Chasing Run It Back: Origins

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Behind every superstar are the teammates that make things happen. Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers chases down Sacramento Kings ball handler Rudy Gay in transition, picks his pocket clean, then launches a two-handed heave behind himself all the way down the court to a wide-open LeBron James on December 27, 2013.

Mario Chalmers

When LeBron James hits the open court, the world stops and watches. In a December 23, 2005 matchup against the Indiana Pacers, the third-year Cleveland Cavaliers forward chases down a stolen ball, crosses halfcourt all alone and explodes for a two-handed, windmill reverse slam. James logged 14 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in the win.

LeBron James

No matter the age, situation, or defensive coverage, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James makes the game of basketball look effortless. James showcases his world-class athleticism by sneaking backdoor on a cut, turning teammate Malik Monk’s lob into a reverse alley-oop slam to send the crowd into a frenzy. James racked up a 30-point, 12-rebound, five-assist performance on January 19, 2022.

After 18 years of watching him make it look easy, you’d think it would get old watching LeBron James take off with an open lane to the basket. James catches an outlet pass from Nikola Jokić then hovers through the paint for a double-clutch reverse slam in the NBA All-Star Game on March 7, 2021.

Going high off the glass! In his first game back in the lineup since Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragić drives the lane and finishes with a sweet soft-touch finger roll against the Los Angeles Lakers during second quarter action of Game 6 on October 11, 2020.

Goran Dragić 

It’s the greatest rivalry in professional sports for a reason. Down by a single point in the closing seconds of Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals, was there ever a doubt who would play the role of hero for the Los Angeles Lakers? En route to his third Finals MVP award, Johnson makes the impossible look routine, securing an inbound pass in a hostile Boston Garden. After a quick pump fake in the corner, the 12-time All-Star puts the ball on the floor, maneuvering his way into the lane to unfurl a flawless baby hook shot despite the efforts of three Boston Celtics defenders attempting to deny the iconic moment. The dagger – instantly immortalized as the joyful superstar’s ‘junior junior skyhook’ – sealed the Lakers’ 107-106 victory, giving them a commanding 3-1 series lead in the ultimate series. Five days later Johnson would secure his fourth of five championship rings - and his final championship victory over his longtime rival.

Magic Johnson

No matter how fierce the defense or how bright the spotlight, Larry Bird was going to deliver when it mattered most. In Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals, his team within reach of knotting an instant classic series with 12 seconds remaining, Bird did everything conceivably possible to deliver a miracle for his defending champion Boston Celtics - though fate would intervene. Smothered by a Los Angeles Lakers defender until an opportunity to break free and sneak into the corner presents itself, Bird cues up in front of the opponents’ bench and drains an unforgettable three-pointer that triggers a frenzy in the Boston Garden, setting the stage for an iconic finish to one of the most beloved showdowns in NBA history. Though his long-time friend and rival Magic Johnson would soon wrest the spotlight back with his 'junior junior skyhook' counter, history was made. This was the type of difficult shot that Bird made routine throughout a Hall of Fame career that included 12 All-Star appearances, three MVP awards and three championship rings. He finished the June 9, 1987 contest with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.

Larry Bird

When he’s in the zone, Kevin Durant isn’t just a threat — he’s unguardable. The Brooklyn Nets superstar works his way through the Detroit Pistons defense from the perimeter through the key and to the hoop for an up-and-under reverse layup that banks in off the glass. The basket counted for two of Durant’s 51 points, marking it as an NBA season high at the time on December 12, 2021.

Kevin Durant

There are great three-point performances, and then there’s what Stephen Curry did at the 2022 All-Star Game. Sneaking across the floor to the right corner, the Golden State Warriors star catches a pass and lines himself up for a triple, turning around to play the crowd before the ball even sinks through the net. Curry provided countless highlights in Team LeBron’s 163-160 win over Team Durant, dropping in 50 points and 16 three-pointers to take home All-Star MVP honors on February 20, 2022. 

Steph Curry

One surefire way to know you’ve got a talented prospect on your hands? They don’t shy away from battles against the game’s biggest stars. Creating a switch in a pick-and-roll, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham works his handle, taking the league’s reigning MVP for a ride with a sharp behind-the-back before finishing the play with a three-point bucket. Against a top-tier Denver Nuggets team, Cunningham showed why he was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, finishing with 34 points on 14-of-26 shooting, adding eight rebounds, eight assists, four blocks and two steals on January 25, 2022.

