OT: NBA Skill and Dunk Contest Open Thread
Starts at 9pm EST. I know the dunk contest is more or less already won by Blake Griffin. But Thought I would start a thread for the rest of the events for the evening.
Personally I wish the NBA would have adopted the NHL "fantasy draft" for the all-star game. The NHL's was a huge success and would like to see more pro sports move to the idea.
Edit: JaVale McGee (Washington Wizards)with 99 points in 1st round and Blake Griffin (Clippers) with 95 points make the finals.
February 19th, 2011 at 7:50 PM ^
The 3-point shootout is the only thing that really interests me anymore. The dunk contest has gotten old, and the skills stuff is not that exciting.
February 19th, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^
The dunk contest will never be what it was. I was 13 when Jordan and Dominique had their epic battle. Back then, few people could dunk like that. Now, there are so many insane athletes and it seems everything has already been done. Dwight Howard has been the most interesting lately, but the dead period in which Cedric Ceballos won......well, it's just sad.
February 19th, 2011 at 8:04 PM ^
comment. Stopped watching the dunk contests years ago. The All Star game really got goofy during the final Magic Johnson days. really haven't had much interest lately.
February 19th, 2011 at 8:11 PM ^
Love all of it. Something my dad and I would watch all weekend.
February 19th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
Has shut down the dunk contest at least that's where it stands as of now..
February 20th, 2011 at 1:44 AM ^
was probably the best individual performance ever. So many new and fresh dunks that hasn't been seen before. Doesn't need showmanship to sell the dunk and let his own dunk sell itself. It was amazing to see Vince do his thing. Too bad that he is now a jumpshooter and doesn't really play all that hard anymore. He was a great athlete back in the day.
February 19th, 2011 at 8:43 PM ^
Playing as a team. In the individual-dominated NBA, that would be really unusual and fun to watch.
February 19th, 2011 at 9:07 PM ^
The NBA is old and played out. Do people really watch NBA basketball? and why?
February 19th, 2011 at 9:20 PM ^
I watch the Bulls. I loved playing basketball as a kid and it's a good sport to tide me over until football season again. College basketball is definitely a superior product, but Michigan does not play every night. I feel bad for people who attended colleges that don't play in major conferences (outside of the few cinderella teams that are relevent despite their conference) because before I attended Michigan it was really hard for me to get behind a college team and I was missing out on a truly great experience prior to the month of March.
February 19th, 2011 at 9:24 PM ^
Everything about that league is a waste of time. The A-Star weekend is designed for middle schoolers who still think NBA players are "cool."
"We can dunk!" Wow! That's somethin'!
February 19th, 2011 at 9:54 PM ^
I realize living in Ohio sucks a lot, but all your posts are so pessimistic I'm beginning to think your wife must be having an affair.
February 20th, 2011 at 9:55 AM ^
That is good stuff! God Bless you, Kal!
February 19th, 2011 at 10:05 PM ^
Haters in this thread suck. And yes people watch the NBA. The Laker vs Celtic finals was the 2nd highest ratings in the four major sports besides the Super Bowl.
Barkley is gold on the mic
February 19th, 2011 at 10:29 PM ^
Haters may suck but it's an opinion just like yours. The league, in my opinion, has taken a serious plunge. It is in no way entertaining. An Isolation play is interesting everytime down the floor? No. Plus, NBA guys have to be the softest athletes on the planet. It's a sad league and I hope it goes away.
Of course that was the second highest rated sporting event last year. Those two teams have "fans" everywhere. I'm sure Pistons-Spurs didn't draw like that because the NBA is an inferior product and the general fan is not interested anymore. If it was a good product it would draw regardless of the teams playing.
February 19th, 2011 at 10:52 PM ^
What do you mean by general fan please explain?
February 20th, 2011 at 2:00 AM ^
Get a brain! Moran.
February 19th, 2011 at 10:32 PM ^
Wow, some of you are really annoying. We get it, you don't like the NBA. Don't comment in the damn thread.
