Blake Griffin dunked on Kendrick Perkins during the Clippers game Monday night and immediately set the internet on fire. Some have wondered whether it's the best dunk ever. So, let's look at what Blake's up against.
Jan 31, 2012 - Blake Griffin might be overrated as a basketball player, but one thing you can never take away from him is his dunking. It's a force like nothing else in the NBA. Vicious, fearless, and borderline reckless, he attacks people like a lion pouncing on a puppy. It all happens so fast, and the puppy never has a chance.
Monday night the puppy was Kendrick Perkins.
And it was cool. But not THAT amazing. "We're going to be seeing that one for years," Chauncey Billups said afterward. But will we, really? It's definitely not "Best Dunk Ever?" amazing.
Let's explain.
FIRST OF ALL: His hand barely touches the rim. It's more like a really, really athletic lay-up. Like he's throwing the ball into the hoop. You can say this for a lot of Blake's dunks, so it's really something we should just get used to. Still looks awesome, but technically speaking, are we sure these count as dunks?
SECOND: He's not really going "over" Kendrick Perkins so much as he reaches around him. Again, we're still talking about a stupidly impressive display, but far from the vicious annihilation it's been billed as.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: To listen to people talk this morning, you'd think he unleashed one of the greatest dunks of all time. This takes a very cool dunk and sorta makes it sorta impossible to enjoy. Like the movie Inception. It was one of the better action movies of the past few years, and I loved it when I first saw it, but then I heard all these people talking about how AMAZING and MIND-BLOWING it was, and it became impossible to re-watch it without noticing how not-really-that-amazing it is.
So let's run down a handful of dunks from past and present that really were AMAZING and MIND-BLOWING. Partly for perspective's sake, but mostly because there's just never a bad time to run a feature full of NBA history's best dunks. Without further ado...
1. Pippen over Ewing.
The gold standard for total annihilation.
2. Baron Davis on AK-47.
Post-2000, this is the best in-game dunk the NBA's ever seen.
3. Vince Carter on Dikembe Mutombo.
It would be cheating to link to Vince Carter's Olympic dunk over Frederic Weis, since we're dealing exclusively with NBA dunks here. So instead, we present this relic from Vince's rookie year, when a rookie went RIGHT OVER the best shot blocker the NBA's seen since Bill Russell.
More than a decade later, still nasty.
4. Dwyane Wade over Anderson Varejao.
A lot of folks have been joking this morning that Kendrick Perkins was "murdered" by Blake Griffin Monday night. To be clear: Perk was still standing even after the dunk and seemed completely fine.
This is what basketball murder looks like.
5. LeBron's Leapfrog Alley-Oop.
"What if you combined Vince Carter's Olympic dunk with an alley-oop?" If this was in a Dunk Contest, it would win the dunk contest. That's just about the best compliment you can ever give to an in-game dunk.
Annnnd ... Yeah, that LeBron dunk was worlds better than Blake's dunk. And that was from SUNDAY. Why wasn't the internet imploding on itself Monday morning?
What makes Blake Griffin amazing isn't any one dunk, but the way he never, ever stops attacking. Watching him try to annihilate shot blockers for 40 minutes-a-game is one of the coolest spectacles in the NBA. But as far as his individual dunks--not to sound all hipsterish about this, but Blake Griffin dunks were cooler before everyone went all "CRAZY OMG VIRAL SENSATION MUST WATCH VIDEO THE WORLD IS ON FIRE WOW WOW WOW APOCALYPSE BLAKE BLAKE BLAKE" anytime he does something memorable.
Watching him throw his body around the court and toward the rim will never get old, but Blake Griffin's sorta becoming the guy that people who don't like the NBA can pretend to be obsessed with. That's totally cool, and so are all his dunks. But they're nowhere near the coolest. Right?
41 comments
Comments
"Why wasn't the internet imploding on itself Monday morning?"
‘Cause it wasn’t as good.
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by She Blinded Me With Violence on Jan 31, 2012 10:22 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Pretty much...