Cade Cunningham

A three-time All-Star and All-NBA First Team selection all by the age of 23 — somehow Luka Dončić still has higher to climb to reach his ceiling. Though that prospect may be hard to believe, the Brooklyn Nets got the full experience on October 27, 2022. Dončić reminds everybody that he can score every which way, from step-back triples to impossible-to-defend dribble drives that result in easy layups and floaters. The fifth-year star also remains an elite facilitator, as he nonchalantly sets up his teammates with a plethora of highlight-reel passes: an over-the-head no-look dish to Maxi Kleber, a spin-turned-kickout to Tim Hardaway Jr. and a behind-the-back dropoff to Reggie Bullock. When the final horn sounded, the Dallas Mavericks walked off with a 129-125 overtime road victory thanks to 41 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists and three steals from Dončić, becoming just the 10th player in NBA history to record three 40-point triple-doubles.

Luka Dončić

It’s Year 15 and Kevin Durant can still make jaws hit the floor with his ability to dominate a basketball game. The Orlando Magic were the 12-time All-Star’s latest victim, as Durant picks them apart in a variety of ways — on offense, he reaches into his bag of tricks for a one-handed floater off the glass, a spot-up triple, a dribble-drive into a baseline fall-away jumper and an open mid-range shot off a behind-the-back maneuver. The two-time champion and Finals MVP comes up big on the defensive end as well, turning a rebound into a long outlet dish to Joe Harris while also blocking a shot and picking Franz Wagner’s pocket at halfcourt en route to a slam. When it was over, Durant lit Orlando up for 45 points on 19-of-24 shooting while also chipping in seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks in the 109-102 win on November 28, 2022. 

No matter the city, matchup or scenario, you can pencil in Luka Dončić as a guaranteed bucket. Hanging back in transition, the Dallas Mavericks star shows off his shooting touch in the All-Star Game, calmly draining a catch-and-shoot triple in traffic. Dončić chipped in eight points, three rebounds and two triples in Team LeBron’s 163-160 win on February 20, 2022.

Although there are plenty of new faces on the Utah Jazz, Lauri Markkanen and his teammates look like they have been playing together for years. Markkanen makes an impact right away with his new squad following a season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking a pass in the corner, where he’s immediately confronted by two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokić. Thinking quickly on his feet, Markkanen fires a one-handed missile into the other corner, where fellow new arrival Collin Sexton is waiting to drain the triple. The Finnish big man contributed 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals, kicking off a new era of Jazz basketball with a 123-102 rout of the Denver Nuggets on October 19, 2022.

Lauri Markkanen

Convenient, it must be, to just rise above a defender when you want to throw down an easy bucket. Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves shows off his bunnies before Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic can even get in a good position to react on January 5, 2021.

Anthony Edwards

It takes little more than a few dribbles for Giannis Antetokounmpo to cover the length of the floor. The Milwaukee Bucks star pushes the ball ahead with a couple of bounces, then utilizes his tremendous wingspan to throw down a one-handed jam from a step inside the free-throw line. The six-time All-Star and member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team was magnificent in Team LeBron’s 163-160 victory over Team Durant on February 20, 2022, finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Luka Dončić coming off of a pick-and-roll is the last thing you want to see when playing the Dallas Mavericks. In a play typically saved for All-Star weekend, Dončić freezes the defense with a behind-the-back combo straight into a cross-court pass, finding Kristaps Porzingis for a crucial three-pointer on the left wing. Dončić led the way with 26 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds during the Mavericks’ 116-106 triumph over the Houston Rockets on October 26, 2021.

Giannis makin’ it look easy! Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sheds his defender, drives baseline, and nails the super sweet reverse layup against the New York Knicks on February 3, 2014.

Sometimes the best look is the one looking back at you off the glass. Without a passing lane in sight, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis underhands the ball off the backboard from the top of the paint and follows after it for an easy flush. Davis went for 34 points and 15 boards in the W on November 14, 2021.

Anthony Davis

A year after his brilliant first campaign earned him NBA Rookie of the Year honors, versatile Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is back for more, much to the chagrin of two unfortunate Chicago Bulls defenders. After backing Alex Caruso down toward the post, Barnes motors his way into the paint and puts Nikola Vučević on a poster with an authoritative one-handed tomahawk jam. The Bulls won the battle but Barnes’ dunk reverberated long after the November 7, 2022 matchup had ended.

Scottie Barnes

Give Vince Carter enough clearance to reach full altitude and it doesn’t even matter who you throw out there to protect the rim. After gathering a loose ball with a smooth behind-the-back dribble, the high-flying New Jersey Nets swingman heads straight to the bucket, bounces off iconic Miami Heat shot blocker Alonzo Mourning and still manages to throw down an instant classic dunk of the year candidate. Carter finished with 32 points and the latest entry in a rich portfolio of unforgettable dunks in the November 7, 2005 contest.

