Image via Complex Original
Can we be honest? Sure we can, it's our damn website, we can be honest whenever we want! Here goes: The 2011 NBA Playoffs have gotten a little boring. Sure we had a couple great series early, and both of the Conference Finals featured tight games and stellar play. But both of those series ended in five games (seriously, when was the last time a Finals actually started in May?), and now the whole thing is starting to feel like an exercise in inevitability.
What these playoffs haven't lacked though, are incredible dunks. Literally from the first day, this postseason has had more facials and posterizations than any in recent memory. From Chris Bosh to Tyler Hansbrough to the living legend that is now Taj Gibson, these playoffs have been host to some awesome aerial moments. So while we sit back and root for the Mavs to make a go of this series (what, you thought this was entirely serious?), here are the 20 Best Dunks of the 2011 NBA Playoffs...
20. KD on Z-Bo
DATE: 5/9/2011 (Game 4, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies)
COMPLEX SAYS: KD is pretty much entirely unstoppable when he gets that first step in the lane, as Zach Randolph discovered here. One thing Durant has to work on is his dismount (pause)—dude always seems to land on his own ass after he ethers defenses.
19. Psycho T With the Crazy Steal and Dunk
DATE: 4/16/2011 (Game 1, Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls)
COMPLEX SAYS: Wait, this was this Playoffs? Damn, the NBA's postseason is long as hell! Affectionately known as Psycho T, Hansbrough gets the steal off of Carlos Boozer and finishes for the and 1. Go out and get it white boy!
18. Bron Bron Plays a Trick on Rondo
DATE: 5/3/2011 (Game 2, Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics)
COMPLEX SAYS: Poor Rajon took a beating all series from the Heat, including a shady take down by D-Wade that dislocated the perennial All-Star's elbow. Enjoy the summer, kid.
17. "The Matrix" Finishes It
DATE: 5/25/2011 (Game 5, Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder)
COMPLEX SAYS: This fast break by The Matrix put the Mavericks over the top and ended any championship hopes for the Thunder. Speaking of ending stuff though, maybe Shawn needs a nickname that references something from, you know, this century? #justsayin
16. Carlos Boozer on J-Smoove
DATE: 5/15/2011 (Game 1, Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks)
COMPLEX SAYS: We've done extensive research—box scores, newspaper accounts, even eyewitness testimony—and Josh Smith apparently did play in this game. Not sure where he is in this clip, though.
15. Who You Calling Soft?
DATE: 5/22/2011 (Game 3, Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat)
COMPLEX SAYS: This dude has taken so many shots this year, it's only right that he get his just due here. Suffice it to say, the Bulls don't think dude is soft.
14. D-Rose Got Ups
DATE: 5/2/2011 (Game 1, Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks)
COMPLEX SAYS: This is the kind of play that some dude will attempt 20 times in the dunk contest before giving up and doing some cheesy simple slam. D-Rose pulls it off (okay, so maybe it's not intentional, but still) in a Playoff game. Word gets used too much, but it applies here: swag.
13. Ray Allen on CB4
DATE: 5/9//2011 (Game 4, Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics)
COMPLEX SAYS: Call the AARP, old dude still has hops! Okay, we kid, that's an unnecessary shot. But it's a good thing Ray-Ray has a loooong summer to ice his knees after this dunk... #oopswediditagain
12. Three Dribble Coast-to-Coast Jam
DATE: 4/18/2011 (Game 2, Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers)
COMPLEX SAYS: Forget in-depth analysis, we'll just repeat ourselves: That's exactly three dribbles to go 80+ feet. They say that speed kills. Well D-Wade's speed kills, picks out a coffin, digs the ditch, and throws dirt on your sorry ass.
11. Superman That Hoop
DATE: 4/19/2011 (Game 2, Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic)
COMPLEX SAYS: Forget sugar plums, Laker fans are going to have visions of this dancing in their heads this Christmas.
10. Udonis Flushes It On The MVP
DATE: 5/18/2011 (Game 2, Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls)
COMPLEX SAYS: Adonis was a Greek god famous for his beauty. Udonis has a grill only a mother could love. But hey, Udonis dunked on the league's new most popular player, so at least he's got that going for him.
9. Charge It to the Game
DATE: 5/13/2011 (Game 6, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies)
COMPLEX SAYS: Granted, this one didn't actually count. Pretty sure Nick Collison still remembers it though.
8. We Need a New Poster, STAT!
DATE: 4/17/2011 (Game 1, Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks)
COMPLEX SAYS: Yes Knick fans, you have a highlight! Now, go back to talking about how you're gonna sign Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, George Mikan, Moses, or whoever else your flavor of the moment is now.
7. Josh Smith and the One-Handed Alley-Oop
DATE: 5/10/2011 (Game 5, Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks)
COMPLEX SAYS: And when they introduce a "Flashiest Dunk" component to the NBA postseason, that's when the Hawks will make it past the 2nd round!
6. The Black Mamba Strikes!
DATE: 4/26/2011 (Game 5, Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets)
COMPLEX SAYS: Here's the thing: If you're gonna actually jump backwards when you're challenging the dunk, just stay on your feet and try to draw the charge. Otherwise that's just false hustle, right?
5. The Nail in the Coffin
DATE: 5/22/2011 (Game 1, Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat)
COMPLEX SAYS: Memo to Bulls management: Whatever it was Taj Gibson ate before Game 1, order that shit again.
4. D-Rose Goes Up the Elevator on Joel Anthony
DATE: 5/24/2011 (Game 4, Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat)
COMPLEX SAYS: So the Bulls came up a little short in their quest to be America's sweethearts by taking out LeBron and Co. But they did get off some pretty awesome dunks on the Heat! (Yes, there's one more biggie to come.)
3. Durantula Gets Angry on Haywood
DATE: 5/19/2011 (Game 2, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks)
COMPLEX SAYS: We're just gonna come out and say it: Oklahoma City are our sleeper pick for the Finals next year, and it's mostly because of plays like this. Although can we get Kevin Durant a cheeseburger or something? Dude's gotta put on some weight so he doesn't end up on his ass after plays like this.
2. Watch Young Fly!
DATE: 5/7/2011 (Game 3, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder)
COMPLEX SAYS: We love the Thunder just as much as the next bandwagon-jumping bunch of "They're my sleeper pick for next year" bozos, but c'mon, you know that squad isn't even sniffing the Finals if they don't pick up the slack on defense. Memo to OKC: There's more to help defense than yelling "Help!"
1. Taj Puts D-Wade On a Poster
DATE: 5/15/2011 (Game 1, Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat)
COMPLEX SAYS: D-Wade has put a lot of big men on posters during his career, so it was a little shocking to see him be on the receiving end of a facial. Wait, did we say "a little shocking"? No shit, "Taj Gibson" was a trending topic on Twitter for like 2 years after this shit went down. And then the Heat did their little step-on-their-necks-and-choke-'em-slowly routine and nobody's really talking about Taj any more. Still, nice dunk though.
