LeBron Both Flesh And Not, A Vignette
It is late in the 3rd quarter of a Knicks-Heat game. Ray Allen brings the ball past the half-court line. LeBron is standing at the northeast corner, surveying, as the Knicks defense morphs into their half-court match-ups.
And then LeBron accelerates, sensing an opening developing in the lane like an elite NFL running back, swooping down from that NE corner in a gear I'm not sure anyone else in the NBA possess, takes the hand off from Allen, and in one dribble and two steps goes airborne, right arm extended and cocked over his head, and dunks the basketball with so much force it metaphorically blows my hair back. I recoil and cringe in that clichéd, exaggerated way sports fans do when they see something sick (just sick!) happen live. It is the most ferocious dunk I've seen this season. The technical name of the dunk is called the Tomahawk Jam. But this was a level above. This was Thor-swinging-his-hammer fierce. This was Gregor-separating-a-torso-with-his-broadsword violent.
I'm replaying the dunk in my head and I am still kind of wincing. The Knicks, mildly discombobulated at that moment, had no idea what hit them. I cannot overly stress how incredibly fast and viciously this unfolded. It seemed like LeBron was moving faster than my eyes could follow and my brain could process. Like he was Thor with the wings of Icarus stitched on, riding a hurricane-level gust howling from one corner of the court, down through the lane, and directly towards the basket.
It was just two points, but you will not see two more majestic points scored. The basketball ripped through the net, probably challenging the sound barrier, followed by a moment of completely stunned silence followed by the American Airlines Arena nearly caving in on itself from the crowd erupting followed by Marv Albert maxing out his larynx screaming "OOOHH!!" LeBron made a little face, a little sneer, lower jaws jutting out a bit, eyes on fire. It should be said that he was not even breathing out of his mouth.
And then LeBron accelerates, sensing an opening developing in the lane like an elite NFL running back, swooping down from that NE corner in a gear I'm not sure anyone else in the NBA possess, takes the hand off from Allen, and in one dribble and two steps goes airborne, right arm extended and cocked over his head, and dunks the basketball with so much force it metaphorically blows my hair back. I recoil and cringe in that clichéd, exaggerated way sports fans do when they see something sick (just sick!) happen live. It is the most ferocious dunk I've seen this season. The technical name of the dunk is called the Tomahawk Jam. But this was a level above. This was Thor-swinging-his-hammer fierce. This was Gregor-separating-a-torso-with-his-broadsword violent.
It was just two points, but you will not see two more majestic points scored. The basketball ripped through the net, probably challenging the sound barrier, followed by a moment of completely stunned silence followed by the American Airlines Arena nearly caving in on itself from the crowd erupting followed by Marv Albert maxing out his larynx screaming "OOOHH!!" LeBron made a little face, a little sneer, lower jaws jutting out a bit, eyes on fire. It should be said that he was not even breathing out of his mouth.
