By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the videos. In this era of technology, Twitter and 24/7 highlights, you probably heard about it not long after Pau Gasol felt it. It gives you an idea of how we value excitement in sports. The Clippers lost last night, Kobe Bryant hit a game-clinching shot and Andrew Bynum was going to work, and yet this morning it’s been all about Blake Griffin un-manning Gasol twice. As we wrote in Smack, he murdered him early, resuscitated him and then killed him again. Twice in one game he smashed all over the Spaniard. Kendrick Perkins and Timofey Mozgov breathed a sigh of relief somewhere.
By the time Blake’s career is over, he’ll have some of the best dunks ever. But in honor of his ruthlessness last night, especially on the second dunk, I wanted to highlight the top five most disrespectful dunks in NBA history. To count, they needed to be posters where the defender actually fell down from the force of impact. It happens more often than you might think. Case in point, check these out:
5. Rick Davis To Steve Nash: “OH S#$%!”
Ricky Davis was always a little crazy. But on this one, he gets a pass to act all Ricky Davis-like because what he did to Steve Nash just wasn’t right. I’ve yet to see a camera angle from this play that was stuck on the future MVP, and that’s a travesty. I wonder what Nash was doing this whole time Davis was spewing obscenities.
4. Wade Puts His Knee In The Wild Man’s Nuts
For someone only listed at 6-4, Dwyane Wade has a library of vicious finishes. But this one is probably the best. I dare you to keep your eyes focused on Anderson Varejao and not laugh. Dude flies back, nearly does a flip on the floor and bangs his head up against the basket station. Plus, the worst part was the foul call. That just extended his moment of vulnerability.
3. Shaq Over Chris Dudley & David Robinson
I had to throw both of these in here. The Robinson one was vicious because the two never got along, and Shaq was famous for ripping him about being soft. So when he finally caught him with the “black tornado,” a terrible nickname by the way, he put in a little extra effort to kick him to the floor.
Then there’s the day Chris Dudley died a little inside. The video explains it all… one of the funniest plays I’ve ever seen. This is PURE disrespect.
2. Scottie Pippen Hammers It On Ewing, Spike & NYC
Everything about this screams classic. The aftermath. The step over. Spitting junk at a pissed off Spike Lee.
1. The Lister Blister
You know, I have to use the word because it’s been played out, but this dunk from Shawn Kemp over Alton Lister is the definition of swag. It was so good, the dunk received it’s own name. You can’t have a top dunk list and not include one of the signature slams in NBA history. I wonder what Lister thinks about it now. Does he enjoy being a part of history when he otherwise would’ve probably been lost in time? Or is he still blushing?
What’s the most disrespectful dunk you’ve ever seen?
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