Steph Curry’s shooting and scoring abilities get their just praise — but how about some love for the way the Golden State Warriors star gets his buckets? Granted an opportunity to strike from the corner, Curry sets his sight on the rim, splitting two defenders with a smooth behind-the-back maneuver, then finishes at the cup with a layup. The four-time champion scores two of his game-high 24 points on the play while also chipping in six rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and five triples in his squad’s 111-101 win on November 18, 2022.

Steph Curry

Steph Curry wraps ball around back to evade defender for scoop shot

Even when backed into a literal corner, Luka Dončić is savvy enough to find a way out. When the Dallas Mavericks’ four-time All-Star chased down a pass he had juggled in the corner, he was promptly met by a pair of Indiana Pacers defenders. With his back to the basket and few options at his disposal, Dončić surveyed the scene before leaving his feet and firing a bullet to the other side of the court into the waiting hands of an all-alone Jaden Hardy for a corner 3-pointer. Dončić scored a team-high 25 points while mixing in seven rebounds, six assists and zero turnovers to help Dallas prevail 127-104 on March 27, 2023.

Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić leaps out of bounds to wire baseball pass cross-court for three

That’s my quarterback! LeBron James sizes up a defensive rebound as it caroms off the rim then immediately throws a perfect spiral down the court to a streaking Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on January 10, 2021. James put up 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Houston Rockets.

LeBron James

LeBron James times rebound off bounce, relays it into crosscourt transition pass

Before he was an NBA champion and two-time league MVP, Nikola Jokić was hard at work becoming a triple-double savant. Although he had yet to begin his reign as annual league leader in triple-doubles, the Joker was starting to show flashes of his all-around brilliance on a nightly basis. Against the Milwaukee Bucks in his third season, Jokić did his standard little bit of everything, but what stuck out was the speed in which he compiled his 10th triple-double of the season. Jokić’s versatility was on full display in the first half as he connected on a midrange pull-up and a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer while also spinning his way to a driving layup in traffic. He facilitated for his teammates in a variety of ways, whipping a pass down low for an easy layup, dishing a swing pass for an open triple and making a no-look, behind-the-back pass look effortless. Just over a year after recording his first career triple-double in Milwaukee, Jokić logged the fastest triple-double in NBA history, achieving the feat with 1:54 to go before halftime in 14 minutes, 33 seconds of game time. He broke the previous record of 17 minutes that had stood since 1955, and ended up with 30 points, 15 rebounds and 17 assists in Denver’s 134-123 win on February 15, 2018.

Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokić sets NBA record with triple-double logged in 14 minutes

Can’t stop progress! New York Knicks forward Julius Randle brings the ball up the court, passes into a pick-and-roll with Reggie Bullock then bullies his way to the rim for a tough two against the Sacramento Kings on January 22, 2021.

Julius Randle

Julius Randle finishes pick-and-roll with dunk on far side of rim

Going strong to the rack! LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard makes quick work of his defender before hitting the tough layup in traffic against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 22, 2020.

Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard blows past defender for layup through traffic

It’s no secret that Giannis Antetokounmpo has some of the most enviable length and reach in the NBA — but he was sure to remind the Indiana Pacers anyway. The two-time MVP proves to be unstoppable in transition following a steal as he runs the break with Grayson Allen, who hits a cutting Antetokounmpo with a pass in space which is all he needs to land a spectacular dunk over two defenders. The seven-time All-Star’s pure athleticism was overwhelming for the Pacers — as were Antetokounmpo’s 41 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 141-131 victory on January 27, 2023.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo flies through paint for transition flush

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.

Giannis Antetokounmpo spins in transition, tosses dime over shoulder into post

Following a cold-shooting Game 3 performance and a quiet first half in Game 4, it was only a matter of time before Chris Paul came up clutch. The 12-time All-Star came alive for the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter against the LA Clippers, including when he pounced on an offensive rebound following a Torrey Craig miss and somehow got an insanely-difficult baseline turnaround jumper to fall. Paul connected on 5 of his 9 shots for 12 points in the final period and for the game tallied 19 points, four rebounds, nine assists, three steals and three blocks in his squad’s 112-100 Game 4 victory on April 22, 2023, allowing the Suns to take a commanding 3-1 First Round series lead. 

Chris Paul

Chris Paul saves loose ball, drains fallaway in 2023 Playoffs

Hobbled and hurting in a deadlocked Game 7, Chris Paul had to dig deep. With the defending-champion San Antonio Spurs trying to end the Los Angeles Clippers’ season in the first round, Paul shook off his aching hamstring just long enough to hit one of the biggest shots of his legendary career to send his squad to the Western Conference semifinals. After a pair of Spurs free throws tied the game at 109 with eight seconds left, Paul took a handoff from Blake Griffin and drove strong to his right into the paint despite Danny Green hot in pursuit. When the much taller Tim Duncan drifted over to help deny, it didn’t matter — CP3 let loose a difficult, one-handed jumper while falling away with one second left that went off the glass and found a home at the bottom of the net. Despite playing at less than 100 percent, Paul shot 9 of 13 from the field and 5 of 6 from downtown for a team-high 27 points to pair with six assists in the exhilarating 111-109 win-or-go-home victory on May 2, 2015. 

Chris Paul eliminates Spurs with game-winning drive in 2015 Playoffs

When Steph Curry is feeling it, just sit back and enjoy. The revolutionary Golden State Warriors guard flexes his handle against the Minnesota Timberwolves, dancing around his defender on the perimeter and capping off the possession with a step-back triple on January 27, 2021.

Steph Curry gives defender fits with handle, then pulls up for three

Kawhi Leonard knows a thing or two about clutch postseason jumpers. The two-time champion got his LA Clippers off to a strong start in Game 1 of their First Round series against the Phoenix Suns when he drained a clutch fourth-quarter 3-pointer over Torrey Craig to give his team a five-point lead with two minutes remaining. It was the second triple in as many possessions for Leonard, who shot 13 for 24 for a game-high 38 points while adding five rebounds and five assists in a 115-110 road victory on April 16, 2023. 

Kawhi Leonard drains clutch triple to pad late lead in 2023 Playoffs

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Steph Curry

Luka Dončić

LeBron James

Nikola Jokić

Julius Randle

Kawhi Leonard

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Chris Paul

Chris Paul

Steph Curry

Kawhi Leonard