All-Star Saturday Recap: Or, how many loops can this LaVine get?
2016-02-14
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY COW. I sincerely hope every one of you watched the Dunk Contest live. Its reputation has taken a beating over the years. All the dunks had been done, too many miscues, a lot of needless “creativity”, no big names… Well, we still didn’t have any marquee players, but after this dunk contest, Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine will forever be big names, at least as far as All-Star Weekend lore can elevate them. The Cavs: The Blog crew dusted off our CB radios and shared our thoughts on the festivities tonight. We also had a live thread and some tweeting. To provide a formal recap, Karl Anthony-Towns defeated Isaiah Thomas in the Skills competition, Klay Thompson defeated Stephen Curry in the 3-point shootout (excuse me while I sob uncontrollably into my keyboard), and Zach LaVine repeated as Dunk Contest champion, in what I would say was one of the greatest performance of all time (by LaVine) but still the second best performance of the night. We’ll get to it.
Talents and Skills
6:20 – Tom
John Leuer showing off some juggling. Kevin Hetrick would be proud.
Rondae Hollis Jefferson tries to play “Do you wanna build a snowman” on a little toy keyboard. My girls are not impressed.
You can put anything on TV.
7:14 – David
How are you guys getting away with watching ASG on Valentine’s Day. I made a light suggestion we could watch it together and I might as well have said “I’m into your best friend.”
7:28 – Nate (Married with 2 kids)
Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day?
7:44 – EG
Why are they encouraging Chuck to sing the March Madness song? His voice is a disservice to dying cats everywhere…
I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want Craig Sager’s blue suede jacket…
8:04 – EG
My money is on Jordan Clarkson.
8:09 – EG
That was the fastest money I ever lost.
8:19 – EG
Boogie loses the ball off the tee to start, but still winds up hitting the three to knock out The Brow… how is this a “skills” competition when the skills are meaningless provided you can hit a three before your opponent? Isn’t that just another version of a three point contest?
8:20 – Tom
Ant Davis went from 30 PER, perennial All NBA 1st team to losing to a disinterested Boogie Cousins in the skills challenge…
8:24 – Robert
Stuck temporarily watching the Westminster Dog Show. Man, those dogs play with good pace. Not sold on their connectedness, though.
8:24 – EG
You’re missing a good KAT show in the Skills Competition…
8:25 – EG (Finals was between Isaiah Thomas and Karl Anthony Towns)
In the finals of this competition, do they have to show their “fouling on the inbounds pass without being called for it” skills? Or would they need Tony Brothers to judge that…
8:28 – EG
How does TNT pay for all of these guys to announce this? There’s like 10 guys up there…
Hopefully Robert is watching Fred Willard.
8:36 – EG
This is embarrassingly awkward and unfunny… so naturally, I love it since I can’t stand Braymond…
8:39 – EG
Cavs need to consider signing Kevin Hart…
8:40 – Tom
Kevin Hart actually has a decent follow through.
8:40 – David
Kevin Hart now my favorite comedian. That stroke is perfect. When you have arms that short though there isn’t too much room to mess up your shot.
3-Point Shootout beings. J.R. Smith conspicuously absent
9:01 – EG
How did Middleton get in this competition?
9:02 – EG
Only good outcome would be for the Splash Bros to fight to the death for the three point title…
9:02 – Tom
Create some infighting? Jealousy? Disease of me? I could talk myself into anything
9:04 – Robert
Devin Brick-er?
(Booker started horribly and went on an insane run to finish with 20 points)
9:05 – Tom
NATE AND BEN. CJ MCCOLLUM AIRBALLED A 3 BY LIKE 6 FEET
9:11 – EG
Steph Curry… basketball cyborg…
9:11 – David
Curry got lucky.
9:24 – EG
If Steph and Klay tie in the last round… they should have them shoot a rack from halfcourt…
9:25 – Robert
KLAY!
9:26 – David
And they’re on the same team…
9:26 – EG
WOW! He even almost forgot to shoot that last one! Ridiculous!
9:26 – Robert
Anthony Anderson is still relevant enough to warrant a reaction shoot on the Klay walk off?
9:26 – EG
He does have a hit show…
My son just turned to me and said, “Is it any wonder Draymond Green gets all those triple doubles?” So true…
9:42 – Robert
He has a show? Where have I been?
(Well, you tune in to Dog Shows so…)
9:43 – EG
Yeah, Blackish on ABC… Follows Modern Family. I can’t stand the show, but it gets good ratings…
Shaq stealing Tracy McGrady’s glasses was hilarious!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1bxo7LiWYA
The Dunk Contest to End All Dunk Contests
9:51 – EG
It would be more impressive if Barton had dunked in the Michael Jackson jacket…
9:52 – David
If you’re gonna bring up thriller, you need to be dunking in the whole outfit.
"That was a lot of wasted money" – Charles Barkley on Will "The Thrill" Barton's ode to Michael Jackson/Thriller entrance.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 14, 2016
9:56 – EG
I wish Drummond had dunked from the free throw line… just for the sake of irony…
9:58 – David
I love that the adversity Aaron Gordon faced was not being able to dunk like his brother.
https://twitter.com/tompestak/status/698703168960483328
10:03 – David
If I were in the dunk contest, I would have a three-on-three game going on at the hoop I was dunking on. Then I would in-game dunk all over the place.
