With three superstars and the best winning percentage in franchise history, there was no shortage of highlight moments for the 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets. Picking just 10 wasn’t easy, but here’s what we came up with:
Let’s be honest: Uncle Jeff should have a Top 10 dunk reel all to himself. Narrowing down from there would be a challenge, but this end-to-end throwdown off a New Orleans turnover can represent to lead off the countdown. Green finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in this 134-129 win over the Pelicans.
James Harden brought some beautiful ball movement to Brooklyn, and this symphony with DeAndre Jordan was a sweet example. Harden put up one of his 12 triple-doubles with 24 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds in this 100-95 win over Detroit, while Jordan went for 14 points and nine rebounds while making all seven of his field goal attempts.
There’s a reason they call it the dunker spot. Crashing down the baseline, Blake Griffin cashed in feeds from his paint-penetrating teammates with some ferocious finishes. This stop on the countdown is a sampler platter from Griffin’s playoff power moves.
Kyrie Irving’s flash isn’t limited to his twisting drives. Catch a pair of over-the-shoulder no-look dimes that Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan turned into dunks.
Back in action in May, James Harden brought the highlights with him with this transition bounce pass that skipped through the entire San Antonio defense for a Jeff Green dunk in this 128-116 Nets win that featured Harden’s 18-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Not much to see here, just the 6-foot-2 Kyrie Irving dunking in traffic after a break down the baseline. Throw in as many bonus points as you like for the little mid-air shift, but it’s the post-dunk point to family sitting courtside while still grabbing the rim that makes it an all-time classic.
Kevin Durant put the exclamation point on one of the great playoff performances of all-time with this shot-clock beating 3-pointer with 50 seconds left to push Brooklyn’s lead to four points in a 114-108 Game 5 win against the Bucks. Durant finished with 49 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and two blocks while shooting 16-for-23.
Simply cold-blooded. James Harden pulled up for this 27-foot 3-pointer to give the Nets a two-point lead with 31 seconds left in a game they had trailed by 24 points. Harden finished with 38 points and 11 assists as the Nets beat the Suns 128-124 and went on to sweep their five-game West Coast trip.
The most bittersweet shot you’ll ever see. Kevin Durant stunned the Bucks and blew the roof off Barclays Center with this game-tying turnaround jumper with one second remaining to send Game 7 into overtime. With Durant’s toes on the 3-point line, the Nets were inches from winning the series on the last of Durant’s 48 points for the game before falling in overtime.
The Nets closed out the winningest regular season in franchise history and sailed into the playoffs in style. What do you like most about it? Blake Griffin’s blind, behind-the-back flip that set the whole thing in motion? Kyrie Irving’s touch pass to Mike James? Or James going off the backboard with the connection to Kevin Durant for the dunk? “We think we’re cute now,” was coach Steve Nash’s postgame reaction. Yes, indeed.