Anywho, that was a great 1st round of the dunk contest. I thought Ibaka's FT line dunk should have got higher scores but those were some solid 1st dunks.
February 19th, 2011 at 10:36 PM ^
Impressive first round. If the judges didn't get a look at the slow motion replay then I understand a 45, but if they did he definitely should have scored higher.
February 19th, 2011 at 10:47 PM ^
I'm sorry...I thought the board was there to express an opinion on a topic. Apparently I was wrong and will no longer express said opinion.
EDIT: Although, I'll agree my opinion has little to do with the skills night. Just with the product as a whole.
February 19th, 2011 at 10:47 PM ^
Except the topic is an open thread for people watching the Skill and Dunk competition, not for people who hate the NBA and just want to come and bitch to an audience of people who like it.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:34 PM ^
Can I participate? Im not a big NBA fan but I watched it anyways because I love sports but the slam dunk contest was better this year however Blake didnt deserve to win. McGee was the best overall and I know thats not how judging goes but Blakes dunk over the car? Not impressed. I cant dunk like that but compare it to other dunks, people only thought it was cool because he jumped over the hood. Remove the hood and prob 70% of NBA players could have done the exact same thing. So yea I watched it and it was better but it continously seems to be lacking something...
The MLB All Star weekend has to be my favorite, I love the HR derby.
February 19th, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
You just missed one of the most dramatic Michigan Hockey games in history (on FSN-Detroit). Our senior captain scored a goal to tie it at 4-4 with 0:36 left in the final period, then he scored a buzzer-beater goal in overtime.
Muppets from this epic win are imminent.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:07 PM ^
I wish I could have seen it, but I can't afford the package on directv with FSN detroit. So, I'm flipping between NBA festivities and the sparty vs. illini game.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:01 PM ^
What a rigged up embarassment this shit is.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:23 PM ^
We get it. You don't like the NBA.... So what do you like? So I can put it down.
February 20th, 2011 at 12:55 AM ^
are supposed to be a fun, entertaining experience for the fans and obviously should not be taken as a representation of the day-to-day product of the league. It's also an opportunity to watch the most amazing athletes in the world do ridiculous things. I love UM football but dude you have to chill out.
and no i'm not Stern
February 19th, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^
Oh, I'll dunk over a car 7 feet in front of the basket...amazing...or not
February 19th, 2011 at 11:35 PM ^
Yea man Ibaka and McGee should have been the 2 to advance to the finals.
February 20th, 2011 at 12:56 AM ^
got robbed - he dunked by jumping BEFORE the foul-line and toy dunk was ridiculous also. it's a hometown crowd though so I'm not surprised Blake made the finals.
February 20th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
...that stuffed animal in the teeth dunk from McGee. In fact, that was supposed to be McGee's last dunk (as he indicated in his post-event interview), but he obviously couldn't recreate it after Ibaka completed it. Watch this video of McGee practicing dunks last month. In one of them, he bites a program stuck in the top of the net.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:25 PM ^
For those who missed it, FSN Detroit is replaying the hockey game again right now.
To add to the significance, this was Senior Night at Yost and if we had lost tonight, Notre Dame was almost assured to win the conference title.
And Woj, I feel you. Don't worry, someone's bound to torrent it.
February 19th, 2011 at 11:31 PM ^
Right on, I would listen on the radio, but I don't follow Michigan hockey closely enough to know the entire roster. It gets quite confusing when you don't know the majority of players on either team.
February 20th, 2011 at 1:48 AM ^
his first dunk in the final should've been counted as a dunk but the judges wanted Blake to win it for the hometown crowd. McGee sort of knew that he had no chance of winning it.
At least he's representing Detroit even though he moved out of it. He's an amazing athlete at 7' tall.
What is up with tall players being able to jump out of the gym? Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Blake Griffin and Ibaka. Are we seeing a new wave of tall players being able to jump out of the gym?