So, I’ve been on a bit of a kick lately, really diving into Golden State dunks. Not just watching the highlights, you know, but actually trying to get what’s going on. It all started pretty casually, just catching games here and there.
Then I saw a few plays, back-to-back, that just seemed different. Not just the power, but the way they happened. So, I figured, hey, let me actually pay attention. My own little film study, if you wanna call it that. Pulled up a bunch of game footage. Old stuff, new stuff. Focused on guys like Wiggins, Kuminga, and even some of the unexpected ones you might see throw one down.
My Process, If You Can Call It That
First, I just watched. A lot. Tried to soak it in. Then I started to rewind. What happened right before the dunk? Was it a fast break? A good pass? Someone creating space? It’s amazing what you miss when you’re just waiting for the slam.
I even tried to, like, categorize them in my head. You got your power dunks, straight through traffic. Then the more acrobatic ones, the alley-oops. And the putbacks, those are always wild. But then I realized, a lot of them don’t fit neatly into a box. They’re kind of a mix, which made it even more interesting to me.
- Watching the run-up: how they find their lane.
- The take-off: sometimes it’s one foot, sometimes two.
- The finish: how they absorb contact or avoid it.
Honestly, at first, I thought, “Okay, these guys are just super athletic, that’s it.” And yeah, that’s a huge part of it, no doubt. You can’t teach that kind of leaping ability. But the more I watched, the more I saw the other stuff. The timing with teammates, the understanding of spacing on the court. It’s not just one guy deciding to jump high.
What I Think I Figured Out
It’s often about the setup. A good screen, a sharp pass, or even just pressure defense leading to a steal and a clear path. That’s what gets the crowd going, too, not just the dunk itself but the whole sequence leading up to it. And the energy, man, a good dunk can totally change the feel of a game. You see the bench get up, the crowd goes nuts. It’s more than just two points.
I also noticed how different players have their own style. Some are just brutal strength, others have this kind of smooth, almost effortless glide to the rim. It’s cool to see those individual expressions within the team’s play.
So yeah, that was my little deep dive. Didn’t exactly become a basketball scout overnight or anything. But I feel like I appreciate those Golden State dunks a bit more now. It’s not just a highlight, it’s a whole lot of things coming together just right. Pretty cool to watch when you start looking for it.
