The 25 Most Electrifying Plays in NBA History

We all know the reason why we watch sports.

It's for those moments that will always remain with us. Moments that make us say, "How the hell did he do that?" or "Is he human?" or just "Wow."

We've had a lot of those in the NBA recently, like Dirk Nowitzki's banked buzzer-beater against the Magic, or Russell Westbrook's dunk over Omer Asik.

Those had me pumped to write this article, so let's just jump into it.

(Note: I am not including game-winners unless the degree of difficulty is ridiculous. No disrespect to those great moments, it's just that I could not eliminate any of the following plays for them).

25. Shaquille O'Neal Dunks on David Robsinon in the 1996 All-Star Game

I don't really know what to say. That was just a jaw-dropping display of strength and athleticism.

For Shaquille O'Neal to weigh over 300 pounds and elevate to the extent that he can absolutely humiliate a perennial first-team All-Defensive center in David Robinson...Are you sure he's not from Mars?

24. Michael Jordan Executes the Best Fake Ever

Some might question the presence of this play, but seriously, TRY doing that.

The control of the ball that Michael Jordan required was astronomical.

I mean, I know they say that he knew practically every trick in the book by the time he reached that age, but that's just unfair.

23. Stephen Curry Hooks Dorrell Wright Up for a 70-Foot Alley-Oop

I'm aware that a certain pair of players who don the Miami Heat jersey have linked up for longer alleys, but this is the farthest alley-oop I've seen in which the receiving player actually dunked the ball.

Maybe the Warriors use tiny speakerphones to notify each other when passes are about to be thrown?

22. Was Steve Nash Using Mirrors on the Sidelines for This Pass?

Again, I think I'd just better let the video do the talking for this play.

I remain convinced that it was either just a blind flail by Steve Nash or a Suns coach was standing under the basket with a reflective surface.

Oh well, I suppose I'll head down to the court after this basket and become a turnover machine in my attempts to replicate this.

21. Larry Bird Is a Decent Shooter

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have done cheap imitations of it, but this is the definition of an over-the-backboard shot.

Larry Bird was right behind the basket and falling out of bounds. He probably couldn't even see the basket. Just incredible.

20. Chris Paul Gives Andrew Bynum Dance Lessons

Many people may not remember this play, and thus question my placement of it on this list, but the degree of difficulty was off the charts.

The 6'0" Chris Paul was being bodied up by the 7'1" Andrew Bynum. First, he sends him the wrong way with a ridiculous crossover and then, even though the Lakers center somehow recovers, he hits the insane fadeaway right over his outstretched fingers.

19. Don't Steal Kobe Bryant's MVP

That Steve Nash had the weakest MVP case ever in 2006, and Kobe Bryant should have reported a robbery to the police is an argument for another time.

Here, just watch the Mamba taking matters into his own hands and punishing Mr. Canada for it.

I refuse to believe that Bryant has ever jumped higher or dunked the ball harder in his career. You have to feel for Nash; he didn't ask those moronic voters to give him the award, did he?

18. 'Rock-a-Bye Baby' with the Doctor

So much for Michael Cooper, the best defensive 2-guard ever.

This is not the last time Julius Erving features on this list, and with good reason.

17. Dwyane Wade Does It All

Blocking a 7'0" first-team All-NBA center is hard enough.

Hitting a buzzer-beating, three-quarter-court shot is harder.

16. Isiah Thomas Bounces the Alley-Oop off the Floor to Dominique Wilkins

Zeke to 'Nique. 'Nuff said.

I haven't seen anything like this since—and no, John Wall's pass to Blake Griffin was not as jaw-droppingly incredible.

15. John Wall with the Behind-the-Back Dunk

Either the Washington Wizards point guard can stay in the air for a really long time, or he can put a ball behind his back really fast.

I'd like to believe it's a combination of both. That's a dunk I can watch over and over and over again.

Truth be told, I was hesitant about including this since it was in garbage time of an exhibition game. But the execution more than makes up for the circumstances.

14. LeBron James Has No Regard for Human Life

The man stabs a city in the back by announcing he's leaving it on national television and gets nationally vilified for it.

However, his evil doings commenced far before The Decision.

In the 2008 playoffs against the Celtics, LeBron James murdered Kevin Garnett with a dunk, as you will see in the video. Kevin Harlan agrees with me, as he announced that the small forward had "no regard for human life."

So, the NBA's best player should apparently be charged with attempted murder. A sad state of affairs.

13. Peja Stojakovic's Pass Goes On, and On, and On...

So much for those who claim that Peja Stojakovic was just a shooter.

