The Works: Blake Griffin Brings Back the Dunk Contest

Filed under: Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Magic, Trail Blazers, Wizards, Thunder, The Works

Today in The Works: How in the world can the Trail Blazers save themselves; dissecting the latest bizarre statement from Gilbert Arenas; and we offer up some alternatives to the Heatles.

But first, how Blake Griffin saved the dunk contest.

Let There Be Dunk!

You could make a very convincing argument that Blake Griffin, not the Heat, is the top story of this NBA season. Oh, I'll go even further: the Clippers rook has set the tone for everything that is worthwhile about 2010-11. Without Blake, there's no 2010-11. And if he weren't a part of next month's dunk contest -- in Los Angeles, no less -- it would be the kind of PR blunder fans would talk about for years to come.

Well, it looks like they made good after all. According to the LA Times, Griffin is in, along with Thunder big man Serge Ibaka; surreal Wizards center JaVale McGee; and flamboyant Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings. A totally unpredictable field, a rush of cult favorites unseen in years, and yes, a pretty good opportunity to save the dunk contest.

But what, pray tell, should each man do? Dwight Howard and Nate Robinson pushed the idea of gimmick dunks off into the rubbish heap, and if Andre Iguodala couldn't win by dunking in an out-of-bounds, off-the-backboard, alley-oop from teammate Allen Iverson, then pure skill won't cut it anymore. What the dunk contest now demands is a third way, some as of yet undiscovered combination of style, ingenuity, and showmanship.

Each of these four contestants has it in him to be that guiding light, not just Blake Griffin. The questions is ... how?

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