By Mason Levinson
Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard won the National Basketball Association's Slam-Dunk Contest while playing the role of a superhero during last night's All- Star Saturday festivities in New Orleans.
Howard, the NBA's rebounding leader this season, defeated defending champion Gerald Green in the two-dunk final round after scoring perfect 50s in his first two dunks of the night at the New Orleans Arena.
Toronto's Jason Kapono defended his title and tied a record in the 3-Point Shootout, while Utah's Deron Williams won the Skills Challenge in a record time. The San Antonio team of Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Becky Hammon claimed the Shooting Stars competition.
Howard, the 6-foot-11 (211-centimeter) All-Star of the Orlando Magic, scored a 50 on his first dunk by bouncing the ball off the back of the backboard, and then catching it in the air and dunking it.
On his next dunk, Howard removed his Magic jersey to reveal a blue tight-fitting shirt with a Superman emblem, and then tied a red cape around his neck.
The 22-year-old began running from center court as Magic teammate Jameer Nelson threw the ball over the backboard from behind the glass. Howard caught the ball with one hand as he sailed through the air and threw it through the hoop, earning a rousing ovation and another perfect score.
Flying Dunks
``We got the Superman costume down here in New Orleans,'' Howard said in a televised interview after being chosen the winner by 70 percent of fans in Internet and text-message voting. ``I came up with the idea to just take off from as far as I can and just try to fly.''
The highlight of Green's performance came on a dunk he labeled ``The Birthday Cake,'' placing a cupcake with a lit candle atop the rim extension, and then dunking while blowing out the candle. The Minnesota small forward earned a 47 for the effort.
The Raptors' Jamario Moon and Grizzlies' Rudy Gay were eliminated during the first round of competition.
Kapono tied the record Craig Hodges set in 1986 in the 3- Point Shootout with a score of 25 points in the final round to beat Cleveland guard Daniel Gibson (17 points) and Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki (14 points). New Orleans' Peja Stoyackovic, Detroit's Richard Hamilton and Phoenix's Steve Nash were eliminated in the first round.
Williams set the all-time record in the Skills Challenge, a timed test of shooting, passing and dribbling, completing the course in 25.5 seconds to top New Orleans guard Chris Paul (31.2). New Jersey's Jason Kidd and Miami's Dwyane Wade, the two-time defending champion in the event, were eliminated in the first round.
The team of Spurs center Duncan, former Spurs center Robinson and Hammon, a guard on the Women's NBA's San Antonio Silver Spurs, won the Shooting Stars competition, in which the teams must make shots from six different locations on the court. San Antonio beat Team Chicago in the final round as Duncan hit a half-court shot to complete their round in 35.8 seconds.
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