25 Heart-Pounding NBA Highlights to Get You Pumped for the NBA Season

The 2012-13 season is almost upon us, and the level of hype is certainly building.

To get you even more excited, it's time to take a look at 25 heart-pounding NBA highlights—most of which are from last season—to continue to build the excitement for the year.

From Gerald Green's monster windmill alley-oop to Dwyane Wade doing the original "Perkins", with a possible appearance by the "Reign Man," it's time to get amped up for the 2012-13 season by watching some jaw-dropping highlights. 

25. The Shawn Kemp Dunk-and-Point Combo

I had to do it.

Video highlights of the Reign Man are really the best way to get hyped up for any basketball event, especially the 2012-13 season.

Kemp's ridiculous dunk-and-point is without a doubt one of the greatest dunks of all time. It may just be the greatest play in basketball history. OK, that's a stretch, but it's still funkalicious. 

24. Dirk Nowitzki Against One of the Greatest Defenders of All Time

Dirk Nowitzki is one of the most clutch players in the NBA. While he'll be on the bench for the start of the season, his ridiculous game-winning shots will serve as a great way to get amped up for the 2012-13 season.

Mavs fans have these kinds of epic shots to look forward to once Nowitzki returns from his knee surgery. 

23. Derrick Rose over Kobe and Pau for the Win on Christmas Day

Oh, Derrick Rose, if you knew how much all of us will miss you.

I remember last Christmas Day like it was yesterday, only because of Rose's ridiculous game-winner over Pau Gasol. I watched that shot on replay an insane amount of times. Rose made it look so easy.

This shot should get fans amped up for the season and for Rose's epic return. 

22. The Original "Perkins," Performed by Dwyane Wade

Blake Griffin's massive throw down on Kendrick Perkins got a lot of attention last season. But let's not forget the original massive dunk on Perkins—performed by Dwyane Wade.

Wade's dunk was even more impressive because he spun into it and got knocked in the face while doing it. Wade's still got it, that's for sure. 

21. For the Love of the Game

Kevin Love won't be hitting these game winners, or any shots for that matter, for the first few weeks of the 2012-13 NBA season.

But these moments will give Timberwolves fans hope of what's to come once Love returns to the court. Love is one player who can seemingly hit any shot from anywhere on the court. 2013 MVP candidate once he returns? 

20. Kobe Bryant Really Is a One-Man Team

Everyone jokes about being a one-man show, but here he really was. Not a lot of players are smart enough to do what Kobe did in this situation, so props to him for that.

This year, though, Kobe will have Howard crashing the rim to throw an alley-oop to, instead of having to pass the ball to himself. Not a bad trade off for the Black Mamba. 

19. JaVale McGee Playing Defense on Offense

I wanted to put all of these eight boneheaded plays up as separate highlights because they are absolutely amazing.

JaVale McGee is certainly maturing, but his idiotic plays will always hold a special place in my heart. They are a great way to add some laughs to a bad day. 

18. Durantula, as Cool as Ice

Kevin Durant hits game winners with the best of them. What he does better than others is make it look like nothing special happened.

Durantula hits game winners like he's hitting free throws in the gym. Durant has that leg up on LeBron, and it will be a long time until that changes. 

17. Dwight Howard's Lakers Debut

This may be a bit premature, but hey, who's counting? Dwight Howard's debut as a Laker was pretty impressive.

It was a wake-up call to the rest of the NBA. It let everyone know just how good he is, and just how good the Lakers are going to be with him. It's exciting for the Lake Show—but terrifying for the rest of the league. 

16. The Step-Back Dagger from the Beard

Here's a situation for you. Time is running out and you have Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook locked down. Think you're good, right?

Wrong. James Harden is hanging out on the perimeter waiting to rain on your parade. The bearded beast is waiting. 

15. Dwyane Wade with a Trademark 360-Degree Circus Shot

Dwyane Wade is the king of circus shots. He hits 360-degree layups, behind-the-head shots and no-lookers with ease.

Raise your hand if you're ready for a few more shots like the one in the slide this season. I'm sure Wade will have some remarkable shots up his sleeve this year. 

14. Wait, Rajon Rondo Just Did What?

This highlight is exactly why we love Rajon Rondo. He brings amazing street skills to the NBA and makes it look like a cake walk.

A behind-the-back pass would have been impressive enough, but that's not hard enough for Rondo. He had to throw in a spin move before that. I can't even do something like that in my dreams. I'd end up throwing the ball into the fourth row. I'd probably travel too. 

13. Luol Deng Sinks the Raptors with a Game-Winning Tip

The Chicago Bulls' fate early in the 2012-13 season will rely heavily on Luol Deng's production. Luckily, he knows a thing or two about making game-winning shots—or tips.

Talk about ball awareness. That's the name of the game here, and Deng does it all too well. Not sure why he handed the ball off to C.J. Watson in the first place, but he made up for it with the tip-in. 

