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Harrison Barnes has come into his own with the Dallas Mavericks this season. He’s the team’s leading scorer, plays the most minutes, and has the highest usage rate. Barnes is the alpha and omega of the Mavs.
Now, Barnes can add another title to his growing resume with Dallas: Best dunker on the team. There were some other candidates in the running for that honor this season but after Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, he stands alone.
With 5:47 left in the second quarter, Barnes crosses up Dwight Howard, drives the lane, and takes off. Paul Millsap stands in between him and the basket. It doesn’t matter. Barnes soars over Millsap and throws down a thunderous jam. (Oh, jam!) It’s a miracle that Millsap didn’t turn into dust. Take a look:
To quote the immortal Dirk Nowitzki, “Shut it down! Let’s go home!”
Watch it again. Trust me.
Who cares that the Mavs lost the game 100-95? The dunk is the only thing we’ll remember. As Barnes keeps getting better, he’s going to put a lot more people on posters. You’ve been notified, NBA.