Nuggets' JaVale McGee throws in dunk after shove by Bulls' Joakim Noah
By Ben Golliver
You simply can't forget about Nuggets center JaVale McGee, not even on a wild NBA night that included a LeBron James poster, a LeBron James game-winner, a potential Bulls game-winner disallowed in controversial fashion and a Hawks cheerleader hospitalized.
With a little less than nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Denver's 119-118 overtime win over Chicago, McGee came sprinting down the middle of the court during a broken play. Fed by Wilson Chandler, the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest runner-up took off from just inside of the free throw circle, looking to posterize Bulls center Joakim Noah. A two-hand shove from the Bulls' All-Star center made that impossible, so McGee opted for a sensational Dwight Howard "Superman" style throw dunk after absorbing the contact at his waist.
The 7-footer's right-handed fling originated with his elbow at rim level and the ball above the top of the square on the backboard. The toss rattled home for two points (no foul was called on the play). Behold the audacity.
JaVale McGee prepares to throw in a dunk. (CSN Chicago Broadcast)
JaVale McGee prepares to throw in a dunk. (CSN Chicago Broadcast)
McGee finished with 12 points (on 6-for-8 shooting) and three rebounds in 22 minutes.
His one-man highlight reel of a career continues. This season alone, McGee has: starred in the Nuggets' "Harlem Shake" video, thrown down a long-range lob, hit the first three-pointer of his career, executed the zaniest sequence of the year, and shoveled imaginary food into his mouth after a dunk.
Denver won its 12th straight game to improve to 46-22. Wilson Chandler led the way with a game-high 35 points (on 13-for-21 shooting), nine rebounds, four assists and two steals off the bench.
Chicago, the Eastern Conference’s No. 6 seed, fell to 36-30. Nate Robinson led the Bulls with 34 points.
