The dunk that won Yao vs. Shaq I doubly sweet because it was on an assist from our premier player, Steve Francis
the put-back dunk in the first rockets vs. lakers game was nice too, and i also like the dunk over shawn bradly in the first maves' game.
The most memorable and exciting one was on Theo. Yao had some attitude on that one, which happened right after a putback dunk from Theo himself. BUT, the style doesn't get as many points as the one on Big Ben. Ben had it shoved down with one hand, if I'm not mistaken, and Theo had it dropped down with 2. Ben's better fit the definition of "slam"
The best Yao dunk hasn't come yet, but it will come tommorow, where he return the favor back to Kobe and Shaq, with the powerful one hand dunk in the face of Kobe and Shaq.
My personal favorite was the one on Theo Ratliff but another one sticks out in my mind that nobody has mentioned. I may risk going a little over-philosophical on this one...but how about the one he threw down in the Laker game in L.A. after Kobe dunked on him? I know the Kobe dunk has been and will be replayed OVER and OVER again but he came down the very next trip and dunked on Robert Horry, and Horry had to get out of the way. I thought it was sort of a statement, his way of saying that he's not just gonna back down because he got posterized. I don't know if anybody remembers it but I do, I remember admiring his resiliency to not let Kobe's dunk affect him.
i like the dunk he had against phoenix the last time the play at compaq..Yao have the ball..phoenix came with the double team and Yao is stuck on the baseline..hmmm..how does a ROOKIE react to a double team? he ran around the defenderS along the baseline and DUNK !!! ha ha ha
Hi, This question has been in my mind for a long time and i will ask here. Due to the cultural differences, I dont really understand the implication of a dunk. Personally i prefer a beautiful contested jumper. I know that a dunk can assure your 2 points, but I always feel disgusted with kobe's fast break uncontested dunk. I feel it's nothing more than show off himself and actually I can see much more beautiful movements by any gymnasts. Also I think it's a big deal for you guys when someone dunk on yao or vice versa. But what's the difference if u beat the guy with a jumper? So does a dunk mean more than mere 2 points? What's the implication? Can someone enlighten me? Thanks in advance.
dragon: 2 reasons: number1 : when you dunk on someone..that person is being embarass on national tv...or vice verca..if someone dunk on you(especially when you're taller than the person that is dunking on you)..you are being REALLY embarass on national tv..it will make headlines all across america for weeks to come..example..the kobe dunk on Yao...the media is still showing it...it's all about HYPE number2: what's wrong with beathing with a jumper? well..with a dunk..you have a 98% of having 2 points...if you watch the clippers and rockets game..you should of seen the part where Cato missed the dunk..with a jumper...let's take Yao for an example..he have a 56% field goal percentage..i think...so if he shoot a jumper he will only have a 56% chance of having the 2 points.. 56% or 98% ...take you pick
hi aaaccchhhooo, Thanks for your reply. number 1. My question is, I feel EMBARASSED when someone dunk on me, then should I also feel EMBARRASSED when someone beat me by a beatiful jumper? That's why i am confused if there is any implication other than mere 2 points. number 2. Have to agree with you on this one.
I'm going to take a little different stance here than aaaccchhhooo... You see, Dragon, since Dr. J (Julius Erving) came into the league, the dunk has become somewhat of an art form. He helped to do that. It makes a statement. It counts the same as a jumper on the scoreboard, but it seems to channel aggression and authority to the opponent, and when that happens, there can be a momentum shift. It used to be a rare thing, but the bigger the media has become, with highlight reels and all, players figured "hey, this is a great way for me to get noticed" as well as it being an easier way, to get 2 points. (Of course with a jump shot you don't take as much of a beating as you do on the way to a dunk, but most of the time you don't have to worry about rimming out a dunk unless your Kelvin Cato) The introduction of SportsCenter and highlight shows similar to it really made it big. The Dunk, in combination with the three-point line has really diluted the game from what it used to be. It's not necessarily a bad product but the mid-range game is for the most part non-existent in today's American game. Personally I share the same sentiment with you, that I love seeing contested jump shots hit as much as a power slam, and I've been born and raised in the United States. Either way it's a huge part of today's game and now it has to do a lot with pure athleticism. We see guys do today things that we never could have dreamed of seeing them do 20 years ago. But aaaccchhhooo is also correct it's very much a hype thing, and if you get dunked on by someone smaller, you're ashamed and ridiculed. Hope that helps clear things up.
I think you should only feel embarrassed if someone hits a jumper on you and you weren't defending as well as you should have. For instance, if Mobley and Posey double team Kobe Bryant with their hands in his face and he shoots a fade-away 18 footer and hits it, they have nothing to be ashamed of, they played good defense and he hit a great shot, you have to credit him with that (and he's very capable of this as we've all seen). The only thing more you can do to stop it in that situation is foul him.
hi Big Haas 66, Thanks for your reply. "but it seems to channel aggression and authority to the opponent, and when that happens, there can be a momentum shift." I think I can understand your point. But would it be more of a psychological factor? I mean why can't the momentum be changed with a contested beautiful jump shot? Doesn't it show more of basketball skills than a powerful dunk? Is it possible that in nba, dunk=agression and authority. But it is not necessarily true in my opinion. Sometimes I think Earl Boykins shows a lot of agression and authority. "The introduction of SportsCenter and highlight shows similar to it really made it big." I think they just show anything that audiences like. Personally, I dont have any fun to see uncontested break away dunks. But maybe other viewers have different opinions. Anyway thanks again for your explanation. I really appreciate it.
I think the dunk - creates a focal point for teams trying to change/increase momentum as well as getting audiences on the feet. No different than seeing a Home Run versus a normal run. They create the same rational value, but it creates an emotional surcharge for players and fans. The more fans get excited, they feed the players' momentum more. Of course as someone else pointed out....dunk also has a much higher percentage FG, than a jumper. It is more difficult to block a dunk - you may notice that a block on a dunk similarly has a higher 'emotional' statement than a block on a J.
Maybe aggression/authority were the wrong choice of words... But in general, in the basketball culture we live in now in the States, 9 times out of 10 a power dunk will excite fans more than a 18 foot jumper (depending on the situation of course) and that's where the momentum shift comes in Why is that? I'm not completely sure, that just seems to be what the fans enjoy, and as you mentioned, why SportsCenter shows more dunks than anything else--to please the viewing audience Obviously fans from different cultures view the game different ways, which is actually great to see. The more global the game gets the better
The dunk with authority over Shawn Bradley!!! A lot of air went through the net. I felt the air turbulence 10 feet away from my big TV.
Appreciate the link... been awhile since I saw Yao talk Chinese, English, and Smack at the same time ... getting a tech ...
