Most Devastating Pick-and-Roll Finisher from Every NBA Team

The pick-and-roll is an art that goes fairly unnoticed in the NBA, and sometimes even unused.

It is one of the more underappreciated aspects of basketball. Teams take for granted that they may have a great pick-and-roll ball handler or finisher, and will not run it nearly enough.

When executed properly, the pick-and-roll is like an unstoppable force. There are too many options for the opposition to defend. A player could dish it off for an easy dunk or lay-in, or the ball-handler could step back for a quick jump shot.

Karl Malone and John Stockton are one of the best known tandems in the history of the NBA, and their recognition is largely due to their success at running the pick-and-roll. They perfected its execution and became downright dangerous when they ran it.

What constitutes a dangerous pick-and-roll?

The ability to finish.

Sure the ball-handler's job is important, but as the finisher, one does not always have an easy dunk on the horizon. The finisher has to be able to adjust to the defense's reaction and has to decide to either dunk the ball, go for the lay-in or settle for the quick jumper.

With this in mind, let's take a look at the most devastating pick-and-roll finisher from every NBA team.

Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith

What makes Josh Smith such a devastating pick-and-roll finisher?

His ability to dunk through traffic.

This portrayed pick-and-roll was actually poorly ran, with Smith not even getting time to set a full screen, but he saw his opening and finished anyway. His prolific dunking ability makes him a tough player to stop in a pick-and-roll situation.

Some may expect to see Al Horford in this slot, but the truth is Smith is better at executing and finishing the pick-and-roll. He is also their bust dunker in general.

And it's fitting that the Atlanta Hawks' best dunker is also their best pick-and-roll finisher.

Boston Celtics: Jermaine O'Neal

With Rajon Rondo, one would think the Boston Celtics would be an elite pick-and-roll team, yet they aren't.

Rondo is a prolific passer, but the Celtics do not have any truly devastating pick-and-roll finishers, so the title goes to Jermaine O'Neal.

O'Neal is maybe used to getting dunked on more at this point in his career, but he is Rondo's best option on the pick-and-roll. With Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen on the floor, teams neglect to put actual focus on O'Neal, and he has the ability to run the lane and dunk it with authority.

This is an aspect of their game the Celtics really need to work on next season though.

Charlotte Bobcats: Boris Diaw

The Charlotte Bobcats lost a devastating pick-and-roll finisher in Gerald Wallace when they traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers, so that title belongs to Boris Diaw.

Diaw is a solid finisher in general, with the ability to maneuver his way through the paint, making him a great pick-and-roll candidate. The Bobcats did not run the pick-and-roll nearly enough last season, so it is something they need to work on this year.

It will be interesting to see if Diaw can perfect the finishing of the pick-and-roll with D.J. Augustin and Kemba Walker.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose

Why isn't Carlos Boozer or Joakim Noah featured on this slide?

Because Derrick Rose is a much better pick-and-roll finisher.

Rose is the Chicago Bulls' go-to guy for just about anything, including the pick-and-roll. This video shows a perfect execution on his part against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not that it matters, but Rose should also be given special consideration because he is the primary ball-handler in these situations. He has to direct the offense into the correct position so that he can dish the ball off and run one of the quicker pick-and-rolls.

Rose was MVP for a reason.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Antawn Jamison

With LeBron James in Miami, the Cleveland Cavaliers did not have that go-to pick-and-roll finisher, so the title goes to Antawn Jamison.

Cleveland did not run the pick-and-roll often this season, but when they did, Jamison was a benefactor, even more so than Anderson Varejao. He has great leaping ability for his age and can get to the basket effectively.

It will be interesting to see if he can expand upon it with the incoming Kyrie Irving.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki really emerged as one of the most athletic players in the game this past season.

Nowitzki carried the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA title and he is their best pick-and-roll finisher by far. Here, he runs the pick-and-roll with J.J. Barea, but he also runs effectively with Jason Kidd and Jason Terry.

What also makes him so dangerous is his ability to adjust to the defense. His pick-and-roll finishes truly vary between dunks, layups and jump shots. 

Nowitzki seems to be getting better with age, so it is not out of the question for the Mavs to pick-and-roll their way to a repeat next season.

Denver Nuggets: J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith is still a member of the Denver Nuggets, so for now at least he is their best pick-and-roll finisher. 

Smith is a very good dunker, especially for a shooting guard, and most of his pick-and-roll finishes have come by splitting the defense as we see in the above video. He is not afraid to attack the rim and teams often forget how athletic he actually is.

