USA/ESP - Dunks but not wins

LOS ANGELES (NBA/Olympics) - The basketball world is abuzz about the dunking ability of Blake Griffin once again.

Earlier this season, Oklahoma City center Kendrick Perkins was ridiculed in the social media after being "posterized" by a dunk from the Los Angeles Clippers’ superstar.

Now Spanish basketball icon Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers knows how it feels to be underneath Griffin when he slams one home.

The Clippers dunking machine, one of the most popular players in the league, had two vicious dunks on Gasol on Wednesday, but the Spaniard and his Lakers' teammates won the game, 113-108.

Gasol will play for Spain at the Olympics while Griffin is among the finalists for the USA squad.

Perkins had no real complaint about being dunked on by Griffin, yet Gasol did, and perhaps for good reason.

On the first, Gasol was in the lane a few feet away from the basket when Griffin soared in from behind, claimed the offensive rebound and dunked.

The referees did not call an ‘over-the-back’ foul despite there being a lot of contact.

Griffin’s other rim-rattler came in the second half.

He came in from the right, caught a pass and took off.

With the ball in his right hand and his left arm extended, Griffin’s left forearm caught Gasol flush on the face and neck while he dunked hard.

Gasol fell down and Griffin, after landing, took a couple steps in his direction and stared at his opponent before walking away.

The Spaniard jumped up to complain to the referees but to no avail.

The Lakers nevertheless went on to prevail.

When asked about the second dunk, Gasol said: "You don't really see what happened.

"It was quick, a hit-and-run kind of thing, right?

"The ball went in, I was on my ass, I woke up, I stood up and told the referee I had a f---ing forearm on my face, on my throat, and that's something that needs to be looked at.

"But it happened too quick. I didn't realize."

Griffin was asked about the second dunk and he said: "I hoped it would give us momentum.

"It might have. I don't know, but we're not really thinking about that now.

"We're not thinking about a dunk that didn't mean anything. I have to play better than I did."

The result has left Gasol and the Lakers with a record of 35-20, and the Clippers 32-22.

Gasol chose to communicate his feelings to the world.

He tweeted: "Big win tonight against our neighbors! Great to see Andrew (Bynum) back, healthy and playing so well. I take wins over highlights any day!"

 
FIBA