It lacked the oomph of a real posterization. Don’t get me wrong actually leap frogging over a player no matter how short is kinda incredible, but Lucas was kinda defenseless and unaware.
But there’s no way either one of those plays are an offensive foul, right? I’ve been reading every where (from people in the comments section obviously) that both of these dunks were offensive fouls. Lebron’s in my mind was completely clean—how exactly do you foul someone if you literally jump over them? But I see the offhand-ish on the Blake dunk and I also see Perk pretty blatantly fouling him, so…anyone care to enlighten me whether or not that should’ve been an offensive foul?
by muckduck on Jan 31, 2012 10:56 AM EST up reply actions
Breen
Breen, calling the game, didn’t even notice that James jumped over Lucas. Here’s a rule of thumb Andrew: if you have to explain to everyone why one dunk was better than another dunk, it wasn’t.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
by Steve Perrin on Jan 31, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
the fact that Lucas is 5'9 and wasn't looking also plays a part
by Basketball Smurf on Jan 31, 2012 1:18 PM EST up reply actions
No love for Shawn Kemp?
"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot."
- Bill Russell
by Marjun Raposon on Jan 31, 2012 10:55 AM EST reply actions
my thoughts exactly
LETS GO HEAT!!!!!!!
Joel Anthony is the man
do YOU believe in TEBOW
by sparker2513 on Feb 1, 2012 6:58 PM EST up reply actions
2 hand dunks beat 1 hand dunks
every time.
Also dunks wherein the dunker just goes right on through the defender are better. That’s the main problem I see with Blake’s dunk, it was an avoidance dunk.
by tyrantking on Jan 31, 2012 11:32 AM EST reply actions
I dunno
Pippen, obliterated Ewing. With 1 hand. That was crazy
flayed ones stealth mode
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by mob16151 on Jan 31, 2012 11:33 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
And...
Lebron’s dunk wasn’t that impressive. The jump was, but the dunk was average at best. Where’s the Starks dunk? Or Jordan on Ewing?
"Whenever one finds himself in the majority, it is time to step back and reflect," Mark Twain.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Jan 31, 2012 11:35 AM EST reply actions
Im partial to Amar'e on Tolliver
Ryan Miller was the true MVP. See my profile for rant.
by Jsz on Jan 31, 2012 12:52 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
Yeah, STAT' dunking on Tolliver is much better than LeBron's dunk over Lucas.
Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.
Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.
by NashMV3 on Feb 1, 2012 1:55 AM EST up reply actions
The Griffin dunk was a really athletic layup
Stromile Swift’s dunk on Tyrus Thomas is one of the nastiest dunks in NBA history.
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by Julius Coxswain on Jan 31, 2012 1:10 PM EST reply actions
WORD!
"Bobby Jackson sends a dagger DEEP into the heart of Texas!" Kevin Harlan
by Loyalty2Royalty on Jan 31, 2012 6:35 PM EST up reply actions
Where's MJ on Mutombo??
that dunk > The ghost of VC’s knees IMHO.
finger wag puts it over the top.
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by SouthBayBuckeye on Jan 31, 2012 1:13 PM EST reply actions
There is no way the Lebron dunk is better than the Perkinization
for one Lebron dunked over a 5’ 9 nobody(well he would be a nobody if his father wasn’t a decent player) and Lucas put up 0 defense at all. Compare that to Griffin’s dunk where Perkins (a highly respected defensive player) is actively fouling Blake and trying to at all costs prevent any scoring much less a dunk. And unlike the Mozgov dunk which was fantastic in its own right, you can’t argue that this isn’t a dunk as Blakes hand hits the rim at the end. Now you can argue that the Wade Dunk is better but the difference there is Wade is flying with momentum as the dunk came on the fast break (also hurt by the fact that Varajao flops as to not put up any resistance), now look again at Blakes. All his momentum came from a couple steps and not only that he was getting pushed back. It is okay to be a contrarian but you have to have some sort of evidence to use to back up your non main stream belief.
"It's better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right"unknown
by bestclipfan on Jan 31, 2012 1:24 PM EST reply actions
Andrew Sharp you are out of your effin’ mind to leave off Vince Carter’s dunk on Alonzo Mourning
Dwight’s dunk on Jrue Holiday was also pretty amazing as well
by ap3604 on Jan 31, 2012 1:40 PM EST reply actions
I was JUST about to post the Carter over Mourning dunk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcU66xdeGck
In my humble opinion, this is better than Griffin’s dunk.
I think it's fine.
by NetsMets4Life on Jan 31, 2012 1:41 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks for the link NetMets4Life
I agree, the way Mourning goes flying into the crowd from Vince Carter smashing into him is amazing =)
Here’s a link to the Dwight dunk as well over Holiday which is pretty sick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0R32a5IHEA
by ap3604 on Jan 31, 2012 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
Dwight over a PG?
How is that amazing?
"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!
by caseycheesecake on Jan 31, 2012 2:23 PM EST up reply actions
Go watch it then get back to me…
by ap3604 on Jan 31, 2012 2:31 PM EST up reply actions
the kobe bryant dunk on dwight was a plain baptization too...
by thewiz06 on Feb 1, 2012 12:33 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
As far as Taj Gibson Playoff dunks...
I much prefer this one from the 4th quarter of the same game.
http://youtu.be/tOOeMg7eqYM
by Doshi on Jan 31, 2012 1:56 PM EST reply actions
No way Lebron's Dunk is better than Blake's
Comeon are you serious, Lebron dunked over a crouching 5’11 John Lucas, who even almost got dunked over by John Wall a few games back, A POINT GUARD. This is ridiculous to say that Lebron’s dunk was better absolutely no way, ask Lebron to do what Blake did, he’d be like no thank you. Which is probably why Lebron admitted on twitter that his dunk is no longer the best of the year. Ask Blake if he can do what Lebron did, he’d say in a heartbeat, yes… and we all know he can. Don’t discredit the dunk please.
by Young Wook Lee on Jan 31, 2012 3:50 PM EST reply actions
Are you serious? Where is Kevin Johnson over Hakeem?
’
http://youtu.be/oVcSndz52DE
by The BBQ Chicken Madness on Jan 31, 2012 3:52 PM EST reply actions
Boy, do I miss those Suns unis.
Personal attacks are the weapon of the ignorant.
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by MichaelProcton on Jan 31, 2012 10:18 PM EST up reply actions
ABSOLUTELY
this is the most amazing dunk in NBA history.
1. 6’1 KJ over 6’10 Hakeem, one of the best defensive players ever, certainly the best in the NBA at that time.
2. Meets the bigger man at the basket, goes up and through him, knocks him into next week.
3. Occurred at the end of a close, important playoff game.
4. Again: 6’1" over 6’10". Big bonus for that size mismatch. KJ had hops but Hakeem could get up too.
by smk73 on Feb 3, 2012 11:42 AM EST up reply actions
Other than the Pippen dunk, none of the others have Griffin's violence
it’s not about the fact that he does or doesn’t drive all the way to the rim, it’s about the Michael Bay-splosion factor. Pippen had it. Blake’s got it.
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by Chekhov's Spread Gun Option on Jan 31, 2012 4:00 PM EST reply actions
Nailed it. Nice column.
Go LeBron!
by DCyanks21 on Jan 31, 2012 5:06 PM EST reply actions
missed it, go learn more about dunks
fuck lebron
"Bobby Jackson sends a dagger DEEP into the heart of Texas!" Kevin Harlan
by Loyalty2Royalty on Jan 31, 2012 6:37 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Corey Brewer disagrees with everything
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by Stop-n-Pop on Jan 31, 2012 5:30 PM EST reply actions
everyone is going to have a different perspective on the ‘quality’ of dunks (and I agree with the premise that the dunk is overrated)
but thats not a dunk but a real athletic lay up? what? huh? you do know why they say a guy threw it down right?’