If Denver retains Smith, look for him to develop more of a pick-and-roll cohesion with the young Ty Lawson. 

Detroit Pistons: Ben Gordon

Ben Gordon is the Detroit Pistons' most devastating pick-and-roll finisher by far actually.

He attacks the rim with surprising power for a shooting guard. Opposing teams are usually worried that he is going to stop and take the quick jump shot, which leaves the lane to the basket open for him in such scenarios.

Gordon is adept at reading the defense and as a result makes them pay on the pick-and-roll.

Rodney Stuckey and the Pistons do need to utilize this strength of Gordon's much more next season.

Golden State Warriors: David Lee

The video above is not an exact pick-and-roll scenario, but it gets the point across that David Lee is the best pick-and-roll finisher for the Golden State Warriors.

Lee is a very versatile power forward/center, which makes him extremely dangerous in these scenarios. He can hit the jump shot, dunk with authority and even has enough finesse to adjust mid-air and toss in a layup.

Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, should he not be traded, need to run the pick-and-roll with Lee more often. Teams are most concerned that with Ellis and Curry shooting the ball, their defense may let up on Lee.

And whenever they do, Lee will make them pay.

Houston Rockets: Kevin Martin

The Houston Rockets rarely run the pick-and-roll, so it is hard to choose their most devastating finisher in that respect.

However, Houston's best overall finisher is Kevin Martin, so the title goes to him. He uses his quickness to get inside the paint and then displays his surprising strength by throwing it down on occasion.

His pick-and-roll potential is a fairly untapped resource that the Rockets need to be sure to use much more next season.

Indiana Pacers: Tyler Hansbrough

The Indiana Pacers are yet another team that does not utilize the pick-and-roll to their advantage when they really should.

Tyler Hansbrough, though not an All-Star, is a very strong finisher and can start his offensive set from the top of the key, making him a great pick-and-roll partner to run with. He is not afraid to go to the basket in traffic, as we can see here, and even though it is not a pick-and-roll, his ability to finish is obvious.

Indiana has to make use of this skill of Hansbrough's much better next season. 

Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

It should come as no surprise that Blake Griffin is the most devastating pick-and-roll finisher for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The 2011 Slam Dunk Champion shows off his ability to finish in the above video. He is one of the most prolific finishers overall in the game, and he can take the ball to the hole from the top of the key.

If Los Angeles wants to become a playoff team next season, they need to run the pick-and-roll with Griffin more often. He is an unstoppable force when he gets within 10 feet of the basket and it would be naive of the Clippers not to tap this resource even further.

Los Angeles Lakers: Andrew Bynum

The Los Angeles Lakers' 7'0" Andrew Bynum can be absolutely devastating on the pick-and-roll when he wants to be.

When he is down low, there are few teams that have someone who can actually match up with him, and he is adept at exploiting in such circumstances a pick-and-roll. His size is a huge asset in a pick-and-roll setting and he knows, and has even shown, he is fairly comfortable with it. 

Bynum is very inconsistent though, and so is Los Angeles, in terms of running the pick-and-roll with anyone on the team, let alone Bynum. If the Lakers utilized him as a pick-and-roll target more often, it may give him enough confidence to bring the rest of his game together.

Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol

Marc Gasol is by far the best finisher with the pick-and-roll for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gasol can run the floor and is versatile enough to start his offensive set from beyond the key, making him a perfect candidate. Add his 7'1" structure to the equation and you have an unstoppable force.

Little known about Gasol is his ability to set hard, effective screens, which truly set up the success for the pick-and-roll. And his knowledge of when to roll out and when to cut to the basket is just as impressive.

The Grizzlies utilized Gasol's pick-and-roll skills quite effectively last season, and should they be able to hold on to the restricted free agent, look for it to frequent their offense even more next season.

Miami Heat: Chris Bosh

The Miami Heat's most devastating pick-and-roll finisher is not LeBron James nor is it Dwayne Wade, it is, in fact, Chris Bosh.

Seriously?

Yes, seriously.

Whenever LeBron or Wade has the ball, the opposition expects them to shoot, so if they run a pick-and-roll with Bosh, he has a clear path to the basket. However, even if he does it, as the video shows above, he is more than capable of adjusting mid-air.

And while this is expected of Bosh because he is more of a finesse player, he can fly through the lane and jam it just as well as anyone else. He is a lot more aggressive in the paint than most people realize.

