Nothing freezes time like the high-octane feat of athletic fury that is a great dunk. In normal times they hype up home crowds, but inside the bubble, where no fans are present, the best are steroidal dopamine bumps that count for more than just two points. Since the playoffs began, there have been nearly 700 dunks. Earlier this week I watched every one and then whittled the list down to 10 personal favorites. Each is filled with a different combination of joy, humiliation, and violence.
10. Kawhi Goes Southpaw, Again
Before the bubble began I made a bunch of predictions about what might happen. One of the sillier ones was that Kawhi Leonard would dunk with his left hand. Why? Because he habitually does it for no logical reason. Watch this one: The man has a clear step on Maxi Kleber and could easily just dunk with his right hand, but instead, right before Leonard vaults off two feet to pulverize the iron, he shuffles the ball across his body from one hand to the other. Again, why? Did he really think Kleber could’ve blocked it if he rose up with his right? It’s one of life’s great mysteries and one of my favorite things about watching Kawhi play.
9. Remember: Derrick Jones Jr. Is the 2020 Slam Dunk champion
Derrick Jones Jr. might be the most unassuming great in-game dunker in NBA history. When not fluttering like a helicopter, Jones Jr. just kind of lilts around the court. His most frequent posture is stationary, a corner-bound shooter patiently waiting for his chance to hit a spot-up three. But every so often he straps on a propeller and transforms into “Airplane Mode”. This putback looks a little mundane compared to some of the other dunks on this list, but please keep in mind that the man leapt over the back of a center who had inside position. (During the next time out, Myles Turner should’ve requested an immediate ride to the airport.)
8. Damian Lillard Has a Hammer
There’s something satisfying about seeing a dunk this clean executed by the smallest player on the floor over its tallest. It’s equal parts cruel and angelic. Salute Damian Lillard, who was the best player in the bubble before his Portland Trail Blazers physically disintegrated.