Image via Complex Original
NBA players might make alley-oops look easy. But the truth is that everything has to go right in order for them to pull one off successfully. The passer has to throw the perfect lob or, at the very least, a lob that's in the vicinity of a teammate. The dunker has to be able to catch the ball and control it long enough to slam it home. And then, of course, there are those pesky defenders, who have to be dealt with accordingly by the guy trying to bring down the house. But when all three of those things take place and a player throws down a dunk off an alley-oop, the result is simply amazing. There's nothing that gets an NBA crowd energized quite like an alley-oop dunk.
Over the years, the alley-oop has played a part in some of the biggest plays in NBA history. Bill Walton's back-to-back alley-oops during Game 3 of the 1977 NBA Finals come to mind. So does the monster alley-oop jam that Shaquille O'Neal threw down during Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals. And don't even get us started on DeAndre Jordan's baptism of Brandon Knight last year! So with those incredible dunks in mind, here are The Greatest Alley-Oops in NBA History...
20. Derrick Williams Finishes With a Dunk Fit for a King
Date: 12/9/2013
Game: Mavericks @ Kings
Isaiah Thomas was channeling his inner Isiah Thomas on this alley-oop off the backboard. Derrick Williams makes the lob even better with the reverse jam to cap off the perfect alley-oop.
19. Isiah Thomas Uses a Bounce Pass
Date: 3/28/1993
Game: Cavaliers @ Pistons
This is probably the only highlight of Gerald Glass' life as an NBA player.
18. The Reign Man Throws it Down
Date: 4/28/1992
Game: Warriors @ Supersonics
Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp are synonymous with Seattle Supersonics basketball. And although there were a lot of amazing lobs between the two teammates, this connection during the 1992 Western Conference First Round is the best between the duo.
17. Vince Carter Is Half Man, Half Amazing
Date: 3/8/2000
Game: Raptors @ Clippers
During the 1999-2000 season, it felt like VC was on an NBA tour with a special dunk for every crowd watching the Raptors play. At least Clippers fans had something to cheer about here, right?
16. Lamar Odom Goes Behind-the-Back to Darius Miles
Date: 3/2/2001
Game: Kings @ Clippers
There's also this if you want to remember the Darius Miles days.
15. Russell Westbrook Goes to War Against the Warriors
Date: 2/21/2009
Game: Thunder @ Warriors
This dunk must be the reason Marco Belinelli's been on on four teams since it happened. He's just trying to escape the wrath of Russell Westbrook after this .
14. Michael Jordan Catches Air Against the Knicks
Date: 4/19/1988
Game: Bulls @ Knicks
Outside of his amazing finish over Mark Jackson, the little knee that Jordan gives Ewing while hanging on the rim might be the best part of this sequence.
13. Kobe Bryant Splits the Double Team
Date: 5/9/2008
Game: Lakers @ Jazz
You can double team or triple team Kobe Bryant and it doesn't even matter. He's going to find a way to score even if it costs him a missed field goal attempt. Kobe's teammates were probably mad about the fact that he'd rather pass to himself than to them after a double team.
12. LeBron James Skies Over John Lucas III
Date: 1/29/2012
Game: Bulls @ Heat
King James hopped over John Lucas III of the Chicago Bulls and had everyone shocked with this amazing finish.
11. Gerald Green Kisses the Rim
Date: 3/10/2012
Game: Rockets @ Nets
What's crazy is that Gerald Green is able to reach the rim with his head on the regular.
10. Bill Walton Goes Back-to-Back
Date: 5/29/1977
Game: 76ers @ Blazers
NBA historians forget how much Bill Walton changed the NBA game with his great defense. He could also finish an alley-oop or two in his heyday.
9. Vince Carter Does a Trick for the Magic
Date: 12/21/2005
Game: Nets @ Magic
Finishing lobs from Jason Kidd must be the easiest job in the world. All you need to do is jump, extend your hands, and the ball will reach you.
8. Vince Carter Throws an Alley-Oop to Himself
Date: 2/20/2005
Game: 2005 NBA All-Star Game
VC wasn't going to let his cousin Tracy McGrady get away with being the only player to throw an alley-oop to himself in an NBA All-Star Game. Carter went a mile high to grab this dunk.
7. Dwight Howard Catches Jrue Holiday Slipping
Date: 4/11/2011
Game: Magic @ 76ers
This was the Brandon Knight dunk before the Brandon Knight dunk.
6. Kobe Feeds Shaq
Date: 6/4/2000
Game: Blazers @ Lakers
This is how you go to the NBA Finals in style. Kobe Bryant flips an easy lob to Shaq and erases the Trail Blazers' chances at an NBA championship.
5. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James Stay Connected
Date: 2/15/2011
Game: Heat @ Pacers
Plays like this remind you how easy it is for D-Wade and King James to connect on the court. The rebound, pass, and finish came together so effortlessly and spanned the entire court. That might be the most phenomenal display of chemistry we've ever seen between two teammates.
Tracy McGrady Puts on a One-Man show
Date: 2/10/2002
Game: 2002 NBA All-Star Game
Based off of this video, T-Mac had an obsession with throwing alley-oops to himself off the glass. Can you be mad at that?
3. Blake Griffin Makes It Look Easy
Date: 3/6/2013
Game: Bucks @ Clippers
Blake Griffin might flop a little, show off too much, and beef with random players in the NBA. But he still puts on an aerial show like it's the easiest thing in the world.
2. LeBron James Jumps Over a "Jet"
Date: 3/18/2013
Game: Heat @ Celtics
Re-watch this dunk and all you'll be thinking about is how many memes were created last year after King James put Jason Terry on a poster.
1. DeAndre Jordan Baptizes Brandon Knight
Date: 3/10/2013
Game: Pistons @ Clippers
You know a dunk is kind of a big deal when its one year anniversary is being celebrated and talked about. Brandon Knight has to stay in the house and not check Twitter on this day for the rest of his life.
