While some may argue now that the three-point contest is the marquee event of NBA All-Star Saturday Night because of the star power it attracts, there’s undeniably something magnetic about the slam dunk competition.
Though the names may not be as big as it used to be, the NBA’s dunk competition is still a spectacle and very much worth your time. Here’s a quick primer on this year’s competition.
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What: Verizon Slam Dunk
Where & When: Feb. 13, Air Canada Centre
Participants: Zach LaVine (Minnesota Timberwolves), Aaron Gordon (Orlando Magic), Will Barton (Denver Nuggets), Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)
Thing to Watch No. 1: What else does LaVine have up his sleeve? Last year LaVine electrified Brooklyn with a Space Jam-themed, between-the-legs spectacular to remember, but does he really have that much more in his bag?
Simply put, yes he does:
Thing to Watch No. 2: Is Drummond too big to be impressive? The dunk contest has never treated big men kindly, and as a seven-footer the Pistons centre will likely be in for a rough time getting the same “oohs and ahhs” that the other competitors will because, quite frankly, big dudes just don’t look as impressive in the air as a shorter guy.
Here’s hoping Drummond will surprise us with some showmanship and genuine creativity, but his resume suggests he’s a straight power dunker, and history suggests no matter how hard you throw the ball down, it just isn’t enough to impress usually.
Thing to Watch No. 3: Will this be Gordon’s coming out party? Taken fourth overall in the 2014 draft, Gordon’s rookie season was mostly robbed due to a foot injury and ever since he’s only been on the radar of Magic fans and hardcore NBA fans.
That can all change Saturday night when he introduces himself to the world as not only one of the up and coming stars on an Orlando team loaded with young talent, but also as one of the league’s most outrageously gifted athletes and dunkers.
Thing to Watch No. 4: Barton’s a dark horse to win it all Many watching Saturday night probably don’t know much about Barton, but by the end of the night they’ll know this young man can fly with the best of them.
Barton is probably the best bet to usurp LaVine’s throwdown throne for two reasons: One, as the other guard in the competition the hang time he puts up will automatically look better than that of Drummond or Gordon – no matter how high those guys can jump. Secondly, Barton’s got serious tricks up his sleeve and can do just as much as LaVine can from a technical standpoint.
Therefore, if it does come down between Barton and LaVine, the winner will probably be determined on the players’ individual swagger and small, nuanced creative touches they while in the air.
Prediction: While it’s easy to make a pretty good argument for a guy like Barton or Gordon (sorry Drummond), when it comes down to it, LaVine ultimately has the edge because of how effortless he makes everything seem. The Timberwolves guard has a unique way of making it seems almost as if he’s just gliding through the air before coming down with thunderous force.
That combined with the natural buzz he’ll produce in the building as the defending champ means he’s going to repeat.
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