Miami needs to run the pick-and-roll more often with Bosh, and use Wade and LeBron more like decoys. It would result in a lot of easy baskets.

Milwaukee Bucks: Andrew Bogut

The 7'0" Andrew Bogut is by far the Milwaukee Bucks' most devastating pick-and-roll finisher.

With Bogut's height and wing span, he is able to dunk from a substantial distance away from the basket. He also has great hands for a center.

Bogut rarely finishes a pick-and-roll with finesse, opting to go for all-out dunks every time. It may seem like an almost stubborn tradition, but as you can see, it is working for him. He is not afraid to go at the rim with defenders in his face.

If given the opportunity, the 26-year-old Bogut can devastate the opposition over and over again via the pick-and-roll.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Love

Kevin Love tweeted he was thinking about pick-and-rolls just after Ricky Rubio agreed to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, which is no coincidence.

Rubio gives Love the pick-and-roll partner he has lacked up until now. Love, in addition to being a premiere rebounder, is also a prolific finisher. Pay special attention to highlight No. 6 in this video and you will see how devastating he can be off the pick-and-roll.

With Rubio now on board, Love should get a lot more opportunities like that one.

New Jersey Nets: Brook Lopez

Some consider New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez to only be a finesse center, but this exhibition proves otherwise.

Lopez may have great ball-handling skills for someone his size, and he has some range, but he also possesses the power to throw down a powerful dunk every now and again.

Look at the way he rolls over the defense and gets the ball near the top of the key. Despite being so far away from the basket he finds a way to take it to the hole and throw it down. If this isn't a powerful finish, then what is?

With Deron Williams at the helm for at least one more season, Lopez may become even more devastating.

New Orleans Hornets: Trevor Ariza

Unfortunately no videos were available to do Trevor Ariza's pick-and-roll abilities justice.

The high-flying New Orleans Hornets forward is not afraid to take the ball to the rim. When running the pick-and-roll with Chris Paul, Ariza has the quickness to roll off the defense and be more than halfway toward the basket before the opposition can even react.

His leaping abilities allow him to take off from a farther distance than others, and his fearless attitude on the inside allows him to consistently finish strong. These qualities make him a favorite pick-and-roll partner for Paul.

Not bad for a second-round draft pick.

New York Knicks: Amar'e Stoudemire

The resurgence of the New York Knicks brought with it a revival of the pick-and-roll, both at the hands of Amar'e Stoudemire.

Here Stoudemire partners up with Landry Fields, but before Raymond Felton was traded, he and Stoudemire had become unstoppable when running that sequence.

Stoudemire is one of the more elusive power forwards in the league, and he is also a threat from the outside, as well as the inside, making him difficult to guard for opposing teams, especially within the pick-and-roll. And his ability to finish strong only makes him further devastating.

The Knicks and their fans surely hope Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups can develop a cohesion within a pick-and-roll setting for next season. Some may even be imagining what a Chris Paul and Stoudemire pick-and-roll pairing would be like.

Just saying.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Serge Ibaka

Surprisingly enough, the Oklahoma City Thunder do not utilize pick-and-roll sequences very often, which is especially astonishing given the fact they have players like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on the roster.

When the pick-and-roll is run though, Serge Ibaka is Oklahoma City's most devastating finisher. As we saw in this year's dunk contest, his leaping ability is immaculate.

Ibaka's specialty is put-back dunks, but he is also a strong finisher with the pick-and-roll. Every jam of his seems to shake the building and create an unfounded vibe on the floor.

No surprise here that the high flying Ibaka is the most devastating pick-and-roll finisher for the Thunder.

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard

The most devastating pick-and-roll finisher for the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard, is also the most talented inside player overall in the league.

Dwight Howard may be nearly 7'0" tall and 265 pounds, but he moves with the finesse and agility of someone much smaller and lighter. However, he quickly changes gears when he goes up to the rim, dunking the ball with as much power as anyone else to play the game.

Howard's versatility allows him to roll off of screens effectively, and his overwhelming strength allows him to take the ball right to the rim just about whenever he wants.

If only he had a premiere point guard to partner up with in such sequences. 

Maybe Chris Paul feels the same way.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala

Some of Andre Iguodala's best dunks are shown above, and while only No. 9 comes close to a pick-and-roll situation, the idea is to convey how devastating a finisher he is.

And to also bring to light how the Philadelphia 76ers fail to run the pick-and-roll very often.

