[NYT] For Some N.B.A. Players, There’s No Such Thing as a Slam Dunk

Maybe not the dunk just by itself, but a dunk coupled with a scoring run. It would absolutely nearly kill the other team. No matter who you are. If you are on the wrong end of a scoring run and you get dunked on, it has to lower your confidence a little bit, if not tremendously.

 

Is it me or has there not been a Walton reference in this thread yet?

"Throw it down, big man!"

Dunk > Layup when you do it in traffic to prevent the ball blocked. However, uncontested dunks are basically the same as a layup.

 

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Those that have been saying that a layup is the same as a dunk need to watch that youtube clip.

 

I can't believe there is an anti-dunking crowd. Their pitiful attempts at grasping basic reasoning is laughable. Dunkers claim the dunk is more effective than a lay-up. Anti-Dunkers somehow come to the conclusion that dunking must win championships to be more effective than a lay-up and that if one dunk in one game doesn't win a championship it is therefore equal to a lay-up.


I hope you guys are trolling or you have serious issues with comprehending basic arguments.

 

I'm going to have to go with the dunk crowd on this one although a guy like Nash can make it seem like dunking is not that important. I can't imagine what shaq would have been, for example, if he had spent his whole career making layups. Some of those times where Ming's shots were pulverized were also not very fun to watch and may have been prevented if he had been able to dunk the ball. My two cents: You don't have to dunk the ball to be dominant, but it sure can help in traffic as some others have suggested here; and for those who lack the skill to make pretty layups, such as shaq, well, thankfully for them, they can just dunk it.

 

Stop acting like dunking wasn't always a part of the modern game and i'm talking 80s and up. Players aren't wearing short shorts anymore. Players are more athletic and can get to the hoop a lot easier.

A dunk is more exciting than a layup. Fact. That's why we have a dunk contest and that's why when someone dunks, it can erupt a crowd or completely silence it.

Dunks are more aggressively scored baskets than a layup or jump shot. That's why players like Yao seem soft..they don't dunk much and they don't dunk with force. That's why players like Howard and Shaq are considered dominant players. When Kobe, Lebron or Wade come pummeling through the lane, you're less likely to challenge them for a block than if Peja Stojakovic went through the paint.

It's all facts.

 

forget about psychological intimidation or higher % shots, the following two advantages to dunking should persuade anyone that a dunk is better.

1. If you dunk the ball you will never be called for a charge, find me a single instance where anyone has been called for a charge on a dunk.

2. If you dunk the ball you will not be called for a travel, even if you take 3, 4, 5 steps... see lebron.

 

Quoted for truth x 324232342

 

For those that think its just showing off or something, sometimes you just have to dunk on a guy. Its only 2 points, but when you challenge or get challenged at the rim, coaches relate it to playing strong. That play by wade on verajo is classic example. If he goes in and tries to lay it up, it probably gets blocked. KJ on dream is also a play that if KJ tries to put it on the glass, its probably a block. When u go to the rim, sometimes you just have to dunk the ball. How many times have we've seen yao go up weal and miss the layup or get it blocked? How many times have we*e seen shaq power through and finish on guys plus the foul. If you've never dunked on someone or dunked in the game, its easy to do say it doesn't mean anything.

 

I'm in the pro-dunk crowd, but those are some silly reasons.

If you've never seen anyone get called for a charge on a dunk, you haven't watched enough basketball. Remember, they generally don't make the nightly highlight shows because the points don't count. So while it does happen, it obviously gets much less exposure than the dunk "and 1" play.

Same principle applies to your second point.

 

Cool it with the name calling.

Really? Varejao did all of that because he got dunked on? Prove it.

Who won that game by the way?

 

This is like saying a block is just as good as a missed shot. Both end up in the same result on the score board.

You're going to try to tell me if you get blocked you won't be just a bit more hesitant to take it to the hole next time? You're going to say that a chase down block (Prince on Miller for example) doesn't destroy your momentum instantly?


in before "if blocks are so good how many championships does mutumbo have?"

 

Another example is landry vs scola. Landry has a much high conversion rate inside and off rebounds than both scola and yao. Why? He goes up strong and tries to dunk it all the time or most of it. Scola has to pump fake, head fake, twirl and whirl before going up.That's also why scola struggles against the longer guys inside.

 

Sure. A well executed jumpshot is just as likely to go in as a layup.... otherwise it wasnt well executed.

Dunks are not just flashy, the are common sense. Layups can be blocked without fouling. Not so easy with dunks.

 

Prove it? Ok
He got dunked on, bad. Within the next couple of minutes he was in wades face, oneils face, and ended up with a tech. Even the commentators were saying "hes just hurt because he just got dunked on." And you keep saying "who won the game" "who won the series" why would one dunk in the middle of the game influence the final outcome? It sure as hell influenced varejao for the rest of the game didnt it? He did absolutely nothing for the rest of the game, finished with 2 points and 4 fouls