LeBron James and Paul George are among some of the best players in the entire NBA. Throughout the years, they have had some pretty fun matchups against each other, especially when James played for the Miami Heat and George played for the Indiana Pacers. Back in 2013, the two had a pretty contentious playoff series against one another and it led to some pretty incredible plays out on the court.
Recently, it was the anniversary of George's poster dunk on LeBron and the clip started to resurface on social media. To celebrate the occasion, George took to Instagram where he sent a light jab at LeBron while also giving him some respect, noting that he upped his game in the playoffs because James was pushing him so hard.
“I blame and thank LeBron James for what just happened. You pushed me to another level bro,” George explained. This year could potentially mark another chapter in the LeBron and George rivalry. Both men play for Los Angeles based teams and if the NBA comes back, there is a real chance they could face off against each other in one of the later rounds of the playoffs.
If that happens, we're sure both men will be giving us highlights for days.
Jay Z Reacts To LeBron’s Dunk While Sitting Courtside At Lakers x Bucks Game
Hov was in the building Friday night to watch LeBron and Giannis.
It appears Hov was at the Staple Center Friday night to watch a couple of the NBA's best players battle it out. With LeBron and AD hosting Giannis and the first place Milwaukee Bucks, Jay Z figured Friday night would be a good time to take in a Lakers game.
Dripped in all black Rhude, from designer Rhuigi Villasenor, Jay sat courtside Friday night and was the man of the hour. Having chatted with Rich Paul and Michael B Jordan throughout the game, the cameras were all over Hov, and at one point, even caught his reaction to a monster dunk from LeBron late in the second quarter, which you can see for yourself (below). I’ve also included a couple pics of him and a few celebrities who paid him a visit during the game, including LeBron and AD who dapped it up with him after the game.
In other news, look for Jay Z to be featured on a couple of records off Jay Electronica's forthcoming first album, which is reportedly set to arrive on March 16th. While details remain scarce, let’s hope the release date actually sticks and these rumors of Hov being featured are true. We’ll keep you posted moving forward.
Boosie Badazz Causes Ruckus With Pure Struggle Dunk
Fresh off the announcement that he’s getting a reality TV show, Boosie Badazz has decided to shoot for the stars.
Following the announcement that By Us For Us and HotNewHipHop were teaming up for a full-fledged Boosie Badazz reality TV show called Badazz Boosie, one thing has become abundantly clear: antics are coming. In full force, at that.
Never one to pull punches or hold his tongue in the name of decorum, the amusing yet rough-around-the-edges Louisiana rapper seems like he has been waiting his entire life for this moment. And lord knows he’s already been hamming it up for the cameras. Whether he’s shooting a family-choreographed shot at Rihanna or trying his hand at securing a basketball scholarship, Boosie’s recent demeanor has been brimming with joie de vivre.
Unable to contain his excitement, Boosie decided to express himself through some garage athletics. Gearing up to land a scintillating dunk, Boosie throws double-dribble etiquette out the window and soars headlong for the net. Unfortunately, his valiant attempt falls flat — not only does the ball miss, but his exuberance also sends the entire net careening to the ground.
At the very least, the struggle dunk proved entertaining for a variety of rappers, many of whom slid into his comments with the guffaws. 21 Savage, YFN Lucci, Ty Dolla $ign, Stunna 4 Vegas, Yungeen Ace and more had a laugh at his expense, a testament to Boosie’s supportive circle of friends — though it’s unlikely any of them will be selecting him at the next pickup game. We can only assume that he’ll bring a similar energy to Badazz Boosie — be sure to check out the trailer right here.
LeBron James Praises Ja Morant: "The Kid Is Super Special"
LeBron James has high praise for the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant. The two squared off Saturday night in Memphis.
Ja Morant continued his Rookie of the Year caliber season Saturday night, outplaying LeBron James and beating the Lakers 105-88. After the game, both players spoke about each other with high praise, according to ESPN.
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"The kid is super special," said James, "Like I said when we just played him in L.A., Memphis got a great one. They got a great one. So, the sky's the limit for the kid."
"That's big bro -- the King," Morant said. "I mean, I feel like everybody knows who he is. Just somebody that I look up to, a great [role] model. He's just one of a kind. I don't think there can be another LeBron."
Morant finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 6 rebounds in the dominating victory. He easily outplayed James who scored 19 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.
In the second half, Morant attempted a dunk on Lakers' big man Anthony Davis but was called for a charge; however, the sheer athleticism of the play was enough for it to make highlight reels.
"I think he would probably try anyone that was there," Davis said of the play. "He's done that a couple times this year. So I'm just trying to get a body in front of him and make him run me over."
Ja Morant Pays Homage To Vince Carter With "Honey Dip" Dunk
Ja Morant should have been in the dunk contest.
Before Zion Williamson came back from his injury, it was quite obvious that Ja Morant was the best rookie in the NBA. Morant has been downright dominant for the Memphis Grizzlies and he is looking to carry them to a playoff spot. The rookie is feisty and bold and doesn't seem to back away from a challenge. All of these characteristics are going to make him a problem for years to come and we can't wait to see it all manifest before our very eyes.
While he didn't participate in the dunk contest, it's well known that Morant is an exceptionally proficient dunker. Prior to a game against the Sacramento Kings, Morant showed off his dunking ability and even paid tribute to Vince Carter with his "honey dip" dunk. Of course, the dunk had Morant hanging from the rim with his elbow. As you can see, Morant pulled off the move to perfection.
Unfortunately for Morant and the Grizzlies, they went on to lose by a score of 129-125. Despite the loss, the Grizzlies remain in eighth place in the Western Conference and are three games up on the Portland Trail Blazers. Hopefully, we can see Morant in the playoffs because simply put, it would be electric.
