Making Virtual Posters from the Best Dunks of the NBA Season

The best virtual dunk posters of the NBA season are those that uniquely combine an image of athletic excellence along with a high-flying narrative behind it.

It's not only about the dunk itself, but also the story of how each dunker arrived at the rim specifically. 

There have been a long list of poster-worthy-dunks this season. The eight dunks I made virtual posters of below are those that most combine each quality.

They are posters that deserve wall space on their own, only made more impressive by the series of events that led each player to the basket.

Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant dunks on Marcin Gortat.

"I was looking for my car keys under the basket."

That's what Phoenix Suns big man Marcin Gortat would tell Michael Swartz from ESPN.com's Valley of the Suns following this poster dunk from Kevin Durant on January 14.

It was a funny response to an emphatic slam, while at the same time a lesson for all of us—don't leave your car keys under the basket when KD's around.

Boston Celtics' Jeff Green finishes over Al Jefferson.

I'm not sure Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson thought his cameo on Jeff Green's poster in mid-November was as funny as Gortat thought his inclusion on Durant's was. 

The duck-and-cover move that Jefferson pulled here to combat the high-flying Green is never a good look. It's only made worse when memorialized forever on a poster. 

Keep your head up next time at least, Al. 

Harrison Barnes introduces himself to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Back on November 24, when Harrison Barnes did the damage captured by the image above, most of the NBA world was not sure who Nikola Pekovic was exactly.

Turns out he's a pretty solid player for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Golden State Warriors rookie Harrison Barnes did this to Pekovic anyway, only a few short weeks into the NBA season. 

Eric Bledsoe finishes the lob from Chris Paul.

Two point guards aren't supposed to exclusively combine for plays that end up like this one did.

In a late-January game against the Sacramento Kings this season, though, Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul served up a lob pass to his backup, Eric Bledsoe.

Bledsoe caught the lob and finished with the type of authority that landed him in next week's dunk contest.


J.R. Smith does not need to look at the basket to dunk on the Spurs.

Broadway is a good place for New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith.

He's an explosive dunker with stage presence who demonstrated both qualities against the San Antonio Spurs earlier this season. 

Smith caught a lob pass, in traffic, with his back to the basket against the Spurs. He finished the play by dunking backwards.

Then, Smith hung on the rim long just long enough to be noticed but not so long that it earned him a technical. A standing ovation all over America ensued, which was led by his teammates.

Terrence Ross takes off against the Orlando Magic.

On December 21, the electric leaper Terrence Ross dunked all over the Orlando Magic.

It was a highlight-packed evening for the Toronto Raptors rookie, who finished with two poster dunks on the game.

If I could only choose one, though, I'd hang the image pictured above in my basement.



Blake Griffin attacks rim and Suns get out of the way. 

I don't mean for the the Phoenix Suns to keep showing up here, but this dunk from the Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin is one I personally feel is underrated.

Griffin dunks with regularity, and I understand he ends up on posters frequently as a result. This particular poster is special, though, because of what transpires before it. 

As Griffin attacks the basket, Luis Scola and the Suns take a step backwards. The lane is left wide open and Griffin is allowed to do what he does to the rim. 

LeBron James catches half-court lob with his head above backboard.

Before LeBron James ended up on this virtual poster, he first caught a lob pass from teammate Dwyane Wade.

The pass was thrown from half court.

James's head would end up above the backboard before he eventually finished the dunk and ended up on this poster.