Bam Adebayo clinched Game 1 of the 2020 Eastern Conference playoffs with an absolutely stunning block, with Jayson Tatum attempting a dunk with seconds remaining in overtime and getting denied at the rim by the Miami Heat center.
Seriously, watch it in slow motion and see where Adebayo’s hand was — right in front of the cylinder.
It was incredible, an instant all-time great swat in NBA playoff history.
But to those of you — and yes, there are multiple people I saw on Twitter — who think it’s better than LeBron James’ Game 7 block of Andre Iguodala in the 2016 NBA Finals that led to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ title? I say: get that, er, stuff outta here.
Bam's clutch game-saving block shamed the most overrated "clutch" block ever – LeBron's late in Game 7 at Oakland, a chase-down after JR Smith cut off Iggy, forcing him to lay it up instead of dunk it. A bicycle built for two.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 16, 2020
1 random thought at 1 a.m.
Bam's block. Not bigger than LeBron's, but better.
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) September 16, 2020
Sorry. Lebron is unreal, and I'm a fan. But his block is 3rd behind Tayshaun and Bam.
— 🌐 GrandePdre™ (@grandepdre) September 16, 2020
First, let’s look at them:
Bam’s block was pretty amazing — he came from the other side of the paint, matched Tatum in the air and didn’t foul the Celtics star.
But let’s all remember that James’s block came in a Game 7 in the Finals, and that he was basically at halfcourt with Iggy streaking toward the three-point line. Yes, J.R. Smith helped force Iguodala into a layup, but how did James get all the way there, time his jump perfectly and avoid a goaltend?
It’s that added degree of difficulty and the situation that makes Bam’s block a top-three rejection (how about some love for Tayshaun Prince on Reggie Miller?) and James’s “The Block.”
