Blake Griffin is the greatest in-game dunker in NBA history

[zizozain]

By Kelly Dwyer


''In the middle of this game (Los Angeles Clippers 113, Minnesota 90), Timberwolves analyst Jim Petersen didn't think twice before including Blake Griffin in a group of the greatest all-time in-game dunkers. Soon after, without even the benefit of yet another Griffin throw-down, he didn't think twice before calling Blake the greatest in-game dunker in NBA history.

And while that may seem like a bit much, just seven weeks into his NBA career ... who else? Seriously. Who else do you have?

I watched endless hours of Dominique Wilkins on TBS growing up. Clearly I know my way around Michael Jordan's pamphlets, and even his catalogue. I was around for skinny Shawn Kemp. Julius Erving's ABA career was a bit of a miss, but we get the idea. But ... who? Reverence aside, who are you taking over this guy right now, in that area? And we're seven weeks in!

22 and 10 for Griffin in the win, with seven assists, and he even tried (without actually getting the assist) some great one-handed Connie Hawkins dishes. The guy was acting a little cocky, which we haven't seen much of this season, in just toying with the Timberwolves. Minnesota couldn't get stops early and often, and it had no answer for Eric Gordon (36 points, five steals, six assists) in both transition and delayed transition.

And Blake is just a bloody hurricane.''

[lilWesleyJ4]

I havent watched much basketball pre-2000, but since I have began watching I can't think of anyone off the top of my head except maybe Lebron Baron must of had like 5 half court alley oops to Griffin. The guy is just unreal.

[LT Ice Cream]

Vince Carter ring any bells, a-hole?

[Samurai Swoosh]

Way too early to say that ... actually it's pretty ridiculous.

Vince Carter
Michael Jordan
Julius Erving
Shawn Kemp
Dominique Wilkins
Amare Stoudemire
Dwight Howard
Daryl Dawkins
Shaquille O'Neal

... but he's up there.

[StillKill24]

prime kobe da bess

[ihatetimthomas]

Everyone is going to want him in the dunk contest. I think he would be a huge let down in the dunk contest. He can get up, but what makes his dunks look so spectacular is the power. Power dunks dont go that well in the contest.

[CMsam]

Way too early to say that ... actually it's pretty ridiculous.

Why? Have you been watching him? VC is pretty much his only competition.

Jordan was obviously His Airness, but he was known more for hanging in the air and doing various things with the ball. And obviously he threw down plenty of nasty dunks, but he wasn't known as the riduclous, off-the-charts dunker during games that VC and Griffin are.

Honestly I swear to God, some of the lobs Baron throws Blake look like they're gonna go over the backboard and Blake just snatches them even when he's way far away from the rim and somehow stretches out and flushes them. There's NOBODY in the league that's done what Blake has done this many times in such a small period of time.

I never understand why people can't accept that something today can be just as good or better than something of the past. Have you ever heard of evolution? It pretty much dictates that future versions are better than present versions are better than past versions. Why do people have such a hard time believing Blake is already better at something than past legends??

[Rake2204]

Vince Carter ring any bells, a-hole?

Pretty interesting that it took two posts for the first Vince Carter mention.

I'm not going to sit hear and act like it's insulting to suggest that Blake Griffin is one of the best in-game dunkers, but it is tough to have that discussion and not bring up VC. I'm excited to see Blake Griffin highlights each night, but I'm not sure he's going to snag that "best in-game" title until he starts windmilling in traffic and whatnot. Right now, he's had some nasty, straight up power finishes (and a double clutch reverse reminiscent of VC vs. Indiana his rookie year) but I haven't seen an entire arsenal yet.

I have no doubts that Blake can do nasty trick dunks (windmills, 360's, etc.) but I'm curious to see when and how often they'll come about in game situations.

Just for fun, here's Vince Carter's Windmill against LAC in light traffic. I like watching the fellow on LA's bench. Watching Blake Griffin, I explained to my brothers that you can tell how exciting a player is in conjunction with just how loud the opposing crowd gets when he throws one down. Opposing crowds loved Vince and they love Blake.

VC Light Traffic Windmill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_ZMiCJVYz0

VC Clippers Oop (55 seconds in). I like taking notice that the Clippers are trying to wrap up the game here with 3 minutes left in the fourth. Yet, it's an alley oop by the opposing squad that gets the fans out of their seats. Awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prBWdT90-N4

And just because I'm obligated to include it, here's Volume 1 of Vince Carter's Top 100 Dunks, of which I'm sure we've all seen before, but it's a good reference point for the discussion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prBWdT90-N4

[Samurai Swoosh]

Why? Have you been watching him? VC is pretty much his only competition.

Yeah, but I've seen electrifying in game dunkers before. Griffin is very entertaining, but I'm not going to sit here with a straight face and say he's already better than Vince Carter, Shawn Kemp, LeBron James and Michael Jordan at in game dunks ... who made a career of it.

[Glide2keva]

Shawn Kemp

/thread

[ErhnamDjinn]

Shawn Kemp

/thread

this and add VC also

[Penny37]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6LTMPSZw-8

VC's Rucker Park dunk is one of the best I've seen him do.

[Rake2204]

Well I reread my post and it almost sounds a little anti-Blake. I think my primary issue was the author deciding VC would not be mentioned in this debate. I thought Carter would be a foregone conclusion at this point for "King of NBA Dunking: In-Game and Dunk Contest".

I found a Blake windmill with a quick YouTube search. It's a good one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHum4...eature=related

I clearly acknowledged Griffin could do these dunks, I just wondered if he'd be willing to in a game (which he appears to be, in college anyway). For instance, LeBron James is a nasty dunker, but I'm not sure he pushed his creative limits in games. Here's a pregame clip of LeBron a year or two ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faw0_MvV-6k I always kind of figured he could throw a windmill off two feet into a game, or a 360, or even an NBA version of a between-the-legs dunk (he did in high school) but instead he keeps it relatively simple.

I hope Blake is more Vince than LeBron in this respect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6LTMPSZw-8

VC's Rucker Park dunk is one of the best I've seen him do.

I've watched that clip so many times. I remember first seeing it on some TNT documentary possibly called "On Hallowed Ground".

I always loved how the tone is set, then they cut to this white guy (Rob Glazer) saying, in the whitest way possible, "So now we got a little one-on-one going within the game" then film abruptly cuts to a broken scene of what appears to be Alvin Gentry smiling.

I agree though, filthy. I always liked watching the dude in the crowd wearing the Indians hat with the towel over his shoulder (near the camera). After Vince puts that windmill down, he begins convulsing.

Finally, Vince pulled that dunk off in the preseason at one point - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAiZAqr3VJU

[DLeagueWannabe]

I'm from LA and this thread is semi-ridiculous to me.

Vincent Lamar Carter is the greatest in-game dunker in history. He, and he only, literally was the only reason the dunk contest came back into existence. It was killed off, and his in-game dunks are what made the NBA bring it back.

C'mon guys, it wasn't that long ago. I know he's not what he used to be, but for like a 3-5 year period I'm not sure any person who ever played basketball could have done what Carter was doing in NBA games.

[Samurai Swoosh]

VC has the greatest in game, high competition dunk of all-time. And even some of his lesser dunks are still more amazing than a lot of the dunks Griffin has done. VC on Mourning? VC over Ben Wallace? VC over Tim Duncan? VC over Josh Smith?