I don't know if the Serbian intended for his pass to actually reach Bobby Jackson or it was just a blind flail, but in any case, I like the result.

12. Kobe Bryant's Greatest Ever Buzzer-Beater, over the Flash

Like I said, I didn't include buzzer-beaters unless they were ridiculously difficult.

I think this one counts.

A running three-pointer just as time expires over the best defensive shooting guard in the league's outstretched fingers?

Take a bow, Kobe Bryant.

11. Scottie Pippen Humiliates Patrick Ewing on National TV

If someone did that to me under those circumstances, I can't quite promise that I would not stop myself from shedding a tear.

Patrick Ewing does the manly thing by immediately getting up and screaming at Scottie Pippen, whose swagger just goes up another level with the disdainful look he gives his victim.

It's as if he's saying, "You tried to block me? Seriously? Sit down, boy."

10. Jerry West Is a Bad, Bad Man

Let's just say that if Kobe Bryant or LeBron James or Kevin Durant did this today, and if you logged onto NBA.com, you'd just find that it wasn't there.

There'd just be a mushroom cloud to represent the explosion of reactions.

Truly one of the most underappreciated players of all time, Jerry West hit possibly the most difficult buzzer-beater ever that should have won L.A. the game, if the three-point line had existed back then.

9. Vince Carter Is No Man, Fully Amazing

The question on my mind when I saw this dunk was whether Vince Carter was ever going to come down.

He just rises up when the pass is thrown and just continues going up, up and up...

8. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal with a Clutch Alley-Oop

Truly "Where Amazing Happens."

When I watch the play by itself, yes, there are better ones. But if you're talking about electrifying, you just have to listen to the Staples Center crowd's reaction and feel the hair standing up on your neck.

Good times.

7. Dwyane Wade Is the Best Quarterback in the World

Funny. Our last play involved the most and second-most talented players since the turn of the century, and this one includes the third and fourth.

The coordination necessary on this one was unreal, it's as if Dwyane Wade and LeBron James had discussed the play a minute before.

Even if James knew the pass was coming, how the hell did he jump at exactly the right time to catch it?

I dislike Miami as much as anyone, but this here is just cool.

6. And Iverson Has Jordan, the Crowd Is into It...

I don't think anyone has forgotten that famous bit of commentary even 15 years on.

Allen Iverson was a master of his craft, and his craft involved making even the best defenders in the world look like fools.

I don't think Michael Jordan liked that one bit, but there was nothing he could do.

5. Kobe Bryant Makes out Like Keyser Soze in 'The Usual Suspects'

I don't know how Kobe Bryant evaded police, the FBI, the CIA, pretty damned near everyone after this dunk.

Seriously, that was just WRONG.

First comes the behind-the-back dribble to throw poor Vincent Yarbrough off balance, and then he rises up above everyone to nearly break the rim.

Just a marvelous play.

4. The Move

Dear Lord. Magic Johnson's reaction says it all.

When you watch it in slow motion, you're just thinking, "No, this CAN'T be happening; he's not human..."

Then he shuts you up. Don't doubt the greatest to ever pick up a basketball.

3. Hakeem Olajuwon Has David Robinson Bamboozled

My apologies for the quality, but it's the only video I could find which showcases just this particular play.

Hakeem Olajuwon just took the reigning MVP for a ride. I have no words; that should not be allowed, period.

When a seven-footer gets this kind of skill and agility, the result is...well, we know what the answer is.

2. Julius Erving Ascends

This has to be the greatest display of vertical leap and athletic coordination in human history.

Julius Erving went over the greatest center ever, and then stays up for a while. Long enough to go up and under, BEHIND the basket.

Greatest offensive play ever, leading to...

1. Wilt Chamberlain Does the Unthinkable

The greatest defensive play AND overall play in NBA history.

It was a hard-fought battle for the No. 1 spot, but consider a few things:

1. There is no other recorded instance of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook EVER being blocked. This might be the only play of its kind, ever (there have been a bunch of other nasty fakes—the Dream Shake by Hakeem, and up-and-under moves—Jordan and Erving's plays).

2. It happened in the most crucial playoff series of Chamberlain's career, the 1972 Western Conference Finals. If he didn't win, he would forever be labeled as a perennial loser.

3. When Kareem went up the second time, his hand was probably about eight-and-a-half feet above the ground. The ball was about level with the top of the backboard. For Wilt to jump that high to block it, he could have looked down into the basket.

A controversial choice to be sure, but then, this article is my opinion, and my opinion is that this is the best individual play in NBA history.

Feel free to share yours with me and the rest of Bleacher Report. Thank you for reading.