The NBA playoffs have come and gone, but an important question remains: What are the top ten violent dunks in the 2021-22 playoffs?
The NBA's 75th anniversary season came to an end with the Golden State Warriors lifting their fourth Larry O'Brien Trophy in the past 8 years, the last team to stand up again after a two-month four-game playoff.
According to Basketball-Reference, there were 662 dunks in this year's playoffs. Not every dunk is a violent dunk.
Here are the top 10 powerful dunks from the 2021-22 NBA playoffs
10. Joel Embiid – April 20, 2022
It was the third game in the first round of the playoffs for the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors. The 76ers led 2-0, but at the time they trailed the Raptors by five points in the third quarter.
At this point, Joel Embiid pretended to cover Gary Trent Jr. and broke through the basket. James Harden passed to Embiid, who had only one side to throw off to help Pascal Siakam, who was standing between him and the basket. There was no need to dribble anymore, Embiid caught the pass and rushed straight to poor Siakam. Embiid hit the dunk straight. Embiid lowered his hammer, Siakam flew backwards and the goal swayed in the wind.
9. Alphabet Brother - May 9, 2022
It was the fourth game between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bucks led 2-1 and led by four points just one minute into the third quarter.
Marcus Smart received deep cover from Horford in the box and turned to try to pass the ball to Horford. But Horford wasn't there and the ball was cut off by Holliday.
Holliday passed the ball to Brother Alphabet, a man who wanted to enter the box. Horford tried to stop the attack, but he was no match for Brother Alphabet. The Greek monster easily passed the defender, smashed the ball into the basket with brute force, and produced a beautiful sound of the basket bouncing.
The Bucks fans boiled over as Alphabet Brother stared at Horford, who taunted and nodded at Horford, only to be blown a technical foul. But Horford and the Celtics had the last laugh, beating the Bucks 43-28 in the fourth quarter to tie the score to 2-2. Horford scored 30 points in the game and responded with a violent dunk in the fourth quarter and hit Alphabet's face with his elbow. However, Horford's dunk was far less violent than the alphabet brother's dunk.
8. Carl-Anthony Downs - April 16, 2022
It was the first game of the first round of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies. Played at FedEx Stadium in Memphis, Wolves led by one point in the third quarter.
D'Angelo Russell passed the ball to Carl Anthony Downs, who carried Jay Morant on his back. Towns immediately turned and rushed to the basket, leaving Morant behind. Jalan Jackson Jr. was defending under the basket, but Towns had already flown up and crashed directly into Jaren Jackson Jr. Towns slammed the ball into the basket and yelled in the direction of Jackson Jr. Jayden McDaniels also said some trashy words to Jackson Jr.'s face, much to the point of upsetting Jackson Jr. to the point of knocking McDaniels down and getting a technical foul.
7. Gary Payton II – 1 May 2022
It was the first game of the Western Conference semifinals, played by the Golden State Warriors against the Memphis Grizzlies. Before Dillon Brooks and Jay Morant got the chance to pack Curry, Stephen Curry accurately passed the ball to Gary Payton II, who was moving. When Desmond Bain came to assist, Gary Payton II dunked the ball straight through Bane into the basket. Gary Payton II glared at Bane while performing a head-scratch dunk celebration. Jordan Poole and Damien Lee sat on the bench and jumped in cheers to celebrate Gary Payton II's wonderful dunk.
6. Jaylen Brown – May 25, 2022
It was the crucial fifth game in the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. Although the two sides were tied 2-2, with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Celtics were far ahead with a 16-point advantage at the Miami FTX Arena.
When Jaylen Brown dribbled under al-Horford's cover and then rushed to the basket, Adebayor stepped in to help, but it was too late. Brown immediately rushed to the basket, dunked hard, and the ball went in but Brown also fell to the ground. The Celtic benches are crazy. Pat Riley and Alonzo Morning looked miserable.
5. Donovan Mitchell – April 21, 2022
It was the third game in the first round series between the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz trailed the Mavericks by 13 points in the fourth quarter, and fans at the Jazz's home wing at Wivent Arena needed the team to perform better.
