Tag: Dunks

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown hints he may enter the ’24 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

“Maybe if the people want it, enough people ask for it, we’ll get it,” said Brown.

There are few — if any — better live-game dunkers in the NBA right now than star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown. And though it has been more than a while since a bona fide star took part in the league’s annual slam dunk contest, Brown is evidently at least mulling taking part in the All-Star Week contest in 2024.

Speaking after the Celtics’ 144-119 dismantling of the Sacramento Kings via Boston Dot Com’s Luke Scotchie, Brown was asked if he might consider throwing his hat in the proverbial ring of the ’24 dunk contest. “We’ll see,” he offered. “I haven’t put any thought into it. Maybe if the people want it, enough people ask for it, we’ll get it.”

“As of now, I’m not really thinking about it,” qualified the Georgia native.

Describing his thunderous flushes as “instinct,” Brown shared that his approach to the art form is to “read and react as I see the parts moving” as “the defense” is “making the rotations.”

“You know where to go and when to go and the game tells you what to do.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Dominique Wilkins on losing to Michael Jordan in the 1988 NBA Dunk Contest

It’s hard to beat a dunk from the free-throw line.

Dominique Wilkins, the so-called Human Highlight Reel, had made his name with rim-rattling dunks years before he joined the Boston Celtics in the twilight of his NBA career.

However, a loss to His Airness, Michael Jordan, in the 1988 dunk contest lingers in his mind. In a recent interview with “Vlad TV” podcast DJ Vlad, Wilkins reflected on his iconic dunk contest battle with Jordan. The contest took place in Chicago and was hotly contested.

Wilkins began with two perfect 50-point dunks, but on his third try, he received a 45-point score. Jordan, on the other hand, missed his first attempt at the free-throw line dunk. He was granted another try and hit the second attempt. Even Wilkins acknowledges it was an impressive feat due to the distance involved. Wilkins also revealed he’d attempted similar dunks in high school and college but later became a two-foot jumper in the NBA for better control and balance.

Check out the clip embedded below to hear the tale in full for yourself.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Former Celtic Dominique Wilkins on the NBA’s slam dunk contest

They do not call Dominique Wilkins the “Human Highlight Reel” for nothing, after all.

They do not call Dominique Wilkins the “Human Highlight Reel” for nothing. The Boston Celtics Hall of Fame small forward made a name for himself as one of the most exciting dunkers in the history of the game. After his playing days, Wilkins would often sit on the panel of judges for the league’s annual slam dunk contest.

On a recent episode of the “Vlad TV” podcast, Wilkins opened up about the contest as both a former competitor and judge. He discussed how in the past, top players like himself and Michael Jordan eagerly participated, given it was done for the fans and didn’t affect their legacies.

Wilkins also shared his experience in the 1984 Dunk Contest, where he initially felt awed by competing against his idol, Dr. J.

To hear the story in full for yourself, check out the clip embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Did Blake Griffin make the best alley-oop of the Boston Celtics’ 2022-23 season?

The Boston Celtics were one of the bouncier ball clubs in the NBA during their 2022-23 campaign.

The Boston Celtics were one of the bouncier ball clubs in the NBA during their 2022-23 campaign, with players like Robert Williams III, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and even Blake Griffin throwing down some seriously impressive flushes.

And while we did not get as many alley-oop dunks as we would have liked to have seen with Timelord on this team’s roster (we’re looking at you on that ongoing issue, Malcolm Brogdon), the case can reasonably be made that the best oop thrown down of the 2022-23 season for the Celtics did not even involve the Texas A&M alum in it.

That honor could very well fall to Griffin, but we will let you decide for yourself, the play in question having been executed by the former No. 1 pick in a sequence included in the NBA’s official “Best alley-oop dunks of the 2022-23 season” video.

Check it out in the video embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on taking charges on a dunker and its dangers

The two hosts of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast broke down how they feel about those recent events and the idea of taking charges on dunkers more generally.

When it comes to the politics of taking a charge on a player gathering for a dunk, timing is everything when it comes to intent. Or so says a Hall of Fame Boston Celtics alumnus who has thrown down more than his fair share of flushes on hapless defenders.

That Hall of Famer is of course Kevin Garnett, who recently got into the topic with fellow Boston alum and Hall of Famer Paul Pierce after a rash of accidents in similar situations afflicted players in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. With stars like Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo going down injured, should the league take action to change the game’s rules?