Vince Carter

Welcome to the (Jordan) Poole party. Better known for his ability to get buckets from the perimeter, this time Poole sees a hole in the defense and takes it strong to the hoop, finishing at the rim with a tough up-and-under, off-hand layup.

Jordan Poole

You think sending a double team to meet Kevin Durant in the corner is going to stop him from putting points on the board? Think again. After taking his defender off the dribble, the Brooklyn Nets superstar sets up on the baseline and buries an untouchable fadeaway. Durant dropped 38 points on 17-of-24 shooting in the October 24, 2021 affair.

When one ball fake just isn’t enough! Superstar San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan shows off his super sweet arsenal of ball fakes on his way to the rim for an easy layup against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 16, 2013.

Tim Duncan

With the All-Star Game in his town, it was only right that Darius Garland provided a few highlights for the crowd. Showing off his court vision, Garland surveys the field before finding teammate Jarrett Allen on a sweet lob dish to set up a jam. The Cleveland Cavaliers guard proved victorious in his All-Star debut, helping Team LeBron to a 163-160 win with 13 points, three assists, three triples and two steals on February 20, 2022.

Darius Garland

Forget everything you know about conventional basketball when Nikola Jokić hits the floor. The mesmerizing Denver Nuggets center defies positional norms yet again on January 7, 2022, seamlessly carrying the rock the length of the floor against the Sacramento Kings, then hitting JaMychal Green in stride with a casual no-look, one-handed entry feed. Jokić finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win. 

Nikola Jokić

Just because Luka Dončić has mastered the finesse game doesn’t mean he won’t still flush one in the paint. The Dallas Mavericks guard finds a gap in the defense then attacks it for a thundering slam in the NBA All-Star Game on March 7, 2021.

When the world sees a modest gap in the defense, Dwyane Wade sees a runway. When a lane presents itself against the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the prolific Miami Heat shooting guard beelines straight into the paint and unleashes a powerful one-handed slam. Wade finished the May 27, 2006 win with 35 points and stamped his ticket to his first NBA Finals.

Dwyane Wade

Double-digit deficits mean nothing when Donovan Mitchell is in the building. With his Cleveland Cavaliers down as many as 15 points in the first half against the Boston Celtics, Mitchell cuts that number to nine with a third-quarter pump fake behind the arc leading to a ferocious slam over the 7-foot-2 Luke Kornet. Mitchell helped bring his new squad all the way back thanks to a Herculean effort of 41 points, four rebounds, three assists and five three-pointers in the 132-123 overtime victory on October 28, 2022.

Donovan Mitchell

Elite passers see the game different and that works whether they have the ball or not. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is ready and waiting to finish when teammate Steph Curry hits him with a no-look dime in the NBA All-Star Game on March 7, 2021.

Carmelo Anthony has mastered a lot of different skills over the course of his long career, especially ones that prelude his patented mid-range pull-up. Anthony turns back the clock with a combo of dribble moves to put his man on skates, then takes a couple rhythm bounces before cashing in his go-to jumper. The Los Angeles Lakers veteran finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a March 7, 2022 outing against the San Antonio Spurs.

Carmelo Anthony

No matter the matchup, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has proven he’s confident he can score in any situation. Despite giving up size in an isolation against a Denver Nuggets big, Edwards takes him for a dance, working a mix of between-the-legs, in-and-out crossovers and hesitations before getting enough space to drain a stepback three-pointer. That was the story of the night, as Edwards exploded for 38 points, 10 three-pointers and five rebounds in a 124-107 win on December 15, 2021.

There’s no better stage for adding to one’s legacy than in the NBA postseason. Knotted in a Western Conference Finals battle against the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki pulls up and drains a triple to give himself 50 points and a 3-2 series lead on June 1, 2006.

Dirk Nowitzki

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Dallas Mavericks guard Reggie Bullock provides a lesson in persistence here, missing on his first three-point attempt before draining it on his second chance to send the crowd into a frenzy with a clutch bucket. Bullock had a highlight game with 20 points, four rebounds and four triples to help his squad outlast the Philadelphia 76ers in a 107-98 win on February 4, 2022.

Reggie Bullock

You would need a book to chronicle all that Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett accomplished together in their six seasons as teammates for the Boston Celtics. The duo won a championship in 2008, the first year of their partnership, before returning to the Finals two years later. Their strong connection was always evident though, as the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden discovered in Year 4. While Garnett was patrolling the paint to finish backboard-swaying slams, Pierce was busy playing the role of hero, silencing the Big Apple crowd with a smooth, game-winning fadeaway. Pierce and Garnett combined for 52 points, 23 rebounds, seven assists and five steals in this 118-116 triumph on December 15, 2010, pushing Boston’s record to 20-4 in a season where the Celtics would later sweep the Knicks in the First Round of the postseason.