real athletic lay up lol give me a break
by Not so Friendly Stranger on Jan 31, 2012 8:12 PM EST reply actions
Here's an underrated dunk
JR Smith’s 360 alley-oop from Billups.
http://youtu.be/-Ozzt0lmKG8
This dunk isn’t posterization, but it’s an in-game acrobatic dunk that doesn’t get much credit, seeing as how rarely does anybody do a 360, let alone an alley-oop 360 in a game.
by Nobody is Better Than Jordan on Jan 31, 2012 8:25 PM EST reply actions
as a PTB fan, I am partial to Brandon Roy over Cheik Samb
not that it should be on the list, but….RIP BRoy’s knees:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXmbw39kLJI
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by austinpwnz on Jan 31, 2012 9:06 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
And so begins to LeBron lovers already trying to establish his dunk as better than Blake's
LeBron himself said that Blake’s dunk was better than his own. Why can’t you guys just accept that?
[disclaimer: this poster has no idea what the hell he's talking about.]
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by fanoftheunderdogs on Jan 31, 2012 9:59 PM EST reply actions
tmac over bradley
by ArianNation713 on Feb 1, 2012 1:21 AM EST reply actions
tmac over bradley
by ArianNation713 on Feb 1, 2012 1:22 AM EST reply actions
Sorry, but this is basically a more violent version of his "dunk" from last season.
Vince Carter’s dunk over Weis from the Olympics put these Blake Griffin “dunks” to shame. Blake… this is how you do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMrPjl-927Q
But if we’re talking strictly NBA, I can think of a few recent ones that deserved to be on here.
Kobe over Howard. Yes, Dwight Howard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeLRym4Q-pg
Amare over Tolliver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqc1MNA3GZ0
Kobe over Yao.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJp3IGRrHEU
And I’ll finish it off with Vince over Alonzo Mourning.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcU66xdeGck
Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.
Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.
by NashMV3 on Feb 1, 2012 2:10 AM EST reply actions
I'm partial to the BRoy over Cheik Sambh but....
D-Rose over Dragic is a honerable mention
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3cUl4iO5d0
BRoy #7
by hohowan on Feb 1, 2012 2:20 AM EST reply actions
Go Griffin
Griffin was just awesome !!
Flats in Chennai
by Flats-in-chennai on Feb 1, 2012 3:37 AM EST reply actions
Most slept-on in game dunk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-iIHKXR6jM
by Wilpatyo on Feb 1, 2012 5:15 AM EST reply actions
Blake vs LBJ
Coming from someone who obviously has never even come close to realizing a stratospheric dunk of any kind, you speak with an authority you don’t possess! Well let me give you a couple of pointers, so sit back in your armchair and relax and read and learn. 1. An athlete who gets a running start and encounters no physical opposition to make him deviate his path or his intentions can easily jump over a guard by spreading his legs or just turning his body slightly in one direction or another, so LBJ’s coordination gets a high five but not a statue! 2.Blake Griffin took off on what we call a two step hop and went airborne, he did encounter physical resistance as the defender clearly fouled him intentionally to keep himself off the following days front page headlines. Griffin had to resist the frontal contact and as all could see, he continued to rise putting his head above the 10 foot 5 objective he strove to desecrate. Next he had to swivel his body to the left and reach with full arm extension around the body of the victim and locate the hoop. Since he was obstructed he couldn’t reach the hoop with his torso so he had to give a new meaning to the phrase "Throwdown*! One of such diminutive stature as yourself( I’m presuming) can not imagine how difficult it is to throw a basketball through a hoop while being in suspended animation and physically accosted, from, hold on, two feet away, and that is not presumption. How dare you compare the two!!!!! How much unmitigated ignorance to call Lebron’s dunk equal, no Superior!!!! It’s ok l’il guy, I ‘ll give you a pass on this one but I urge you to go play a video game so you can actually feel like you’ve dunked on somebody and know what it’s really like!
by dulaineharris on Feb 3, 2012 6:13 PM EST reply actions
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