It was at this point that Donovan Mitchell eliminated multiple Lone Rangers defenders, leaving only Davis Bertans as the last line of defense. Bertans did his best to defend, but he couldn't stop Mitchell's shot in the box. Mitchell slammed Bertans and the basket into a ferocious dunk that immediately boiled over the home fans. Mitchell stuck out her tongue and celebrated with her eyes wide open.
Grant Hill explained in the replay: "This ball took Bertans' soul."
4. Andrew Wiggins – May 22, 2022
This is game three of the Western Conference Finals, with the Golden State Warriors playing against the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors, who led 2-0 in the series and eight points in the fourth quarter, are hoping to take a significant 3-0 lead at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Drummond Green covered for Stephen Curry, Stephen dribbled through Jarlen Brunson and three Lone Rangers defenders tried to provide co-defense. Curry passed the ball to Andrew Wiggins on the right wing.
Wiggins took the left, leaving the slowly approaching Bullock behind, and Luka Doncic became the only barrier between him and the basket. Wiggins jumped from the free throw line, ascended, went around Doncic, knocked Luca to the ground with his empty hand, and smashed the basketball into the basket with a dunk.
3. Spencer Dinwiddie – April 21, 2022
It's the same as the previously mentioned Donovan Mitchell's fifth big dunk in the playoffs, where the Lone Ranger and Jazz had a great dunk in the third game of the first round, but this time it was the Jazz who were humiliated.
Jaylen Brunson carried the ball up front and passed the ball to Spencer Dinwiddie, who was at the top of the penalty area. The Jazz's defense, as they often do in the playoffs, looks in poor shape. There was no one within a 1 meter radius of Dinwiddie. Rudy Gobert dragged his feet inside the penalty area, trying to figure out who to defend. Dinwiddie wasn't intimidated by gobert, the three-time defensive player of the year. Dinwiddie flew above Gobert, and as soon as Gobert left the ground, Dinwiddie had already taken off, randomly with a heavy dunk and a defensive foul on Gobert. Dinwiddie was very calm, celebrating with his teammates as usual and preparing for the free throws.
2. Andrew Wiggins – May 3, 2022
It's the second round of the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. Andrew Wiggins received the ball at key positions and passed the ball to Drummond Green, which is the Warriors' most classic and original way of passing.
After Jordan Poole's pass, the ball returned to Wiggins, who was in key positions. Wiggins broke through Tyvus Jones and then broke into the penalty area. Morant went up to guard Wiggins, but Wiggins' one stride passed him. This left Brandon Clark to go and save his teammates. Wiggins took off 1 metre from the dotted penalty area and pounced directly on Clark, snapping the ball in with both hands while knocking Clark to the ground. On top of that, Wiggins glared at Clark lying on the ground.
The Warriors' bench players all jumped up, but no one was more excited than Curry, who walked toward the court, fist-pumping, shouting, proud of Wiggins.
1. Jay Morant – April 26, 2022
It was a crucial fifth game in the first round for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies. Once again, we came to the FedEx Forum in Memphis, home to four of the top ten violent dunks in the playoffs.
The series was tied 2-2, but in the final moments of the third quarter, the Grizzlies trailed the Timberwolves by 13 points.
Under high cover from Brandon Clark, Morant rushed to the basket. There were Timberwolves defenders gathered around him. That wouldn't stop Morant from doing his thing, absolutely not.
Just dribbling from the logo twice, Morant can reach the penalty area. Malik Beasley stepped forward and showed that he was going to attack, but Morant directly overtook Beasley and smashed the ball into the basket.
The memphis home crowd was furious, while Morant was very calm, as calm as ever.
Bird was right, "If there's anything that makes the audience cheer on the Grizzlies' home court, it's Ja Morante's full-blown out!"
In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies will lead the Timberwolves by 13 points and win the game by 2 points. Do we also need to remind you who is on the basket?