12. Derrick Rose Going to Work on Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings got a dagger to the heart when Derrick Rose abused him in the waning moments of this matchup.

In all honesty, Jennings defended this one as well as any player could. It just shows how ridiculously good Rose is. Watch the video and take note of how many times Jennings switches his defensive stance trying to keep up with Rose. 

Rose, please come back soon. We all want to see more shots like this. 

11. Carmelo Anthony Sinks the Bulls

Carmelo Anthony may not have helped the New York Knicks out of the first round of the 2012 NBA playoffs, but he sure made a few ridiculous shots to sink the Bulls last season.

'Melo has one of the sickest strokes in the game, and he's got the confidence to pull the trigger in the clutch. I bet we'll see a shot or two like this during the upcoming season. 

10. Kyrie Irving Puts the Cavaliers on His Back and Goes to Work

Kyrie Irving went into TD Garden as a rookie and sank the Boston Celtics. Yep, that's pretty impressive to do as a rookie.

Talk about confidence. Irving's got that "cold-blooded killer" look in his eyes when time is running off the clock, and that's what is going to make him such a special player over the next couple years. 

9. LeBron James Has the Clutch Moment His Legacy Needed

En route to his first NBA title, LeBron had a moment that Heat fans and LeBron supporters will never forget. 

With cramps nearly crippling him, he stepped up and hit a go-ahead three-pointer that most players only dream of. What an epic moment in LeBron's career-altering 2011-12 season. It's certainly a sign of things to come this year—minus the cramps. 

8. The Linsanity Begins

Linsanity may have started in the Big Apple, but it has now found its way to the city of Houston, and Rockets fans are hoping that they get some awe-inspiring moments like this one.

Lin's confidence precedes him, and it's why he was so successful last year. I'm sure Lin has some tricks left up his sleeve. If he doesn't, it's going to be a long year in Houston. 

7. Rudy Fernandez with the No-Look Pass to Kenneth Faried

Kenneth Faried and Rudy Fernandez connected on one of the nastiest alley-oop combos of last season.

The chemistry those players had on that play is remarkable. It's like the Nuggets practice that play ever day. Who knows, maybe they do.

But, honestly,  if I found out that they actually do, it would make that play a lot less special. 

6. Blake Griffin Abuses Pau Gasol Twice in the Same Game

Pau Gasol shouldn't have showed up for this game. It was one of the most humiliating moments of his career, and it was all thanks to the dominant, powerful Blake Griffin.

Sure, the second dunk may have been an offensive foul, but still, you'd think Gasol would've learned to just get out of the way. Trying to stop a poster dunk is respectable sometimes, but in this case, it's just humiliating.

Poor Gasol. Maybe you should be "injured" when you go up against the Clippers this year. 

5. Russell Westbrook Takes Flight

Russell Westbrook doesn't have an off switch. Sure, he plays terribly sometimes. But even when he's playing horribly, he's still playing at 100 percent.

Seeing the 6'3'' Westbrook fly through the lane here and grab the alley-oop from Durant is mesmerizing. There's no way a player his size should be able to throw the ball down with that much force.

I wouldn't mind seeing some high-flying theatrics like this in the 2013 dunk contest—hint hint, Westbrook. 

4. Durant out-Guns Vinsanity for the Win

I could shoot this same shot 100 times and I'd hit it once or twice. I'm convinced that Durant would hit it 99 times.

Either way, Durant knocked out the Mavericks and out-shined Vince Carter with this quick-release jumper. The best part is how Durant reacts after the shot. He just smoothly walks down the court like, "What? Did you expect me to miss that?"

Cool, calm and collected. That's the story of Durant's life. 

3. Everybody Do the Perkins

Here it is—the "Perkins."

You had to know it would be somewhere on this list. This dunk was absolutely nasty, and it's certainly one of the top dunks in the history of the game.

Hopefully Perkins spent the summer watching film of the times he got posterized last year because he needs to be a smarter defender this year. Sometimes it's better to just let the dunk happen, Perk. 

2. LeBron James Defies Gravity and Leaps over John Lucas

LeBron James makes jumping over a human being look commonplace.

If I tried to do this, it would end with me and the other person getting a trip to the hospital. When LeBron does it, he just looks at the guy and then runs down the court.

What's next for LeBron? Jumping over a taller player, like 2012 No. 1 pick Anthony Davis? Okay, if he can't do that, we'll settle for another dunk over John Lucas. 

1. The Nets' Lone Highlight of the 2012 Season, Courtesy of Gerald Green

Before the move to Brooklyn, the New Jersey Nets didn't have a lot to get excited about last season, but this moment was certainly was certainly their saving grace.

Do yourself a favor and pause the video at the 0:30 mark and see that Green's line of sight is actually above the rim. Yep, he's actually looking above the rim. Not many players can do that. Heck, I'd even be scared to climb a ladder and jump off it at that height.

Throw in a windmill off the alley-oop here, and you've got the top highlight of the 2011-12 season. Let's hope Green has more in store for us this year.