Over the course of an NBA season, we experience some wow moments in different ways. If it’s not about a defender being crossed so hard that he touches the screen, then it’s a rim-busting dunk that makes people get out of their seats. Sometimes it’s us who watch in awe as players like Stephen Curry or Damian Lillard hit the game-winning three-pointer from 12 yards away. But what Houston Rockets What Portland Trail Blazers guard Jalen Green did to Anfernee Simons over the weekend should almost be illegal. A new candidate for Dunk of the Year has entered the room.
This dunk from Green is the nastiest, dirtiest dunk the game has seen in a long time. The actual dunk itself isn’t entirely extraordinary, but the whole scene of Green flying over Simons and crashing to the ground with such thunder is what makes the whole thing. And the part where the announcer says, “On Simon’s Dome!” That might actually have exaggerated it.
Again, it’s the NBA, so we see tons of dunks, but the way Green moved up and then went up even higher on Simons was a sight to behold. This was one of those situations where Simons would have been better off not jumping. I commend him for trying to defend himself, but my God. Luckily for Simons, billboards aren’t what they were 30 years ago. It was still billboarded, only it will live forever on the internet rather than on little boys’ bedroom walls across the country. If you think about it, living in infamy on the World Wide Web is probably even worse.
As you can see, Green has no fear as he has already competed in a slam dunk contest, although the result was not what he had hoped for. The mere fact that he competed says a lot about his competitive fire. Unlike others who remain namelessbut avoid competition like the plague.
On the other side of Green’s dunk: If you’re on the receiving end like Simons, it’s probably best to stay away from social media for 24 to 48 hours. Because this clip will be played again, analyzed and put through its paces, just like we did here. It’s all in good fun and happens to the best of them. But if you don’t like criticism, just put your devices aside (if possible) and take a powder.