Zion Williamson’s Dunk Damages Backboard During Rising Stars Game
Zion's memorable performance, Friday night, included a backboard breaking slam dunk during the NBA Rising Stars Game.
Zion Williamson put on a show during his first all-star weekend. While he's yet to make the official All-Star team, the New Orleans Pelicans star was invited to participate in the Rising Stars game, where he made his presence felt.
Towards the end of the second quarter, Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young sent an entry pass to Williamson who finished with a two-handed slam. The dunk is nothing too fancy, but Williamson put a little too much heat on it and almost brought the whole thing down. Luckily, with halftime ensuing, a team was able to repair the hoop and everything was good-to-go by the second half.
The hoop-destroying dunk wasn't Williamson's only highlight from the night. About a minute prior to the rim's fatality, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant threw up a perfectly placed finger roll alley-oop to Williamson, who finished a one-handed throw down with authority.
Morant has been making a name for himself as well this season. The young prospect has put together a statistical package that includes 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game, in addition to a number of the year's best highlight plays.
The All-Star Game will tip-off on February 16th at 8:00 PM, and the NBA season will resume on February 20th.
Zach LaVine Tries & Fails Insane 360 Dunk From The Free-Throw Line
Zach LaVine is known for his insane dunking ability.
Zach LaVine has consistently been one of the best dunkers in the entire NBA. This was discovered during the 2016 NBA All-Star Dunk Contest when LaVine went toe-to-toe with Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic. Many felt as though Gordon was robbed of a win although LaVine was simply magical as he came through with some incredibly heroic moves. While he isn't participating in the competition this year, it hasn't stopped him from trying out some incredible dunks in practice.
In the clip below, LaVine attempts to pull off a 360 dunk all while jumping from the free-throw line. Of course, Michael Jordan infamously dunked from the free-throw line except the major difference is that Jordan went straight to the hoop as opposed to LaVine who tried to spin all the way around.
Unfortunately, LaVine wasn't able to make the dunk although he came dangerously close. Given some extra practice, we're sure he'd be able to nail it no problem. With this clip in mind, it kind of makes us wish that he would participate in this year's contest. It would certainly create some interesting content for the league, particularly in relation to the renewed rivalry between LaVine and Gordon.
Perhaps LaVine will even make a surprise appearance although, at this point, we doubt it.
LeBron James Discusses His Viral Dunk Resembling Kobe Bryant
LeBron reacts to his Kobe-esque dunk.
LeBron James threw down one of the best dunks of the year on Thursday against the Houston Rockets.
The move resembled a vintage Kobe Bryant highlight in identical fashion, causing fans to erupt with speculation that James did it intentionally to honor Bryant. ESPN asked James about the move after Saturday night's win over the Warriors.
"Ever see the movie The 6th Man?" James responded. "Kobe came down, put himself in my body and gave me that dunk on that break."
The 6th Man was released in 1997 and stars Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison as brothers, but when Wayan's character dies, he appears as a ghost to help Hardison on the basketball court.
"I didn't really predetermine that either until I jumped," James said. "I just jumped and kind of figured it out, and then ... it's crazy how it's the same exact dunk, the same exact hoop that Kobe did [it on] -- what, 19 years ago or something like that? That was nice."
The highlight resembles a dunk Bryant landed on Nov. 18, 2001, against the Sacramento Kings.
"It's crazy, it's crazy," James added. "To now [have it] be a part of my history between that correlation between me and Kobe, that play, I think it's pretty, pretty, pretty awesome. I'm glad I did it in a Laker uniform."
LeBron James Stared Down By Tristan Thompson After Dunk: Watch
The Lakers won in a blowout.
LeBron James and Tristan Thompson have a history as they were teammates between 2014 and 2018. They even won a championship together in 2016. Now, LeBron is thriving as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers while Thompson is struggling with the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Monday night, the Lakers took on the Cavaliers in Los Angeles and the Lakers won the game by a blowout. The whole thing wasn't particularly close and LeBron came through with a 31-point performance.
Despite the huge win, there was one play where Thompson got the best of LeBron. As you can see in the clip below, Thompson gets the ball below the rim and goes for a huge dunk on LeBron's head. Instead of leaving the play at that, Thompson stared down LeBron before he was able to inbound the ball.
Fans immediately recognized this play and the clip made its way to social media. Stare downs are typically a sign of disrespect although they can also display the competitiveness of those who do them. The Cavaliers were trying to make a statement against the Lakers and Thompson's actions were a representation of that.
With the win, the Lakers improved their record to 33-7 and are firmly at the top of the Western Conference standings.
LeBron James Pretends To Block Alex Caruso’s Scintillating Dunk: Watch
The Lakers are having a lot of fun out there.
This season has been a fruitful one for the Los Angeles Lakers. They currently sit atop the Western Conference standings with a formidable record of 29-7. Every single night, they appear as though they are having the most fun in the league and on Sunday, their passion was on full display. The team squeaked out a win against the Detroit Pistons while improving their winning streak to five games. The whole team got involved when it came to scoring and internet sensation Alex Caruso was no different.
Perhaps the best highlight of the game came in the fourth quarter when Kyle Kuzma recorded a steal and immediately passed the ball to Caruso who was in all alone. Caruso came through with a monster dunk as LeBron James chased him down and even pretended to block him. The went nuts and the whole scene was just another example of how much chemistry this team has.
Every single night, the Lakers come through with brand new highlights. Even if you're not a fan of the team, there is no denying how well they've been playing as of late. They are exciting to watch on any given night and as fans, that's all we can really ask for. Not to mention, LeBron is 35 years old and is still pulling off unbelievable feats of human strength. We're not even halfway through the season although it's clear as day that the Lakers are a contender to win it all.