ASG Dunk Contest Field Set

[duncan228]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/01/21/dunk.contest.ap/index.html

Dunk contest field set
Howard, Green, Gay, Moon are in; fans to pick winner

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dwight Howard has another chance to impress the slam dunk contest voters -- which this year includes fans watching at home.

The Orlando Magic center was one of four players chosen Monday to compete in the dunk contest at All-Star weekend, which debuts a new format in the final round.

Defending champion Gerald Green, Toronto's Jamario Moon and Rudy Gay of Memphis round out the field for the event, which will be held Feb. 16 during All-Star Saturday night in New Orleans.

After the final round of dunks, fans can vote by text message or on NBA.com to determine the winner. A panel of judges will decide which two dunkers advance to the finals.

Howard failed to reach the finals last year in Las Vegas despite perhaps the most impressive dunk in the competition. While catching a high bounce pass from teammate Jameer Nelson for a right-handed slam, Howard reached nearly to the top of the backboard to slap a sticker bearing his face onto the glass. Nelson measured it at 12 feet, 6 inches off the ground.

Green, traded from Boston to Minnesota in the Kevin Garnett deal, will try to become the first repeat winner since Jason Richardson in 2002-03. Gay, in his second year with the Grizzlies, thinks he has the dunks to stop him.

"I've got something they haven't seen before," Gay said. "If they've seen it, I'm going to be upset."

The slam dunk contest is sponsored by Sprite.

[sa_kid20]

Jamario Moon is gonna fly like theres no gravity haha. Thats my pick.

[tlongII]

I'd like to see Travis Outlaw in this...

[Xylus]

Damn, I would love to see Amare and Dwight Howard compete in a dunk contest.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Jamario Moon is gonna fly like theres no gravity haha. Thats my pick.
That's who I'm going with too.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I got Green making it a back-to-back.

[freedom&justice]

What's Howard doing in a dunk contest for scrubs? Gay too..but he's not a franchise player and his team sucks. My pick is gonna be Moon as well. Sick dunker, that one. Green gets the sympathy second place vote, just 'cause his team sucks so much.

[duncan228]

What do you think of fans voting for the winner?


After the final round of dunks, fans can vote by text message or on NBA.com to determine the winner. A panel of judges will decide which two dunkers advance to the finals.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

What do you think of fans voting for the winner?
:tu

[Pistons < Spurs]

What do you think of fans voting for the winner?
It's keeping up with the times and the technology....but it has the possibility, to some extent, of turning it into a popularity contest as opposed to a true vote.

That being said, it doesn't really matter as the judges they always have give out some really stupid scores at times.

[duncan228]

It's keeping up with the times and the technology....but it has the possibility, to some extent, of turning it into a popularity contest as opposed to a true vote.

That being said, it doesn't really matter as the judges they always have give out some really stupid scores at times.

I agree that it could turn into a popularity contest, but that's no surprise based on the ASG starters voting.

I think they're trying to reach out, letting the fans feel like they're part of it. The judges can score strangely, letting the fans vote will let them feel like they can "fix" that.

[dirk4mvp]

Damn I've never even heard of Moon.

[BonnerDynasty]

:sleep :sleep

How can lebron not be in this. He seems like the type that would love the attention.

[kingsfan]

What do you think of fans voting for the winner?I think that was inevitable after the last 2 years. A lot of people think Iggy was robbed and I think Dwight should have won also.
Moon could take it this year though.

[ploto]

Damn I've never even heard of Moon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MWnSzfFNK8

He even brings out the chest bumping in Rasho!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdv3mDuv6F8&feature=related

[monosylab1k]

the dunk contest has sucked for years.

[monosylab1k]

Damn, I would love to see Amare and Dwight Howard compete in a dunk contest.
I don't think Amare knows what to do with a basketball unless Steve Nash throws it right into his hands.

"Put the orange thingy into the circle, Amare! Yes!"

[stretch]

the dunk contest has sucked for years.
I disagree. I think the one with Iggy was very good, except for the fact that he didnt win, when he was by far the best. I thought last years was pretty good too.

[JamStone]

And for his final dunk, Dwight Howard will attempt to dunk blindfolded while reciting the rosary and trying to impregnate a Miami Heat dancer at the same time.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

the problem is that the NBA needs to sweeten the pot with like a $2 Million grand prize or something.

That would definitely attract the bigger names like Kobe, James, maybe even bring back Carter or something

[monosylab1k]

I just think that the criticism of "all the great dunks have already been done" is legitimate. There's virtually no room for real originality in the dunk contest anymore. At this point they're resorting to gimmicks like stickers & tables & Spud Webb.

I'm sure there's ways to make the dunk contest more interesting, but the current format is just boring to me. The last dunk contest that truly entertained me was the Carter/McGrady/Francis duel.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I agree, the NBA needs to find a way to make the dunk contest more interesting. My ideas: Let them use trampolines and rings of fire. :smokin

[monosylab1k]

Maybe if it was an every four years type event, like the Olympics, it could work.