The two hosts of the Showtime Basketball “KG Certified” podcast broke down how they feel about those recent events, and the idea of taking charges on dunkers more generally — check it out in the clip below!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics featured in NBA’s best dunks of the 2022-23 season

Boston has been well-represented in the NBA’s official video of the top 100 dunks of the 2022-23 season.

With two players in the NBA’s upper echelon of stars, wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Boston Celtics have had no shortage of dramatic flushes this season.

With big man Robert Williams III looking more like his usual bouncy stuff and even deep rotation players like reserve forward Sam Hauser and veteran big man Sam Hauser showing they too have some hops to deploy in key situations, the Celtics have been dunking all over the league.

So it ought not to come as a big surprise that Boston is well-represented in the NBA’s official video of the top 100 dunks of the 2022-23 season.

Be warned, intrepid viewer, that the extended highlight reel starts out with a slam dunk ON the Celtics by Joel Embiid in a tilt with the Philadelphia 76ers.

But don’t give up on that forgettable flush — power through and you will see Jayson Tatum laying down the hammer to get the Boston flushes underway.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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The top ten Boston Celtics dunks of the 2022-23 NBA season

There have been a number of flushes that have stood out above the rest of them due to the gravity of the make, the intensity of the slam dunk, or simply due to the zeitgeist of that particular moment.

Over the course of the Boston Celtics 2022-23 NBA regular season, there has been no shortage of dunks from the players on Boston’s roster. Some serious posters have been laid on opposing teams’ star players from October through April.

But a number of flushes have stood out above the rest due to the gravity of the make, the intensity of the slam dunk or simply due to the zeitgeist of that moment. To document them for posterity, beloved Boston fan videographer Tomasz Kordylewski recently put together a compilation of the Celtics’ top ten dunks of the season.

While we all wait for the postseason to begin in earnest, we have this highlight reel to get us in the proper mood courtesy of Kordylewski’s official YouTube channel we have embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

Check it out for yourself while we wait for Game 1 of the 2023 Eastern Conference First Round to arrive on Saturday.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Photos: High-flying dunks from early 2023 high school basketball action

Let the dunks begin!

High school basketball players rising above the rim and throwing down a dunk is always a must-see moment, with the 10-out-of-10 highlights creating some of the best reactions throughout the gym—from the players, coaches, fans, cheerleaders, all of them!

And while witnessing such athletic feats live is unmatched, a photog capturing the hangtime is a solid consolation prize.

With that in mind, here are the top shots of high-flying slams that our staff has found from the high school hardwood action in 2023…

NBA’s top 100 dunks of 2022 highlight video features the Boston Celtics

The fun specifically for fans of the Celtics kicks off in a tilt against fellow Eastern Conference title contenders, the Milwaukee Bucks, with one of the Most Valuable Player candidates making a statement above the rim.

With hyperathletic superstars on their roster like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and rim-rattling big men like Robert Williams III a part of the ball club, the frequency of posterizations at the hands of the Boston Celtics is high compared to many teams around the NBA.

So it probably should not surprise fans of the team to see their favorite ball club well represented in a new highlight reel put together by the Association taking a look back to pay homage to the 100 very best dunks of the 2022 calendar year that was recently released on the NBA’s official YouTube channel.

The fun specifically for fans of the Celtics kicks off in a tilt against fellow Eastern Conference title contenders, the Milwaukee Bucks, with one of the Most Valuable Player candidates making a statement above the rim.

Take a look for yourself at the clip embedded above to see all the best dunks from Boston and the rest of the league that took place in 2022.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Obi Toppin pulled off the Eastbay dunk after blocking a 3-pointer and fans were in awe

Obi Toppin is ready for another appearance in the dunk contest

You know how it goes with Knicks fans, man. They will be absolutely over the moon about nearly anything remotely positive that happens to their team. Remember their reaction after the first win of the season last year against the Celtics? Good times. Goooood times.

Today, though, they actually have something to be extremely pumped about. Obi Toppin just made one of the coolest back-to-back plays we’re probably going to see all year long and the regular season hasn’t even started yet.

Toppin blocked a 3-pointer on one end which is already generally super hard to do. But then, he followed that up by pulling out an East Bay dunk mid-game.

It was truly spectacular.

That’s a dunk contest dunk — in the middle of a game. To pull that out? Man. That’s a lot of skill and confidence.

Knicks fans were here for it. Even regular NBA fans had to appreciate it. It was that good.

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