Last year, Shane Larkin defied gravity to block a Jerian Grant’s fast-break layup attempt. It was awesome: Larkin rose, reached with both hands, and swatted away Grant’s attempt with his right as he descended back to earth. It was a pretty phenomenal play by the undersize Larkin, and it was only a bonus that it came against his former team, the Triangle-obsessed New York Knicks. (Let’s just ignore the score at the time.)
It’s a good thing for the Nets that he did that, because it’s the only Brooklyn Nets play that ranks in the NBA’s list of the “Top 100 Plays Of 2015,” coming in at #61.
Not a single Nets highlight cracked the top 60 in a 30-team league, and Larkin’s levitation was the only one that snuck into the top 100. That means no Jarrett Jack game-winning shots, no Thaddeus Young dunks, no Deron Williams turnaround three-pointers to cap a 35-point night. (Though if the teams themselves submit highlights for consideration — and I’m not sure if they do — the Nets not requesting Williams’s inclusion may make a bit more sense.)
Anyway, if you want to watch 23 minutes of NBA highlights, you can do so above. One though: I found it interesting that there weren’t any dunks in the top five highlights chosen. The league is pretty diverse in skill!
Here’s to a more highlight-filled 2016 for the Nets… we hope.