If it was a more rare event, it would seem like a bigger deal and they could probably attract bigger names...plus we wouldn't see the same old shit being done ever year so maybe when someone does a windmill dunk or goes between the legs for the 10000th time, it will seem more fresh.

[dirk4mvp]

The last dunk contest that truly entertained me was the Carter/McGrady/Francis duel.


imo, this was the best contest I've seen. Sure the ones from the 80's with Dominique and MJ going at it were great, but dunk for dunk the '00 one was the best.

[Medvedenko]

Yeah 00 was great....carter was wicked, no doubt...buy my pick is Jamario Moon...sweet name and sweet hops.

[Flo-Rida]

rudy Gay is my pick

[MagnusKrauss]

James White!

[jochhejaam]

"I've got something they haven't seen before," Gay said.
Piston fans have already seen him miss 3 straight wide-open dunks, so I assume it's something other than that.

[N4th4n]

I don't think Amare knows what to do with a basketball unless Steve Nash throws it right into his hands.

"Put the orange thingy into the circle, Amare! Yes!"

Are you aware he won rookie of the year long before Steve was ever in purple and orange. :lol Good job you ignorant fuck! Oh sorry I forgot, mavs fans did not start watching Bball until three years ago.

[monosylab1k]

Are you aware he won rookie of the year long before Steve was ever in purple and orange.
Are you aware that your team sucked dick back then too? ignorant fuck! :lol Oh sorry I forgot, suns fan that didn't start watching basketball until Nash came around!

[Xylus]

I don't think Amare knows what to do with a basketball unless Steve Nash throws it right into his hands.

"Put the orange thingy into the circle, Amare! Yes!"
That's interesting coming from a fan of a team that Amare consistently dominates.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Piston fans have already seen him miss 3 straight wide-open dunks, so I assume it's something other than that.

I :lol

[monosylab1k]

That's interesting coming from a fan of a team that Amare consistently dominates.
How is it interesting? Steve feeds Amare the ball, tells him to put the orange ball in the circle thing, and Dampier casually watches it happen as he does the math in his head of how badly he's screwing the Mavericks franchise out of money per hour.

Just because he can do his litte Westminster Dog Show routine that Steve taught him to perfection against the Mavs doesn't mean he's not still the biggest dumbshit in the NBA.

[monosylab1k]

Amare is trained as well as an otter at SeaWorld. The only difference of course is that an otter probably has a higher IQ. Sometimes I wonder if Steve carries a secret pouch of anchovies to toss to him as a treat for ever successful pic-n-roll.

[Findog]

That's Duhmare! Mono is dead-on, Amare is a poser and his IQ is somewhere around room temperature. Just read 7 Seconds or Less, he comes across as a huge twat.

[Medvedenko]

I actually heard Amare in a few interviews and he doesn't appear to be a retard or dumb in comparison to most of the NBA....but then again he's kind of a douche though as are all of the suns with exception to G-hill and the Polish Rifle.

[monosylab1k]

After reading that book, that entire team comes across as a big group of Special Ed kids being led by Nash. That guy looks after them in ways that I couldn't believe considering they're all professional basketball players. He basically stops just short of wiping their asses for them. No wonder those guys are so clueless when he's not on the court.

[Findog]

I actually heard Amare in a few interviews and he doesn't appear to be a retard or dumb in comparison to most of the NBA....but then again he's kind of a douche though as are all of the suns with exception to G-hill and the Polish Rifle.

What I dislike the most about Amare is how immature and selfish he is, how he dogged his rehab when he realistically could've returned in 05-06. Dallas has had real trouble with the Suns when he plays, a healthy Amare that year could've resulted in a Suns title since Dallas beat San Antonio for them. There's also the matter of what a poser he is -- why is a guy wearing an Al Capone or Rolling Stones t-shirt when he has absolutely no idea who they are?

"Where's Atlantic City?"

[Findog]

After reading that book, that entire team comes across as a big group of Special Ed kids being led by Nash. That guy looks after them in ways that I couldn't believe considering they're all professional basketball players. He basically stops just short of wiping their asses for them. No wonder those guys are so clueless when he's not on the court.

Shawn Marion throws a hissy fit, cries and soils his underwear whenever Mike D'Antoni fails to give him a cookie or take the team out for ice cream after a win.

[N4th4n]

Are you aware that your team sucked dick back then too? ignorant fuck! :lol Oh sorry I forgot, suns fan that didn't start watching basketball until Nash came around!

I fail to see how this adressess Amare's talent. His supporting cast at the time was terrible.

[Findog]

I fail to see how this adressess Amare's talent. His supporting cast at the time was terrible.

Shawn Marion and Stephon Marbury are terrible? Didn't the Suns win 44 games and take the champs to six games?