10:05 – EG
That’s actually a really good idea, DW… The best dunks are posterizations anyway… never understood why someone didn’t try that…
On Zach LaVine’s First Dunk
https://twitter.com/tompestak/status/698704154101854209
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shXRhTc1WKE#t=39s
10:10 – Robert
The front office of my fantasy team would like it known that they are now listening to offers for Rising Stars MVP and soon-to-be dunk champ Zach LaVine.
(On Aaron Gordon’s Second Dunk)
https://twitter.com/tompestak/status/698706743421968387
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig5EddENP_0#t=2m33s
https://twitter.com/tompestak/status/698707562024300544
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig5EddENP_0#t=4m36s
10:20 – Tom
This is the best dunk contest in a decade.
10:26 – EG
Shaq picked the wrong dunk to get his 10 working again…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig5EddENP_0#t=6m3s
https://twitter.com/tompestak/status/698710042313428992
10:37 – David
Aaron Gordon’s under both legs dunk is gonna be a staple poster for young basketball fans.
10:37 – EG
Agree… never seen anything like that one…
10:43 – Tom (On Aaron Gordon)
His cup 360 dunk off the spinning mascot was the best Dunk I had ever seen. Until 3 minutes later. His 3rd best Dunk of the night, which somehow didn’t get a 50, was a dunk no one has ever done. I think Kenny was right, the judges didn’t know what they saw.
dude windmill dunked off a spinning mascot riding a known fire hazard and the judges were like yeah, that's just a tie
— unk (go birds 🦅) (@Kunk7) February 14, 2016
10:45 – David
This dunk contest was so good my girlfriend, who doesn’t watch any sports at all, was actually mad Gordon lost.
11:06 – Robert
Gordon’s dunks were insanely good. A little perplexed by All-Star Weekend’s pro-LaVine stance. That being said, my fantasy team is still taking calls on him.
11:23 – EG
I didn’t realize before tonight that the Orlando Magic mascot is named “Stuff the Magic Dragon” hilarious!
https://vine.co/v/inPp2BiaAXY
Look at Andre Drummond collapse on the floor…
https://twitter.com/tompestak/status/698711629194727425
https://vine.co/v/inPtUOxahnE
https://vine.co/v/inPIBZV3pJK
https://twitter.com/KatzM/status/698721658585145345
The dunk contest is back!!!
— Dominique Wilkins 🏀 (@DWilkins21) February 14, 2016
Aaron Gordon & Zach LaVine gave us the BEST dunk contest in 30 yrs. https://t.co/CKrjHOgxJ2
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 14, 2016
Best dunk contest EVER!
— Kenny Smith (@TheJetOnTNT) February 14, 2016
I think those tweets properly put this dunk contest into perspective. In most of the last 10 years, any of about 6 dunks between LaVine and Gordon would have been the best dunk that year. Kenny called Gordon’s 360 dunk where he cupped the ball off the spinning Stuff The Magic Dragon the best dunk in 5 years. I agree. And that wasn’t even GORDON’S best dunk of the night. I’m just going to say it. His under the legs over Stuff is easily the best dunk since Vince Carter’s windmill and it’s possibly the greatest dunk of all time. He really deserved to win the dunk contest.
The iconic free throw line dunk, seen famously by Dr. J in 1984 and His Airness in 1987, was taken to the extremes tonight. Zach LaVine offered up three different variants: the alley-oop, the windmill, and the through the legs. FROM THE FREE THROW LINE*.
*within a foot of the free throw line.
As Kenny exclaimed over and over: ‘GOOD NIGHT’.
Too bad JR wasn’t in the 3-point contest. He could’ve dethroned Curry. Maybe next year the NBA can invite more Hawks players players to the festivities? I’m sure Anna Horford send WEEPING letter of support to get her big BABY brother Al into the game.
That was such a joke.
Delly getting thrown to the ground part of his “dirty player” montage
Has anyone ever shared a dunk contest victory? I wonder if they only had 1 trophy and didn’t want to break from the script?
They’ve been giving out 50s so generously through the years that there was nothing to differentiate the top dunks from other 50s.
That Aaron Gordon dunk was the best I’ve ever seen. Period.
Call them co-champions this year and let the debate build over the next year. Then, I’d like to see LeVine duplicate Gordon’s dunk next year.
The dunks were so good, you couldn’t even tell how good until you saw it in slow motion. “Oh, he was also putting his hand on his head while cupping the ball with his other hand.” “Oh, he put it between his legs while rotating before the up-and-under dunk.”
Dunks were amazing; announcers are unlistenable.
Nice knowing guy. The dunk contest reinvents itself every six years or so, then gets bad again, then takes you by surprise at how good it can be.
Why not make them co-champions? I’d be fine with that. Would’ve made it more fitting with history. Gordon had the signature dunk of the night. He wasn’t Igoudala-robbed but I think he deserves that trophy too. Anyway that was fun.