Vinsanity Scale: Lakers' Russell Westbrook explodes for poster dunk vs. Jazz

Benyam Kidane

Vinsanity Scale: Lakers' Russell Westbrook explodes for poster dunk vs. Jazz image

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

Game situation

The Lakers were in front by eight points with just over two minutes remaining in the first half, before Westbrook detonated over the Utah Jazz, sending the fans at the Crypto.com Arena into a frenzy.

Difficulty

Very Hard. Posterizing anyone in the NBA is hard, let alone a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and one of the best shot blockers in the league.

The fact 6-foot-3 Westbrook attacked the rim with such ferocity and dunked it over 7-foot-1 Rudy Gobert gives this slam an extra bit of juice.

I mean, just look at this...

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Reaction

Westbrook was hyped after the dunk, flexing on Gobert and letting him know all about it as the home crowd went nuts.

He was assessed a technical foul for taunting, but something tells me he's more than ok with it.

SLAM Magazine had the cover ready to rock. 

Just look at Dwight Howard's face!

Vinsanity Scale

Westbrook is no stranger to throwing down poster dunks over his career, but this is just his 10th jam of the 2021-22 season. The attack, the opponent and the degree of difficulty....I give it Four Vinsanitys.

Vinsanity Scale

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Benyam Kidane

Benyam Kidane Photo

Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor and has been covering the league for The Sporting News since 2016. In his spare time you can find him watching Allen Iverson highlights on repeat.