Not even fellow players could believe the LaVine-Gordon dunk duel

By
MATT WALKS via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
February 13, 2016, 11:40 PM ET
2 min read

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It will be a long time before people forget what Zach LaVine did in Saturday night's dunk contest.

The Minnesota Timberwolves guard captured his second straight slam dunk contest by bettering Aaron Gordon in an instant classic for the ages, a high-flying, acrobatic duel that left NBA players wondering if there had ever been a better one.

LaVine's first dunk, an affront to the basic laws of physics, garnered a perfect score of 50 from the judges. Among NBA players on Twitter, it was an even bigger hit.

But just when it looked like LaVine was going to run away with it, Orlando Magic forward Gordon stepped up with some huge dunks. He was assisted by Stuff the Magic Dragon, the Magic's mascot, who stood atop a hoverboard.

As the two traded perfect scores and forced the contest to go into extra rounds, some NBA players wondered if it was the best dunk contest ever.

Eventually, Gordon slipped up, needing a pair of attempts to hit a comparatively pedestrian reverse double-clutch dunk that earned him a 47. It wasn't a popular score with players watching from home.

I'll concede there weren't really any losers here; they both infused the contest with an energy it has lacked for years. But with LaVine earning the nod, it's worth asking: Did Gordon get robbed?

You decide: