The Hawks keep getting amazing moments from Tim Hardaway Jr.
Atlanta guard Tim Hardaway Jr. has had his career revived with the Hawks. Before escaping the Knicks, the first few years of Hardaway Jr.’s career was spent in New York where he had a dreadful start. Nothing ever clicked there and by the end of his time in The Big Apple he was pretty much given away. The Hawks saw a potential diamond in the rough with him, though, and now that he’s acclimated he is thriving.
Atlanta is not a team known for the typical highlight. Basketball nerds might go nuts for their passing and execution, but dunks and crossovers aren’t their thing. Which is why it’s so great they have Hardaway Jr. He’s the highlight machine amidst a dull system. Tonight he had yet another highlight moment when he threw down this monster dunk against the Nets. Poor Brooklyn never saw it coming.
The best part of this dunk is easily the double clutch. At first Hardaway Jr. is going to throw down a one-handed monster, but when he sees the defender rotate over he pulls back to add an extra and and make sure that his dunk doesn’t hit back rim. That type of coordination and athleticism is rare even among NBA players. The typical double-clutch happens on a layup, but Hardaway Jr. got way up there and threw down an intense slam.
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Now, the real question of the highlight: is this a poster dunk? Some would argue that by having a defender withing the vicinity of the dunk it’s become a poster. Honestly though, those are weak qualifications. A true poster involves bodies connecting mid-air and an attempted block being rejected. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson rotated over, but he got out of the way once he knew that the only result would be a poster.