Players, fans, and coaches all around the NBA know that Lakers swingman Shannon Brown probably has more ups than any other player in the league. Ok, Maybe the Clippers Blake Griffin has something to say about that. Shannon seemingly could have touched the top of the backboard on that nasty missed dunk during last year’s NBA Playoffs.
Even though he fizzled out in last year’s Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, he still has quite a resume of highlight reel dunks to fall back on. Despite being known for being able to “get up” with the very best in the NBA, Shannon has developed into quite the role player for coach Phil Jackson with the Lakers over the past few seasons.
This season, the former Michigan State Spartan is having a career year, nearly averaging double figures in scoring(9.4 ppg), while adding 2 rebounds per contest, and shooting nearly 40% from behind the arc. He has provided an excellent spark as one of the first players off the bench for Jackson’s 2nd unit.
Just a day after the LA Clippers invaded MSG, the Knicks faced a tough task as the reigning World Champion Lakers came to New York for a matinee match-up featuring two of the game’s biggest stars, Ama’re Stoudemire and Kobe Bryant.
While Kobe was again spectacular (33 points and 10 rebs) in helping the Lakers best the Knicks 113-96, Shannon Brown had the play of the night when he grabbed an alley-oop pass from Steve Blake from seemingly outside of the backboard, then flushing the rock with authority. Shannon was quoted as saying it was the best in-game dunk he’s ever done. Now that’s saying something……….
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
