'HORSE' basketball competition to help fill void for hungry sports fans

[April 10, 2020]    NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sports-hungry fans missing live events which are on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic will get a reprieve this weekend when Oklahoma City Thunder's 10-time All-Star Chris Paul leads a cast of current and retired players in the first NBA HORSE challenge.

Hawks guard Trae Young (11) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

The single-elimination shooting competition, which also features Atlanta Hawks 2020 NBA All-Star point guard Trae Young, and former players including NBA finals MVPs Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce as well as Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, will take place on Sunday starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Competitors will take shots on their isolated home courts, away from the crowds they usually entertain on court.

In the one-on-one HORSE competition format, one player describes the shot they are about to take and if they make it their rival must recreate the shot.

If the second player misses, they accumulate a letter in "H-O-R-S-E" and the first player to get all five loses.

Set to air on ESPN, sponsor State Farm will donate more than $200,000 for coronavirus relief efforts.

The number of confirmed infections of novel coronavirus were reported to have exceeded 1.47 million globally and the death toll has crossed 87,700, according to a Reuters tally. [nL8N2AB5TN]

(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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