NBA Power Rankings: Dwight Howard and the 25 Nastiest Blocks of 2010-11 (Video)

Dwight Howard has impressive athleticism, but as far as his ability to swat shots, he could learn a thing or two from JaVale McGee.

Mark that under sentences I never thought I'd say in 2011.

McGee shows up an impressive five times in the top 25, accounting for 20 percent of the season's nastiest swats all by himself.

But can he claim the top spot? Only one way to find out.

25. JaVale McGee on Brandon Roy

This isn't one of McGee's more impressive blocks of the season...or is it?

The kid is a legitimate 7'0" tall and has to soar to new heights in order to deflect this shot away from the rim.

And if you look closely, Brandon Roy's jaw just about hits the hardwood after the lanky center denies him the scoop shot.

24. Al Horford on Tyreke Evans

Horford doesn't get a lot of love as a shot-blocker, but this one was too tasty to leave off the list.

Not only does Horford block Evans' path to the basket in a tie game, he actually winds up deflecting the ball off of the Kings and shifts the entire momentum.

That's not too shabby for an "undersized" guy playing down low.

23. Erick Dampier on Mo Evans

Erick(a) Dampier takes a lot of flack in the NBA, but nobody was talking smack about him after this one.

Josh Smith made what looked to be a dynamite pass underneath the basket to a cutting Mo Evans, but Dampier was right there to make sure that nobody was putting that ball in his basket.

This could very well wind up as the veteran center's top highlight this season, so soak it in.

22. Hakim Warrick on Tony Parker

It's not so much that Warrick swats Tony Parker's floater with aggression, because he doesn't.

But watch this video closely. Look how far Warrick cuts across the floor to provide help defense to Nash before elevating to his highest point and providing excellent defense.

If you're not impressed, you're not a fan of incredible NBA defense.

21. Amir Johnson on Taj Gibson

Amir Johnson takes a lot of flack for being an overpaid player, but it's easy to see why Toronto gave him such a lucrative deal when he makes plays like this.

An extraordinary athlete, Johnson gets sky-high in order to take on Taj Gibson head-to-head and successfully stuffs him from an easy dunk attempt.

Well done.

20. Danny Granger on Dorell Wright

Not many people ever talk about the defense that Danny Granger plays.

Ironically, his best block of the season came against the Golden State Warriors, who don't exactly define what defensive intensity should be at the professional level.

I bet Dorell Wright really regrets challenging him on this one.

19. JaVale McGee on Brook Lopez

We all know that Brook Lopez can't rebound to save his life, but he is a very skilled offensive player.

Just look at that nice move down low, sliding across the lane and using his off hand to go up for the soft layup.

Maybe the more talented Lopez twin should use his size and dunk the ball so he wouldn't be victim to punishment like the kind he received from McGee on this block.  

18. JaVale Mcgee on Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh

Technically this one is two blocks in one, but both came on the same night and neither one deserved to go unrecognized.

McGee gives the Heat a "double dose of defense," and it's easy to see why the crowd got so fired up with the young center's effort.

He doesn't just block shots, he protects his house.

17. Emeka Okafor on Tiago Splitter

Someone should tell Mr. Splitter that he isn't playing in Europe anymore.

Those finesse attempts by the big man down low don't fly the same way in the NBA as they do in the Euroleague, and the Spurs rookie found that out the hard way against Emeka Okafor.

No. Easy. Buckets.

16. Dwight Howard on Shawn Marion

Dwight Howard calls himself Superman but can even Clark Kent get this high?

While some might call this one goaltending (what do you think?), Howard's insane athleticism is on display for the world to see with his swat of Shawn Marion.

D-Rose might be the favorite for MVP, but Dwight deserves a whole lot more attention.

15. Eric Bledsoe on Mario Chalmers

Blake Griffin's impact as a rookie has absolutely trumped Bledsoe's inaugural year with the Clippers, but there's a lot to like about this point guard of the future.

He plays hard, he can dish the rock with ease and, most importantly, he never quits on a play.

Just look at this amazing denial on Mario Chalmers.

14. Serge Ibaka on Blake Griffin

There's no doubt that Serge Ibaka is going to lead the NBA in blocks sooner rather than later.

He finished third this season, behind just Andrew Bogut and JaVale McGee (obviously) for average swats per contest, but there's a lot to like about Ibaka's rise this season.

He's not afraid to challenge anyone, even the super-rookie.

