Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen decided to contest a dunk attempt by LeBron James on Tuesday night.
It worked.
Allen met James above the rim in the second minute of the game, rejecting the attempt and putting himself on a short list of players to block one of James’ dunk tries.
LeBron James REJECTED by THE FRO. pic.twitter.com/lr9aBxJ2iU
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 19, 2018
Allen is only the eighth player to block the four-time MVP, who has been denied just nine times in 1,850 dunk attempts in his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
James had this to say:
“He’s in his 20s; I’m in my 30s,” James said. “It takes me a little longer to get warmed up. But that’s fine. I mean, you’re a shot-blocker. You should, you can, get a block. It happens. It’s probably all over social media, so that’s cool.”
Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said Allen’s block was a catalyst in the Nets’ win.
“I thought that got us going,” Atkinson said. “I thought that got the crowd going.
“I thought he made a statement with that block.”
This is much ado about nothing, but we live in a highlight day and age.
People love to see a great block as much as they love to see a great dunk.
