Keon Johnson

It’s frequently said that in today’s NBA, no lead is safe, given the possibilities associated with one well-timed 3-point barrage. Breaking all of the “rules” during their 25-point comeback attempt on March 1, 2025, Keon Johnson and the Brooklyn Nets challenged the norm by attacking from every inside-the-arc angle possible. Among the first leaking out after a teammate rejects Ausar Thompson’s layup attempt, Johnson uses, seemingly, a transition turbo boost to create a two-on-one advantage. Free to introduce his 48-inch vertical leap, Brooklyn’s gifted swingman approaches eye-level with the rim, climbing his way into a deficit-cutting alley-oop jam. Out to survive a Detroit Pistons team enjoying its highest-scoring month (123.7 points) since 1983, the Nets’ fittingly-old-school approach — all 2-pointers until the late third — marked a valiant effort, even in defeat. Productive, despite an off-shooting night, Johnson finished a chippy, trash talk-heavy game with a 10-point, eight-rebound, two-assist, one-steal, one-block, two-triple effort.