13. Glen Davis on Tyrus Thomas

Usually all we hear about is how many charges Big Baby has drawn, but this block on Tyrus Thomas really has me giving big props to the rotund power forward.

He could easily foul him and hope that he bricks at the line, but instead Davis uses all of his hops and challenges the uber-athletic TT in a big way.

And the crowd at this C's game clearly appreciated the effort.

12. Serge Ibaka on Tyson Chandler

You didn't think that Ibaka was showing up just once, did you?

I just talked about how this kid is going to lead the league in blocks, and if you don't believe me, just ask Tyson Chandler.

The veteran center looks absolutely deflated after seeing his attempt at a rim-rattling jam get shoved back into his face.

11. Kyle Lowry on Mike Conley

If Kyle Lowry doesn't win the Most Improved Player award this season then the system is simply rigged.

The "backup" point guard looks like he's headed toward stardom in Houston, and although the Rockets narrowly missed the playoffs this season, Lowry has a lot of fans smiling.

With the Rockets up by 30 points in the second quarter, he doesn't quit on the play and denies Mike Conley a layup at the rim.

10. Ray Allen on Tyson Chandler

Fans of the game know about how sweet Ray-Ray's three-point jumper is, but we're talking about a guy who blocked just 16 shots this season.

Well, I guess when he does swat an attempt, he really wants to make it count

Just look at the shooting guard deny Tyson Chandler from the rim.

9. Amar'e Stoudemire on Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose has done a number of impressive things this season, but I'm fairly certain he wants to forget about the early part of his Christmas morning.

After rebounding the ball and exploding down the court, it's clear that Rose wasn't exactly expecting Amar'e to give his full effort on the defensive end.

It's hard to blame him, but Stoudemire makes him look silly underneath the rim.

8. DeAndre Jordan on Beno Udrih

It might have taken some time, but DeAndre Jordan finally looks like a legitimate starting center in the NBA.

Chris Kaman was severely limited this season due to injury, and Jordan didn't shrink in the spotlight as he had in previous seasons.

Just look at this swat on Beno Udrih and tell me that's not a man playing with extreme confidence.

7. Sasha Pavlovic on Sebastian Telfair

Sasha Pavlovic has always been known as a plus-defender, but nobody knew he could do things like this.

After making a triumphant return to the NBA this season, Pavlovic wanted to make sure that he never fell out of the league again.

As long as he keeps making plays like these, there will always be a spot for him at the end of someone's bench.

6. J.J. Hickson on Blake Griffin

J.J. Hickson's coming-out party was on full display for the Cavs in 2010-11, and he was one of the few bright spots for the team throughout the horrific campaign.

But with the Cavs up by just three points in this tight game in the fourth quarter, Hickson sends the sure-fire ROY winner back to Los Angeles with this block.

Now that's what I'm talking about.

5. JaVale McGee on Blake Griffin

There is a drawback to playing the style of basketball that Blake Griffin does, and we're seeing it with this slide as well as the previous.

Not only is he going to get every inside defender's best game, but they're going to make it a point to stop him when he's looked otherwise unstoppable.

McGee might have been on the road in this one, but he lets the rookie know that he still needs to earn his keep in this league with an emphatic swat.

4. Dwight Howard on Luol Deng

Get that weak stuff outta here!

Luol Deng should have known better than to attempt a weak, off-balance floater while he was falling out of bounds.

With Superman patrolling the lane, you've got to come a lot more aggressive than that.

3. LeBron James on Ronny Turiaf

Is Ronny Turiaf for real?

Did he actually think that he could singlehandedly elevate over LeBron James and posterize the league's most athletic player?

I commend the effort, Monsieur Turiaf, but perhaps you should have waited for some teammates to help.

2. JaVale McGee on Wesley Matthews

JaVale McGee doesn't just block this Wes Matthews layup.

He literally shuts him down at the basket and rips the ball from his hand.

It's been a long time since I've seen a player record a block and a steal simultaneously with such emphasis and aggression, but after this one, you could hear a pin drop inside that arena.

1. Derrick Rose on James Johnson

Why should Derrick Rose be considered a favorite for MVP?

He's taken immeasurable leaps and bounds as a player this year in almost every facet of his game, but it goes far beyond that.

Rose doesn't quit. He isn't satisfied with anything unless the team wins, and his grind-it-out style of play in every minute of every game he's on the court is certain to sit well with the voters.

This is just part of the icing on the cake.