NBA 3-Point Contest 2013: Biggest Surprises from Saturday's Competition

One of the highlights of NBA All-Star Weekend, the 2013 Three-Point Contest did not disappoint.

Unlike many of the events, it's hard to mess up a shooting competition. It's not like guys are reinventing the way the ball leaves the hand or anything.

Despite remaining one of the steady constants of the weekend and changing very little over the years, the Three-Point Contest did provide enough surprises to remain compelling.

Where Was Stephen Curry?

Stephen Curry is one of the best three-point shooters in the league. You wouldn't have guessed that by watching his performance in the competition. Curry started out really slowly, and you figured he was already out of it. That turned out to be true.

He finished with a respectable 17 after coming on strong in the last few racks. For as skilled a shooter as he is, though, Curry's performance left a lot to be desired. If he wins 15 NBA titles and just as many MVPs, this disappointment will always hang like an albatross around his neck. Not really, of course.

As many were quipping on Twitter, though, had Curry won the contest, there was the serious concern that he wouldn't be able to lift the trophy, so it might have been for the best that he didn't.

Matt Bonner Makes the Most of a Golden Opportunity

Matt Bonner worked extremely hard to get in the three-point contest, and that's not even considering what he did on the court. Bonner made a brilliant move in turning to Twitter in order to gain enough momentum in social media to leave the league with no choice but to put him in.

Few would have expected Bonner to actually win, but he came very close. He made it to the final, losing 23-20 to Kyrie Irving.

It was great to see somebody like Bonner make the most of the stage. He'll likely never get to perform with this many people watching him, and he made the most of it.

Is There Anything Kyrie Irving Can't Do?

Cleveland Cavaliers fans must just be on top of the world after All-Star Weekend. Irving has been fantastic in the Rising Stars Challenge and Three-Point Contest. While he slowed down a bit in the championship round, he was scintillating at the beginning, eventually finishing with a score of 23.

Everybody knew Irving was one of the best young stars in the league, but nobody would have predicted him to make as big a splash as he has this weekend.

The world is Irving's oyster at this point. It's only a matter of time before he becomes one of the preeminent stars in the league.