A considerably controversial and principally underwhelming Slam Dunk contest ended with Jacob Toppin on the surface wanting in.
The Knicks rookie threw down a pair of fairly dunks — the second a between-the-legs, 360-degree murals — however the judges had been extra impressed by Jaylen Brown’s slams in Saturday’s occasion in Indianapolis.
Neither gained — Mac McClung, primarily a ringer, took house the trophy for a second straight 12 months by clearing a standing Shaquille O’Neal — however Brown superior to the ultimate over Toppin, who was attempting to outdo his 2022 champion brother Obi.
Jacob, an undrafted ahead who has performed in 5 Knicks video games this season, introduced out Obi for his first dunk and cleared the 6-foot-9 Pacer for a 47.8 rating.
His subsequent dunk was extra spectacular. He dribbled in from the 3-point arc, jumped and commenced placing the ball by means of his legs when his again was to the ring. He accomplished the switch, accomplished the spin and completed off the dunk with each arms.
The judges, although, may need penalized Toppin for needing two makes an attempt to get the dunk proper. After seeing a 47.2 whole rating, Toppin seemed away in obvious disbelief.
“I assume Jacob wanted to leap over the shot clock to get larger than a 46,” Jalen Brunson, who participated within the 3-Level Contest, tweeted on X, previously Twitter.
Brown, in the meantime, was a rarity: a confirmed star keen to take the stage for the competition. For his second dunk, the Celtics All-Star tried to pay tribute to Dee Brown, who sealed the 1991 contest by pulling his arm over his face and throwing down a vicious, eyes-closed dunk.
![Jacob Toppin (right) high fives his brother, Obi, during the Slam Dunk Contest.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/Jacob-Toppin-2.jpg?w=1024)
Thirty-three years later, Jalyen Brown introduced out Jayson Tatum, who tossed an alley-oop because the All-Star leapfrogged Twitch star Kai Cenat seated in a chair. Brown prolonged his arm over his eyes, too, however not till he already had dunked.
Brown heard some boos from the gang, however obtained a 47.6 that helped him advance.
Within the remaining, Brown notably leapt over Donovan Mitchell and dunked with a lefty windmill. The 6-foot-2 McClung did him one higher, hurdling the 7-foot-1 Shaq — whereas practically scraping his head on the rim — and throwing down a reverse dunk for an ideal rating.
“I’m knowledgeable hater however I’m not hating once I say I may win the dunk contest with these scores however unsure the knees would permit it lmao,” Joel Embiid tweeted.