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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What Highlights Were Before The AND1 Era, May 29, 2003
The most important thing to remember when thinking about buying this DVD is that it was released in November of 2001. Many of today's stars were still young rooks: Jason Williams (c'mon, he did have some highlights early on), Vince Carter, etc. Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant and Shawn Marion were still just on the verge of the current run of super-talent superstardom. It is an extremely ambitious thing to proclaim that you have picked out the Top 100 plays of all time in the NBA (these are broken down into Oops, Blocks, Steals, Dunks, Assists, Buzzer Beaters, Clutch plays, teamwork, hustle plays and moves, all presented in Top 10 format). That said, know that the plays the producers of this DVD have selected aren't based on the Ooh-And-Aah Meter, but rather a combination of Ooh-And-Aah and historical significance. For example, a Jordan buzzer beater to win a game in the playoffs will carry more weight than a flashier Jordan buzzer beater in a nothing game in the middle of the season. For example, a spinning, over the head dish by Bob Cousy that is simple by today's standards is included in the Top 10 Assists because of Cousy's importance to the development of "necessary showmanship" at the point guard position. But the producers aren't just history buffs; they do know their ball, and there are some flashy plays mixed in with the important ones. The team work, hustle and steal Top 10s are among the weakest on the DVD (how flashy can a steal or hustle play really be? These are the ones that rely heavily on "historical importance."). Each section has a mini-documentary that delves into what team work, dunking or assists are all about, built on interviews of NBA legends and current stars, with doses of highlights from those categories. They are easy to navigate, although there's no way to skip the mini-documentary other than fast forwarding through it. There's also a best of the latest section full of plays based on pure flash, and little significance. This reminds you of how dated the video is when the "up and comers" are the aforementioned J-Will and Air Canada. If you haven't tapped into the AND1 universe of basketball highlight films (AND1 being street basketball on max amp level, with rules bended Matrix-style, with more focus on humiliating your opponent) then this video is for you. It's a good dose of historical NBA plays and some rare gems that won't show up on other NBA films. For AND1-tainted fans, the Moves, Assists, and teamwork sections will pale in comparison to the the stuff the street ballers have come up with. However, the Dunk, Blocks, Buzzer Beater and Clutch sections will still be fulfilling for all fans, AND1 or not. A rim-rocking throwdown, or a half-court buzzer beater is timeless, and well-respected on the hardwood and the asphalt. Gems include a Kobe Bryant ankle-breaking crossover and amazing dunk taking off from nearly the free-throw line; a Jerry West game winner from half court after the other team thinks THEIR buzzer beater has won it; two sick blocks, one that Shawn Kemp sends well into the stands, and LaPhonso Ellis' infamous steal/block where he takes away a dunk and hangs on to the ball with one hand; tiny Kevin Johnson taking off and posterizing center "Hot Rod" Williams; and Magic Johnson pulling a (surprise!) AND1 move, taking the rock behind his back to avoid a defender, going around his torso, dropping a lefty pass to Byron Scott, who finishes with another poster. It's good buy for all basketball fans; we've been trained by SportsCenter to live off of highlights and Top 10 Plays, so this is a full-out dose of nothing but highlights in Top 10 format.
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