The Spurs are a Top-10 Alley-oop Dunking Team

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 8: Dewayne Dedmon #3 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball in the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 8, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Spurs defeated the 76ers 111-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Last season, in 82 games, the San Antonio Spurs finished with 18 alley-oop dunks. This season, through just 54 games, the Spurs have not only doubled that amount, but they’ve already completed 39 total alley-oop dunks.

Going from 18 to 39 alley-oop dunks in a single season has put the Spurs in the current Top-10 of teams that have completed the most alley-oop dunks this season, where they’re tied for 8th with the Phoenix Suns, who have also made 39 alley-oop dunks.

While the Spurs did add seven new players this past offseason, one specific new addition to the team has really given the Spurs a lift in the alley-oop department, and that’s 7’0” center, Dewayne Dedmon. Dedmon is not only responsible for 67% (26 of 39) of the Spurs’ alley-oop dunks this season, but he’s also completed more alley-oop dunks than 15 NBA teams. That’s half of the NBA, as the chart below shows:

alley-oop-dunk-chart

While Dedmon is responsible for most of the Spurs’ alley-oop dunks, he also has some help in that department, as Jonathon Simmons, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard, Dejounte Murray and Joel Anthony have also contributed to the Spurs catching and slamming lobs from mid-air so far this season.

Player Made Alley-oop Dunks
Dedmon, Dewayne 26
Simmons, Jonathon “The Juice” 4
Aldridge, LaMarcus 4
Leonard, Kawhi 3
Murray, Dejounte 1
Anthony, Joel 1

Whether it’s out of the pick-and-roll, off-screen action off the ball, or in transition, the six players above have demonstrated that when the right pass is thrown to them while in mid-air near the rim, they can catch and finish the alley-oop dunk.

With 28 games left in their 2016-17 season, the Spurs are no longer just an efficient offense in scoring the ball through shooting and at the free throw line, but, they’ve also added being a Top-10 alley-oop dunking team to their resume.

All statistics via NBA.com/stats

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