by Zac Dubasik
Blake Griffin just returned from a serious injury, but in his short time in the league, he's become one of the NBA's biggest stars. But while his overall game continues to progress and improve, it's his dunks for which he's best known.
In celebration of Blake's 26th birthday, we are taking a look back at our favorite dunks of his NBA career. We've included a few that were probably thrown in, technically, rather than dunked, and his Dunk Contest victory omitted on purpose (due to better dunks coming in-game). Tell us your favorites, as we honor Blake on his birthday.
Blake Scores His First NBA Basket Via Lob
Rank: 10
Shoe: Nike Hyperfuse
Sure, he's had more epic dunks, but Blake's first NBA points coming off a lob couldn't have been more fitting.
Blake Reverses a Lob from Eric Bledsoe
Rank: 9
Shoe: Nike Air Max Fly By PE
While Blake's dunks are typically most notable for their power, he invoked memories of Ricky Davis here, with an unnecessary reverse.
Blake Goes Up and Under Against Kris Humphries
Rank: 8
Shoe: Nike Hyperdunk 2011
Here, Kris Humphries makes his first of two appearances in this list. Following a nice recovery after a pick and roll, Blake's up and under was just too fast for Humphries to prevent being added to the wrong side of a poster.
Blake Hits Back-to-Back Windmill Alley-Oops.
Rank: 7
Shoe: Jordan Brand Super.Fly 2
We were excited after the first one, but two in a row is just ridiculous. That they came while up 40 points to one of the league's worst teams at the time, however, makes it a little less impressive.
Blake Throws in a Dunk Over Kris Humphries
Rank: 6
Shoe: Jordan Brand Super.Fly 2
This one definitely falls under the "thrown-in" category, rather than actually dunked, but it's excusable considering it was from so far away. And while this is the second time Kris Humphries has shown up here, let's give him the benefit of the doubt here, as pretty much no one could have expected that dunk to come from where it did.
Blake Dunks Over Paul Gasol
Rank: 5
Shoe: Nike Hyperdunk 2011
Pau was often criticized for being soft earlier in his career, but he probably has a legitimate complaint about this no-call forearm to the face.
Jamal Crawford Throws Between-the-Legs Lob to Blake
Rank: 4
Shoe: Jordan Brand Super.Fly 2
Was it showboating to throw a between the legs lob, up 15, with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter? Sure. Was it awesome? Yep.
Blake Dunks All Over the Knicks
Rank: 3
Shoe: Nike Hyperfuse
The Knicks have been on the wrong end of many highlight videos over the past few many seasons. Blake took that to another level in this 2010 game, where he had not only one, but two, of his most memorable dunks.
Blake Destroys Paul Gasol with Putback Dunk
Rank: 2
Shoe: Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Supreme
Blake probably should have been called for an offensive foul the last time we saw him send Pau to the floor on this list, but this is as legitimate as it gets.
Kendrick Perkins Gets Posterized by Blake
Rank: 1
Shoe: Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Supreme
The distance. The extension. The fact he actually got a little rim. DeAndre's reaction. Imagining the scowl Perk must have had as he wondered where the foul call was. Everything about this dunk was just great. Happy Birthday Blake.
