NBA and WNBA stars to compete in televised H-O-R-S-E games on home courts

It’s not quite basketball, but there will be professional basketball players. They will be shooting. And, in a way, they’ll be keeping score — so it’s at least something.

A group of current and former NBA and WNBA players will participate in virtual H-O-R-S-E games from their isolated home courts. The opening round will air on ESPN beginning Sunday at 4 p.m.

In one bracket will be former Clippers guard Chris Paul, ex-UCLA star Zach LaVine, Inglewood High product Paul Pierce and Chicago Sky WNBA All-Star Allie Quigley. Paul will face Quigley and Pierce will take on LaVine.

In a second bracket will be Clippers color analyst Chauncey Billups, Utah’s Mike Conley, Atlanta’s Trae Young and recent WNBA Hall of Fame inductee Tamika Catchings. Billups will play Young, and Catchings will face Conley.

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April 8, 2020

The semifinal rounds will be held next Thursday. Then the H-O-R-S-E champion will be crowned that night when the winners from each group will compete.

If you’ve never played H-O-R-S-E, this is how it’ll work: The players will take turns trying to match made shots (dunking is outlawed). If a player is unable to make the same shot as the player who went before them, they’ll earn a letter. Once a player spells “H-O-R-S-E,” they’ll be eliminated.