Image via Complex Original
Growing up as an pre-teen following hoops, one of the few things you notice about SportsCenter coverage is how foolishly they focus on the end result of the game and skips over the good stuff — the crossovers and blocks. Winning a game was cool, but there's nothing that quite says on-court dominance like sending someone's weak-ass shot in to the third row.
Of course, NBA stars are much more mature than playground kids, but blocked shots still take a high level of importance. They can be huge momentum shifters, a career highlight (see Tayshaun Prince), or a memorable moment in NBA history. On 20 Memorable Shot Blocks (in GIFs!), you'll see your usual suspects like Dikembe Mutombo and Shaquillle O'Neal. Then there are your surprises like Nate Robinson.
RELATED: The 50 Greatest Ankle-Breakers in NBA History in GIFs
LeBron James Game-Winning Dunk Doesn't Work Out Too Well
Date: 4/8/2014
Victim: LeBron James
The Nets were trying to hold on to their one-point lead in the closing seconds to clinch the season sweep of the Heat. Brooklyn did so in one of the most unlikeliest fashions: Mason Plumlee blocked LeBron James' dunk in the closing seconds. The block itself isn't particularly vicious, so we'll describe it this way: Plumlee reduced a 6'8", 280-pound man into a crybaby.
Manu Ginobili Gets Kevin Durant Out of Here
Date: 2/25/2010
Victim: Kevin Durant
Part of what makes Kevin Durant literally unguardable is his abnormally long wingspan. To guard him, you're going to need a bit of athleticism, perfect timing, and maybe a bit of black magic to make it work like Manu Ginobili does here.
Ben Wallace Swats Shaquille O'Neal
Date: 5/31/2006
Victim: Shaquille O'Neal
By this point in his career, Shaquille O'Neal won three NBA Finals, three Finals MVPs, eight All-NBA First Team selections, and an RIAA platinum plaque....aaaannddd none of that mattered here.
Dwight Howard Gets Disrespectful
Date: 11/20/2009
Victim: Rajon Rondo
And you guys wonder why Rajon Rondo always has an attitude? Imagine that you got swatted this badly and you see Dwight Howard just standing there grinning at you like a "Got Milk?" ad.
Mt. Mutombo Defeats the Greatest
Date: 2/4/1996
Victim: Michael Jordan
You tell Michael Jordan about this denial and he'll say something along the lines of, "At least I ain't get dunked on." Mutombo can't say the same, thanks to Jordan.
Nobody Likes a Show-off
Date: 3/12/2009
Victim: Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson wanted to show the crowd something fancy and LeBron James obliged. Plain and simple.
Marcin Gortat Beats The King
Date: 5/28/2009
Victim: LeBron James
Put Gortat in the Hall of Fame!
Hakeem Olajuwon Denies Rod Strickland
Date: 4/29/1994
Victim: Rod Strickland
Praise God every day that Hakeem Olajuwon never caught you like this.
The Answer Gets Got
Date: 1/4/1998
Victim: Allen Iverson
You can go on for paragraphs about how prolific Allen Iverson was as a scorer, his rebellious attitude, or his sheer determination. Those elements can only do so much when you're up against a player as dominant as Shaquille O'Neal. This time, power humbled will.
Ben Wallace Is Not a Fan of Dreams
Date: 4/27/2002
Victim: Hakeem Olajuwon
Welp, all dreams come to an end at some point, right?
Nate Robinson 4 MVP
Date: 5/10/2013
Victim: LeBron James
The Bulls weren't going to go out against the Heat without swinging in the 2013 playoffs. That went double for Nate Robinson, who didn't care that much about standing at just 5'9". Just look at his eyes here. They say, "You ain't hungry, Bron Bron."
The Dream > The Admiral
Date: 3/2/1999
Victim: David Robinson
Shaquille O'Neal admitted Hakeem Olajuwon was the only center he couldn't intimidate. Of course, David Robinson wasn't much of anything to The Dream. Olajuwon famously owned him during the 1995 Western Conference Finals, and it was the same shit, different year in 1999 between the two.
Nate Robinson Doesn't Like Giants
Date: 11/21/2006
Victim: Yao Ming
Nate fouled him, but who cares? No whistle, no foul.
Roy Hibbert Says No to Carmelo Anthony
Date: 5/18/2013
Victim: Carmelo Anthony
Some time during the 2014 playoffs, David West must've forced Roy Hibbert to sit down in the team's meeting room and watch this 50 times. By the 20th or so time, West screams, "Look at this shit! This was you! What has become of you!" Hibbert then quietly sobs.
Hakeem Olajuwon Shatters the Knicks' Dreams
Date: 6/19/1994
Victim: John Starks
The Knicks come up short forever and a lifetime.
LaPhonso Ellis Snatches Brian Davis' Heart
Date: 12/26/1993
Victim: Brian Davis
"Gimmedat" - LaPhonso Ellis
The Stilt vs. The Cap
Date: Unknown
Victim: Kareem Abdul-Jabaar
It's not goaltending if they don't call it.
Tayshaun Prince Gets Reggie Miller Out of Here
Date: 5/24/2004
Victim: Reggie Miller
Bill Russell Works Jerry West
Date: 1961
Victim: Jerry West
Bill Russell invented the fast break.
LeBron James Deports Tiago Splitter
Date: 6/9/2013
Victim: Tiago Splitter
Tiago Splitter to himself: "I'm about to score a dunk in the NBA Finals? Time to get some shine."
LeBron James: "I got your shine right here, motherfucker."
