoff games

Plus, this gives us a chance to see him pull off this move from Team USA practice in 2012.

Luka Doncic

In a similar vein to Irving, Doncic has made a habit of making the impossible look easy, consistently finding new ways to score the ball.

I mean, he did this in his first NBA game:

Nikola Jokic

How many players can say they hit a H-O-R-S-E shot as a game-winner in the NBA?

This game-winner against the Utah Jazz this season is straight out of Jokic's H-O-R-S-E repertoire, with the Serbian big man telling reporters that his dagger over Gobert is the same one he used to use in games of H-O-R-S-E with former teammate Juancho Hernangomez and Nuggets staff to give them letters.

Nikola Jokic hits the stepback jumper to put the @nuggets ahead for good! pic.twitter.com/fMgJjz7ya1
— NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) February 6, 2020

Steph Curry

Curry's pre-game warm-up has a legend of it's own, with the Warriors sharp-shooter drilling shots from the tunnel for fun.

Alongside Trae Young, these two long-range assassins could put the whole competition out of action.

James Harden

The Rockets star is one of the best tough shot-makers in the league, with the bulk of his damage coming on step-back threes. Could anyone hang with him in a step-back competition? Likely not.

Harden isn't shy about trying out new moves in games either, from his behind-the-back step-back to his one-legged step-back, this could be the perfect time to go deep into his bag.