Iguodala is quick, strong and aggressive, which are the exact qualities of a devastating finisher. His elusiveness makes him tough to guard in general, let alone while he is rolling off a screen and on his way to the basket.

Shooting guards are not particularly known for being prolific dunkers, especially in pick-and-roll situations. 

Iguodala is one of the exceptions.

Phoenix Suns: Vince Carter

Steve Nash lost a devastating pick-and-roll finisher in Amar'e Stoudemire last summer, so now the title belongs to Vince Carter.

Carter is a shell of his former self, but he still has pretty terrific leaping ability. He is one of the best dunkers the game has ever seen. At one point in his career, it seemed he spent more time in the air than on the actual court. 

The Phoenix Suns do not have the go-to pick-and-roll attack they used to, and while Channing Frye may be the target of choice at times for Nash, the most devastating finisher is Carter.

Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge emerged as one of the more prolific players in the league last season, even generating some consideration for the MVP award from some.

Aldridge is a solid inside-out player and a very strong finisher. Here he shows how hard he can finish when rolling out on the defense. His strength allows him to take flight through traffic much more congested than shown above.

Newcomer Raymond Felton developed quite a pick-and-roll cohesion with Amar'e Stoudemire in New York, and the Portland Trail Blazers are hoping that he and Aldridge can develop something much similar to that next season.

Sacramento Kings: Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson is not only the Sacramento Kings' most devastating pick-and-roll finisher, but also the strongest finisher overall.

Thompson has great leaping ability and takes flight so often it seems that he prefers hanging on the rim to running up and down the court. The 6'11" center wears his size well and while not as bulky as some other big men, finds a way to overpower his opponents in the paint.

Additionally,Thompson is very quick for his size, making him the perfect pick-and-roll partner for any point guard.

Who knows, maybe we will even see the sharp-shooting Jimmer Fredette and Thompson become a tandem in such a sequence.

Dare to dream, Kings fans, dare to dream.

San Antonio Spurs: Richard Jefferson

Richard Jefferson may be a player that the San Antonio Spurs would like to move, but he is still their most devastating pick-and-roll finisher.

Tim Duncan is by far the smartest finisher, but the power with which Jefferson attacks the basket is something no one else on the team matches. He is aging, but he is still very athletic and maintains a great vertical leaping ability.

When it comes to the pick-and-roll, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli run it with Duncan more often, but when such a sequence runs through Jefferson, he packs an added punch that devastates the opposition even further. 

Toronto Raptors: Andrea Bargnani

Andrea Bargnani may not be the best defender, but he is certainly the most explosive player on the offensive end for the Toronto Raptors.

Bargnani has solid ball-handling skills for a seven-footer, which allows him to begin his offensive sets from anywhere on the court. It also allows him to roll to the outside during a pick-and-roll, as shown above, and catch teams off guard by finishing it strong at the rim.

When Bargnani drives to the basket, he goes strong each and every time.

His execution of the pick-and-roll is no different.

Utah Jazz: Al Jefferson

Al Jefferson is a very devastating pick-and-roll finisher, more than a lot of people realize.

Jefferson's skills were under-utilized even when Deron Williams was still with the Utah Jazz, but once he was traded, the pick-and-roll was almost non-existent. Despite this, the 6'10" Jefferson's explosiveness is clearly evident.

Jefferson goes to the basket strong and is not intimidated by low-post players who may be taller and heavier than he is. He also rolls over screens with ease like many other devastating pick-and-roll finishers do.

Next season it will be interesting to see if he and Alec Burks can develop any type of cohesiveness in a pick-and-roll setting.

Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

The Washington Wizards, even with the ever elusive John Wall, are not a team known for running the pick-and-roll, but it is not for lack of capable candidates for Wall to partner with.

JaVale McGee is as explosive as a 7'0" center can be. He is known as a strong finisher and he is very effective in the low post. Additionally, his size allows him to overpower many of those who may attempt to stand in his way.

When McGee has opportunities to be part of a pick-and-roll, he typically makes the most of them. He rolls over screens to the outside, where he is less likely to catch the attention of defenders, and he either receives a pass and then drives to the basket or he begins his descent into the paint without the ball, ready for the pass.

And each time he finishes, he does so with devastating authority.

Wall and McGee need to develop more of a cohesive pick-and-roll set next season. If they can do that, look for their offensive numbers to improve, giving them a better chance at becoming playoff contenders once again.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @DannyFavs2033.