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Because of the internet and being prisoners of the moment, last night’s Detroit Pistons-Orlando Magic playoff game had fans losing their minds, pretending they had never seen anyone get dunked on.
While Jamal Cain’s posterization of Jalen Duren earned a spot in this list’s best playoff dunks, more importantly, it put the Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, on the brink of an embarrassing elimination.
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There are many criteria for the best playoff dunks, including style, degree of difficulty and the hint of embarrassment it must conjure for those who end up on an endless loop of highlights, and for some, their own claim to fame.
Duran’s dunk makes this list, and here is the rest of ordinary players and Hall of Famers alike (in no particular order) getting yammed on during playoff time.
Kevin Garnett now has nightmares about this spectacular throwdown in the 2003 Western Conference quarterfinals by Bryant, who went baseline, not caring who was in his way. Any lesser player would have separated his shoulder on the dunk. However, Bryant’s flush over Steve Nash in the 2006 playoffs deserves some run and is criminally underrated.
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Tracy McGrady dunks on Shawn Bradley
McGrady, not generally known for his emotion, was understanding hyped after climbing the ladder on the 7-6 Bradley in the Mavericks-Rockets 2005 playoffs first round. McGrady’s Rockets ended up losing the series, which included a 40-point rout in Game 7.
John Starks lefty over MJ
The 1990s playoff battles between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls were must-see TV, and when Starks went baseline on their entire defense late in the fourth quarter of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, he sealed the victory and gave the Knicks a 2-0 series lead, which they would eventually lose.
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While Jordan has received his fair share of scorn, Horace Grant and his googles no doubt need some shame in this scenario.
These days, Ja Morant’s tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies could be considered a disappointment, thanks to his gun-toting celebration antics and multiple suspensions.
Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley was the unfortunate…
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Publish date : 2026-04-28 17:34:00
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