It will be a long time before people forget what Zach LaVine did in Saturday night's dunk contest.
The Minnesota Timberwolves guard captured his second straight slam dunk contest by bettering Aaron Gordon in an instant classic for the ages, a high-flying, acrobatic duel that left NBA players wondering if there had ever been a better one.
LaVine's first dunk, an affront to the basic laws of physics, garnered a perfect score of 50 from the judges. Among NBA players on Twitter, it was an even bigger hit.
Zach stop it... This is just ridiculous
— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) February 14, 2016
You are making that nobody will want to participate to the contest... They should just let you dunk 50 different times.
— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) February 14, 2016
MY GOD
— Festus Ezeli (@festus) February 14, 2016
Simulate straight to Zach like Live '06 dunk contest on ps2
— Anthony Morrow (@MrAnthonyMorrow) February 14, 2016
Ovaaaaa boy 🏆 #ZachLaVine
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) February 14, 2016
@ZachLaVine stop showing off lol #NBAAllStarTO @NBAonTNT
— Norris Cole II (@pg30_Cole) February 14, 2016
But just when it looked like LaVine was going to run away with it, Orlando Magic forward Gordon stepped up with some huge dunks. He was assisted by Stuff the Magic Dragon, the Magic's mascot, who stood atop a hoverboard.
As the two traded perfect scores and forced the contest to go into extra rounds, some NBA players wondered if it was the best dunk contest ever.
Gotta be one the best dunk contests of all time. Hats off to @double0ag @ZachLaVine
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32) February 14, 2016
Best since Dominique and Jordan #NBADunkContest
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) February 14, 2016
Best Dunk contest. Ever!!!
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) February 14, 2016
Best dunk contest I've ever seen in my life !
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 14, 2016
Might have been the best dunk contest ever... That was a tie Fasho ... Didn't think nobody could give Zach a run for his bread...I was wrong
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) February 14, 2016
RT if you wanna see a rematch. #NBADunkContest
— Tristan Thompson (@RealTristan13) February 14, 2016
Eventually, Gordon slipped up, needing a pair of attempts to hit a comparatively pedestrian reverse double-clutch dunk that earned him a 47. It wasn't a popular score with players watching from home.
Make it a tie! #SlamDunkContest
— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) February 14, 2016
Just give #aarongordon the 🏆
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) February 14, 2016
AG won that...
— Maurice Harkless (@moe_harkless) February 14, 2016
Come on... Aaron Gordon deserves it
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 14, 2016
I'll concede there weren't really any losers here; they both infused the contest with an energy it has lacked for years. But with LaVine earning the nod, it's worth asking: Did Gordon get robbed?
You decide:
