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Date: 2/14/2016
Outlet: Associated Press
Author: Jon Krawczynski
NBA slam dunk contest scores big on TV, social media
What many are saying was the best dunk contest in All-Star weekend history has delivered record numbers across the NBA's social media platforms and propelled TNT to a win in the time slot on Saturday night.
The matchup between Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon peaked with an average of 7 million viewers between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m. Eastern time, which was the highest number across all of cable television.
LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the Orlando Magic's Gordon in a contest that needed two extra dunks to determine a winner. The jaw-dropping athleticism and creativity displayed by the two dunkers led to a record 115 million videos viewed across the league's social media platforms worldwide.
''I'm so proud of our players because while there is an opportunity to showcase the greatest of their abilities, there is also the opportunity to embarrass themselves as well,'' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. ''I was really proud of the fact that they were willing to put themselves out there in that way. You can see the enjoyment on their faces.''
The festivities were held in Toronto, the first time All-Star weekend has been played outside the United States. The venue helped the league drive home its global popularity, with Sunday's All-Star game being viewed in 215 countries.
The NBA also crossed the 1 billion mark in likes and follows across its social media platforms thanks to its worldwide audience, and there were 50,000 tweets per minute during the final round of the dunk contest. Silver said that if the league can ever overcome the logistical issues with travel, he wants to see more international All-Star games.
''We've broken the barrier,'' Silver said. ''It's a big jigsaw puzzle and we have to figure out over time how we can manage it. I have no doubt that one day we'll have an All-Star game outside North America.''
Wolves Press Clippings
Date: 2/14/2016
Outlet: Associated Press
Author: AP Staff
LaVine dedicates dunk contest win to late coach Saunders
After outlasting Aaron Gordon in what many believe was the best slam dunk contest in All-Star weekend history, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine posted a touching tribute to the late Flip Saunders on his Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Saunders, the Timberwolves president and coach, died suddenly from Hodgkins lymphoma just days before the season started. Saunders drafted LaVine 13th overall two years ago despite the young guard playing only one season as a bench player at UCLA.
LaVine posted a photo of his dunk championship trophy resting on a black Timberwolves jersey. The name "FLIP" was written across the back and LaVine's No. 8 was rotated horizontally to mimic an infinity sign.
"I dedicate this dunk contest and the trophy to my late coach, Flip Saunders and the Saunders family," LaVine wrote. "He's the one that always believed in me and drafted me! We all loved Flip and his memory will love on forever!"
Wolves Press Clippings
Date: 2/15/2016
Outlet: ESPN.com
Author: Kevin Pelton
All-Star Grades: dunk contest
Here's how the dunkers fared during All-Star Saturday Night in Toronto:
Results -- First round: 50, 49. Dunk-off scores: 50, 50.
Analysis: While LaVine went home with the trophy, he and Aaron Gordon share the best grade for the purposes of this exercise. With a second consecutive dunk title, which he presaged by coming out to Drake's "Back to Back" and embracing the singer courtside, LaVine firmly established his place as one of the greatest dunk contestants in NBA history.
To beat Gordon, LaVine relied on his ability to dunk from the free throw line -- or close enough to round up -- in a variety of different fashions. Included were a dunk off a lob from teammate Andre Miller, a windmill from the free throw line and finally the between-the-legs dunk from that distance (never before seen in an NBA dunk contest) that earned him the victory.
LaVine's other dunks were impressive in their own right. He went behind his back to fit the "Back to Back" theme, cuffed a dunk off a self-lob while completing a 180 and windmilled into a reverse off his own bounce. While Gordon's best dunks probably outpaced LaVine's best, LaVine delivered the stronger overall performance from start to finish. He earned 299 out of a possible 300 points on his six dunks, marred only by a nine from stingy scorer Shaquille O'Neal.
Aaron Gordon, Magic | Grade: A+
Results -- First round: 45, 49. Dunk-off scores: 50, 47.
Analysis: Virtually any other year in dunk contest history, Gordon would have been an obvious winner. He brought innovation to go with his athleticism, pulling off dunks without NBA precedent using Magic mascot Stuff.
The dunk in which Gordon took the ball from Stuff as he circled on a hoverboard required tremendous precision. Gordon also managed to soar over the mascot while finishing with a windmill and a dunk in which he went under his legs and seemed to hover in midair (with his eyes at rim level) to finish. The latter dunk was surely the night's best single effort, bringing down the house.
Gordon finally ran out of dunks in the second tiebreaking dunk-off, and even his final dunk -- an exaggerated, double-pump reverse -- rightfully earned him a 47.
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