Welcome to the Vinsanity Scale! In honour of one of the greatest in-game dunkers in NBA history, the Vinsanity Scale rates dunks on a scale of 1-4. Similar to the Horry Scale, the dunk in question is graded on the game situation, difficulty and celebration to answer one question: Would it make Half Man, Half Amazing proud?
The dunk
🤯 Gary Payton II ERUPTS for the SLAM on TNT! pic.twitter.com/oVGVnwUOb8
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2022
Game situation
With 6:47 to go, the Warriors were up 94-93 when Stephen Curry found Payton II wide open on a baseline cut. The 6-foot-3 guard then showed off his hops and hammered home a dunk despite the contest from Pacers center Goga Bitadze.
The slam sent the Warriors faithful at the Chase Center into a frenzy.
Difficulty
Hard. Overcoming the size difference and throwing a dunk over a 7-foot center weighing nearly 250 pounds is no easy task.
Having said that, Payton II did have a free cut to the basket and no real contest on the catch which would have certainly helped with the finish.
Reaction
As with every dunk of this ferocity and magnitude, both players - Payton and Bitadze - began jawing at each other after the play while the fans were beside themselves.
Even Stephen Curry, the assist man on this dunk, enjoyed the finish.
Gary Payton II just DETONATED! pic.twitter.com/nZxrLaIFsZ
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2022
The post-whistle theatrics earned both players technical fouls. For Bitadze, this was his second of the game which meant he was ejected and had to return to the locker room.
Vinsanity Scale
There's no doubting Payton II's bounce and his finish over the contest certainly warrants praise but given his free run to the rim in the lead-up to the dunk, I'm going to give it Three Vinsanitys.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.
