Welcome to the NBA Hangover. We jot down NBA stuff mostly from last night that we want to talk about. Check it out.
Aaron Gordon is getting a third chance to claim an NBA slam dunk title.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images.)
I always look forward to the slam dunk contest. To me (to a lot of us, really), it’s like hitting up a party and we’re going to take our chances to see if it’s going to be good or not. And for the most part (in my experience with parties, at least), they don’t end up being good.
Still, there is SOME potential here. We already know three of the four participants of this dunk contest can put on a show. The fourth dunker is more or less an unknown but plenty of people have raved about his athleticism. So let’s take a look-see on what they can do. I’m also going to put some videos, too, so you can judge for yourself on what they can do.
First off, the 2008 Dunk Contest champion Dwight Howard. Sure, he’s 34 but he is healed and somehow still retains those hops. Here’s what he did back then.
(VIDEO CREDIT: Someone claiming to be Ball Is Life.)
Obviously, with his strength, he has a lot of debilitating power in his dunks. He has a variety of windmills as well as takeoff leaps (that two-handed freethrow dunk looked EASY). Dwight’s also pretty goofy as you know so he can play to the crowd as well. If he’s 90 percent of his late 2000s self, he has a chance to get a second title.
Now let’s take a look at Derrick Jones, Jr.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA G League.)
I believe he missed one of his dunks in the finals. But his youth, lankiness, hops, and the way he contorts his body for the between-the-legs dunks make him scary. I don’t think he’s showed everything just yet but you can see he seems capable of a lot of things.
Now let’s go to 2016 runner-up Aaron Gordon:
(VIDEO CREDIT: MJO Mixes.)
The under-the-legs dunk over the mascot might be the best dunk in NBA dunk contest history. And he got creative with other dunks such as that 360 dunk where he took the ball off a spinning Stuff and that dunk where he puts it behind his head before bringing it down for a double clutch jam (that dunk doesn’t get enough credit). This contest is going to be so tough, man.
Finally, Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks is in the contest. He had a 44″ vertical in the draft combine years ago. What does he have? Unfortunately, we don’t have much.
(VIDEO CREDIT: BALLAs TV.)
Near the end of the video, he brings it down with a 360 windmill. Very impressive but not sure that alone can win a dunk contest. He MIGHT have something. When he dunks in games, he doesn’t really show off although he can catch a body once in a while. Connaughton is the wild card of this contest.
Honestly, I won’t be mad if you pick any of these four to win. But I’m going to have to go with Aaron Gordon. He’s so innovative and I’m thinking he’s going to think of more ways to dunk a basketball.
Bullet Passes
Yes. I’m very aware that the U.S. vs the World Rising Stars game occurred. It’s another glorified exhibition as it becomes a shooting and dunk contest in a lot of parts of the game.
However, they gave us one of my favorite GIFs in the last few months. First, check this vid. Luka Doncic was told by Trae Young to pull from halfcourt and…
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
Here’s the reaction GIF:
Me: “Luka don’t pass it, pull it from half..”
Luka: “Ok, Watch this”
Us both after:@luka7doncic 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Z1Wu667E0R
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) February 15, 2020
I LOVE it so much. It is so pure. They’re linked forever because they were traded for one another in the 2018 NBA Draft. But even though Trae admits to being bothered by the comparisons because of how they’re linked and the “rivalry”, they also have a budding friendship off the court. It’s so awesome.
Good grief. What are these kids eating these days? Yeah, most of them were misses but these misses by Zion Williamson are electrifying.
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
Besides the dunk contest, we have the skills challenge and the 3-point shootout on All-Star Saturday. The skills challenge involves a race between two players and it involves a lay-up, a passing station, dribbling around obstacles, and a 3-point shot. Let’s look at the skills challenge contestants first:
Jayson Tatum (BOS) (defending champ!)
Khris Middleton (MIL)
Domantas Sabonis (IND)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
Patrick Beverley (LAC)
Spencer Dinwiddie (BRK)
Pascal Siakam (TOR)
Bam Adebayo (MIA)
This gets a little more random in this tournament. So I’m going to pick Pascal Siakam for the win.
The 3-point shootout participants are:
Joe Harris (BRK) (defending champ!)
Davis Bertans (WAS)
Zach LaVine (CHI)
Buddy Hield (SAC)
Duncan Robinson (MIA)
Trae Young (ATL)
Devin Booker (PHX)
Devonte’ Graham (CHA)
I am picking Devin Booker to win. But Harris was really tough last year.
The Scoreboard
WORLD 131 vs USA 151
MVP: Miles Bridges.
Watch This Play
That between-the-legs lob by Ja Morant to Zion…
(VIDEO CREDIT: ClutchPoints.)
Again, what are these kids eating these days?
GG.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.
I sign off “GG” which means “good game” but also to honor Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.