Boston Celtics

Staying active and engaged as an offensive rebounder is essential. Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney flies in to corral a deflected rebound and has the presence of mind to finish a difficult layup, to help the Warriors take the lead, with under 14 seconds left to play. Looney had a strong outing in Golden State’s 102-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers on December 13, 2021 with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a game-winning putback.

Kevon Looney

If there’s a path to the basket, Tyrese Haliburton is going to find it. The Sacramento Kings rookie catches a transition pass in the corner before taking off baseline and hitting the Denver Nuggets with an unguardable up-and-under reverse layup on February 6, 2021.

Tyrese Haliburton

Despite not being known as an aerial threat, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker has some underrated bounce. Booker runs the floor in transition and shows off his ups with an impressive alley-oop finish with his left hand. The three-time All-Star had an impressive line of 20 points, five rebounds, two assists and four steals for Team Durant on February 20, 2022.

Devin Booker

Ever the competitor, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown hasn’t seen many at-the-rim matchups that he couldn’t win. Splitting his way through a pair of ball screens, the All-Star guard creates an open runway to the rim and puts a Dallas Mavericks center on a poster with a vicious contact jam. Brown chipped in 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in a March 13, 2022 matchup.

Jaylen Brown

With his Milwaukee Bucks on a four-game losing streak, it was time for Giannis Antetokounmpo to pull out all the stops. The two-time MVP puts the Minnesota Timberwolves defense through a long night, beating multiple defenders on dribble drives through traffic to finish at the rim on more than one occasion. Antetokounmpo makes several highlight-reel plays — turning three offensive rebounds into putbacks, including one off his own free throw miss, and another where he soars way up high to throw down a powerful one-handed alley-oop. All told, Antetokounmpo torched the Timberwolves for 43 points on 14 for 23 shooting to pair with 20 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in the 123-114 win on December 30, 2022 — becoming the first player since 1982 to post back-to-back 40/20 games and just the third player in NBA history and first since 1966 to have consecutive games of 40 points, 20 rebounds and five assists. It was also the fourth time in his last six games that the seven-time All-Star topped 40 points.

With the fancy footwork! Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets shows off his beautiful big man moves before draining the rainbow jumper against the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 3 of their Western Conference Finals series on September 22, 2020.

It’s hard to disrupt the smooth, even-keeled approach Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane brings to the table. Bane rips through his defender on the perimeter and reverses back with a spin dribble into a driving slam with one hand. Memphis’s talented second-year guard scored 29 points and pulled down nine boards in the team’s 97-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on December 4, 2021.

Desmond Bane

From the corner! Markieff Morris of the Los Angeles Lakers catches the feed from teammate LeBron James and nails the deep corner three ball in a 19-point performance against the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on October 4, 2020.

Markieff Morris

All these years later and James Harden is still out here equaling franchise records. In a vintage Harden performance, the 10-time All-Star lights up the LA Clippers using everything in his toolbox — facilitating transition opportunities with long outlet passes, assisting on multiple Joel Embiid buckets inside, strong drives to the basket that end in layups or trips to the foul line and of course the patented stepback trey that defenders still can’t stop. Harden’s 20 points, 11 rebounds and career-high 21 assists — which matched a Philadelphia 76ers franchise record — helped his squad erase a 20-point deficit en route to a 119-114 victory on December 23, 2022.

James Harden

Jonas Valanciunas does it all for the Pelicans. New Orleans's starting center secures the rebound on a Karl-Anthony Towns missed three and launches a beautiful 'touchdown' pass to a streaking Nickeil Alexander-Walker for an easy lay-in on October 25, 2021.

Jonas Valančiūnas

Vision won’t get you far if you can’t get your man the rock. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic watches Kristaps Porzingis roll perfectly out of a screen, then reaches way out around his defender to fire a sidewinding bullet pass to the wide-open center in the paint on January 20, 2021. Doncic walked away with a cool 13-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple double in the win.

He’s so good that he doesn’t even need his eyes to make spectacular plays. Such is life when you’re Giannis Antetokounmpo, who continues to make the impossible happen on a nightly basis. Returning from a two-game absence against the Atlanta Hawks, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar makes up for lost time by flicking a no-look over-the-shoulder dime to a waiting Bobby Portis Jr., who finishes the possession with a layup. It was another typical night at the office for the two-time MVP, who finished the November 14, 2022 game with 27 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

You don't need lightning quickness when you're hypnotic with the rock. Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden lulls his defender into a trance at the top of the key before utilizing his momentum against him with a crossover. Harden put on an offensive clinic in the December 27, 2021 win over the LA Clippers, erupting for 39 points, eight rebounds and a staggering 15 assists.

Chasing Run It Back: Origins

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