In case you missed it, Iman Shumpert was on the verge of dunk highlight reel status with a spectacular dunk against the Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks’ star guard sent Brooklyn’s Paul Pierce to the floor, and the New York guard may have even topped his first highlight reel move. But his dunk highlights did not stop there. Check out all the highlights from the game and see which one you think was the best.
Kevin Garnett’s dunk
Since Jeremy Lin’s hype train started last month, Iman Shumpert hasn’t made much noise in NBA circles. However, the youngster had many highlights against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. One of the highlights of the game involved Iman Shumpert attempting to dunk on Kevin Garnett, but the Celtics’ veteran got in the way and blocked the shot.
In the past, Kevin Garnett has been known for his trash talk. He didn’t care if he offended someone or hurt their feelings. Apparently, one time, he confronted Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony, who took offense to the trash talk. Shumpert’s dunk was one of those highlights, but he was not the only player to react negatively to Garnett’s trash talk.
Iman Shumpert’s windmill dunk
You have probably seen Iman Shumpert’s amazing windmill dunk in the NBA. This sick move landed her in the first round of the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year voting. She received 33 total votes, including one first place vote, and became the first rookie to ever earn votes for Defensive Player of the Year. Shumpert has also received a lot of encouragement from her former teammates. She was part of the 2016 championship team for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the NBA All-Star Game, Utah’s Jeremy Evans won the Slam Dunk Contest after replacing injured New York guard Iman Shumpert. Evans won the contest with 29 percent of the fans’ text vote, proving that fans have the power to pick the best player. Evans beat out Houston’s Chase Budinger, Indiana’s Paul George, and Minnesota’s Derrick Williams. Evans also slammed two basketballs while jumping over a seated assistant. In addition, he was wearing a Karl Malone jersey when he dunked over the mailman-dressed comedian Kevin Hart.
LeBron James flirted with competing in the event but canceled the competition due to injury. However, the Hawks rookie Smith scored 50s on both attempts in the finals and performed a windmill dunk while wearing Dominique Wilkins’ jersey. In the dunk-off, Boston swingman Jeff Green paid homage to the 1991 champion Dee Brown, shielding his eyes during a one-handed jam. The 6-foot-11 Howard became the tallest winner of the event.
Kevin Garnett’s trash-talking
Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony’s former Knicks teammate, recalled Kevin Garnett’s recent trash-talking after a dunk by Iman. Iman explained that he believed Garnett was playing mind games with him after the dunk. While Garnett didn’t elaborate, he admitted that it was an easy way to get the upper hand.
Kevin Garnett is known for being a trash talker, and he didn’t care if he offended someone or hurt their feelings. This latest incident with Iman Shumpert is not the first instance of Garnett making a bad impression. He has trash-talking history, and people are starting to take it personally. The New York Knicks’ star had also reacted to his comments.
After Anthony’s dunk, Anthony was furious and walked toward the Celtics’ locker room. Despite his frustration, Anthony went to the locker room to confront Garnett and other players. After the game, he cursed at the Boston players and asked them to leave. The Knicks coach, Mike Woodson, refused to comment on Anthony’s postgame trip, but said he’ll investigate the incident.