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There is nothing in the world of basketball that gets a crowd more hyped up than a good dunk.
A solid dunk makes an arena erupt and instills confidence and motivation in teammates. In the NBA, where athletes are of the highest caliber and possess great athleticism, we get to witness many amazing dunks on a daily basis.
It must be noted that it's nearly impossible to pick five out of the dozens and dozens of dunks we witness on a daily basis in the league.
To create this list of the five best dunks of this past season, I have taken into account the defender on which the dunk was performed, the difficulty level, style points, and the situation that the dunker was in.
On that note, here are the top 5 dunks from the 2018-19 NBA season.
#5 Paul George on Giannis Antetokounmpo, 27th January 2019
One of the best posters from the 2018-19 season, Paul George executed a mean one-handed dunk on none other than Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder up by 4 points with a little over a minute remaining, George split the defense and went straight to the rim, delivering a much-needed bucket to keep the momentum going.
What makes this dunk so special is not just the difficulty of it - I don't need to tell you how impossibly tough that dunk is, but it's also the fact that it was on Giannis, a DPOY candidate.
What makes it even more special is the sheer audacity of George to attempt such a play in clutch time with only 4 points separating the two sides and just a minute remaining. Just a beautiful, beautiful bucket by Paul George and one to savour.
#4 Aaron Gordon vs the Detroit Pistons, 7th November 2018
Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic is known for his dunking prowess. He finished as a runner-up to Zach Lavine in one of the best dunk contests the NBA has ever seen back in 2016.
Late in the 4th quarter with the Magic down 3, Gordon came up with something special on a 2-on-2 fastbreak off a steal.
Off a lob, Gordon paid tribute to Karl Malone with the "Mailman Dunk", reaching up and catching the lob with his right, and putting his left hand behind his head as he dunked it in.
The sheer athleticism and vertical ability required for a dunk like this makes it fit for the dunk contest. The confidence to pull it off in-game, though, is what is astounding.
Gordon, however, seemed completely comfortable, treating this game as if it were his own personal dunk contest.
#3 Giannis Antetokounmpo on Jon Leuer, 2nd January 2019
The list of things that the Greek Freak can't do on a basketball court seems to be getting shorter with every game he plays.
The 2018/19 MVP definitely exceeded expectations this season, getting buckets every way possible. This particular one definitely earned him some style points though.
The 6'11 Giannis Antetokounmpo, in an insane display of vertical ability, made an absolutely stunning one-handed dunk over Detroit Pistons' Jon Leuer towards the end of the first quarter.
With the Milwaukee Bucks up by 6, Giannis came off a screen and went straight at the bucket, going around Leuer for an emphatic finish. The Greek Freak's extension on this play is absolutely wild, and the explosiveness he plays with is clearly visible.
There's no need to explain why this deserves a spot on this list. Just listen to the commentator's reaction and take it all in.
#2 Terrence Ross Reverse Dunk vs Charlotte Hornets, 14th February 2019
Terrence Ross, the 2013 dunk contest winner, threw down one of the best dunks from the 2018-19 season in a game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Collecting the ball in the corner, Ross drove past his defender, and in an epic display of mid-air control, swerved around a defender and jammed the ball in from the other side.
Even though Willy Hernangomez tried to meet him at the rim with a decently timed jump, Ross made a beautiful up-and-under dunk, showing off his athleticism.
This dunk just reminds you of Ross' best days, proving he once was, and still is, one of the best in-game dunkers in the league alongside the likes of Blake Griffin, Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine.
This is one of the best reverse dunks you will ever see, reminiscent of Kobe Bryant's glory days when he wore the #8 jersey.
#1 Derrick Jones Jr. Alley Oop vs Toronto Raptors, 10th March 2019
One can easily make an argument for this dunk to be considered among the best this season.
Derrick Jones Jr. is known for his vertical leap, and throughout his career, has thrown down some incredible dunks, but this one was something else.
In garbage time against the Toronto Raptors, Jones basically flew off and slammed in a one-handed dunk. This dunk, if performed in the dunk contest, would probably have been a 50.
Off a less-than-perfect lob from Bam Adebayo, Derrick Jones Jr. went WAY back to pluck the ball out of the air and slam it in. In fact, he had to extend so much to get the ball, he couldn't actually dunk it in, he had to throw it in.
There are simply no words to describe this one - just watch the video, and marvel at the glory of his athleticism. It gets better each time you watch it.
Guess the Lakers players!
