Clippers forward Blake Griffin excited Staples Center - and the World Wide Web - with his dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Before we go completely gaga over Blake Griffin’s thunderous dunk (or throwdown) over Kendrick Perkins, let’s take a step back and avoid being a prisoner of the moment.

Griffin’s aerial assault on Jan. 30 against the Oklahoma City Thunder was spectacular and deserved all the attention it received the past couple of days. But to proclaim it as the best dunk in NBA history, like many were calling it on Twitter, is a complete knee-jerk reaction and a little farfetched. There was a whole lot of hyperbole going around the Web when Griffin posterized Perkins. Even LeBron James, who has seen or done better dunks in the past, got caught up in the moment.

In case you haven’t seen Blake’s dunk, click here.

Was it the best dunk ever? Before you answer that question, slow your roll and check out these 10 dunks. They all may be equal to or better than Griffin’s slam.

10) BARON DAVIS LOWERS THE BOOM ON ANDREI KIRILENKO AND THE JAZZ

9) SHAQUILLE O’NEAL BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE (AND THE BACKBOARD) IN NEW JERSEY

8) DWYANE WADE PUNKS KENDRICK PERKINS AND DOES THE CABBAGE PATCH

7) KEVIN JOHNSON POSTERIZES HAKEEM OLAJUWON IN A 1994 PLAYOFF GAME

6) LEBRON JAMES “WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE!” AGAINST THE CELTICS

5) SHAWN KEMP TOMAHAWKS THE WARRIORS IN THE 1992 PLAYOFFS

4) JULIUS “DR. J” ERVING ROCKS THE CRADLE ON MICHAEL COOPER

3) MICHAEL JORDAN SPINS BASELINE AND THROWS IT DOWN ON PATRICK EWING AT THE GARDEN

2) DOMINIQUE WILKINS: THE ORIGINAL HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL

1) VINCE CARTER LEAPS OVER 7-FOOT FREDERIC WEIS IN THE OLYMPICS

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Four years ago the Golden State Warriors, the No. 8-seeded team in the 2007 NBA playoffs, shocked the basketball world when it upset heavily favored and No. 1-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round.

Led offensively by the explosive trio of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson and Stephen Jackson, the 2007 Warriors embraced the “We Believe” mantra and treated the fanatic Bay Area faithful with a playoff performance for the ages. Davis, Richardson and Jackson never saw a 3-point shot they didn’t like, and that fearless attitude spread like wildfire on the entire roster. Also on that underdog team were the well-traveled Al Harrington and Matt Barnes, and two young players in second-year guard Monta Ellis and third-year center Andris Biedrins.

The architect of the “We Believe” Warriors was Don Nelson, the “Mad Scientist” who was known for his free-wheeling offense and wacky game plans. Nelson had a leg up on the Mavericks because he knows their personnel very well, having drafted the core of the ’07 Dallas team.

Forward Matt Barnes, who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, enjoyed his finest hour when he was with the Golden State Warriors in 2007. (GETTY IMAGES)

Golden State won the season series against Dallas during 2006-07, and that template fueled the Warriors to the biggest playoff upset since the 1994 Denver Nuggets shocked the Seattle SuperSonics.

Bay Area sports fans have not been excited about its Warriors since ’07, a magical moment frozen in time it seems in the minds of Warriors fans. There is real optimism this upcoming season – once the lockout ends – because the new-school Warriors have the pieces to push for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, at the San Jose Event Center the “We Believe” 2007 Warriors will play in an exhibition game against the current crop of Warriors, featuring young “Dubs” Stephen Curry, David Lee and Dorell Wright and one holdover  from the 2007 squad – Ellis. The game tips off at 6:30 p.m. PST.

Scheduled to participate in the exhibition game and play for the “We Believe” Warriors are Richardson, Harrington and Bay Area native Barnes, the game’s host. A few former Warriors who weren’t on the 2007 team (Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Anthony Morrow and C.J. Watson) are also tentatively on the program.

Jackson and Davis, the two leaders of the ’07 squad, are not scheduled to appear, although there is still a chance that Davis could make a surprise appearance.

“With the lockout, we’re all thirsty to do something,” Barnes told the San Francisco Examiner. “I got the idea from a friend of mine who’s a promoter in the Bay Area. He approached me about doing an old vs. new Warriors game, and then I thought how it’d be cool to do it with 2007 team. That team is pretty legendary.”

A portion of the proceeds will go to Matt Barnes’ Athletes vs. Cancer Foundation.

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Newest Clipper Baron Davis shares a moment courtside with comedian Adam Sandler.

Baron Davis loves nicknames. He’s been known as: B-Diddy….BD….The Beard….Baron of the Hardwood….and, a personal fave, Boom Dizzle. His given name was simply not sufficient enough to pacify the former UCLA and Santa Monica Crossroads stud.

Or, maybe he wears too many hats off the court. When he’s not dealing on the basketball court, Davis is making deals as a businessman, producer, manager and part-time actor. B-Diddy has been associated with pop culture icons such as The Game, Jessica Alba, Adam Sandler and Kate Hudson. 

Davis’ game and his Hollywood persona belongs in Los Angeles. The match made in heaven finally materialized when Davis signed with the Clippers last summer. Davis adds starpower to a star-craving team that is looking to possibly steal some of the spotlight away from Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. OK, maybe the Clippers are not ready to steal the spotlight from the Lakers after a 38-point thumping at Staples Center on opening night.

“One of the big reasons I wanted to come back home was so I could impact the communities of my hometown in a positive way, and I’m excited to do that,” Davis wrote on his blog site. “I was trying to wear number 85, in honor of the street I grew up on and where my basketball career was truly started by my grandfather who built my first hoop in our backyard. However, I chose number 1, I’ve worn it before and feel comfortable in it. ” 

For much of his professional basketball career, Davis has been tagged with the “potential” nameplate, something that most athletes dread because the word essentially translates to “disappointment.” Whenever someone is tabbed with great potential, it usually means there are several flaws in that player’s game.

In Davis’ case, at least earlier in his NBA career, he was a bit reckless on the court and his game was more suited for the And 1 Mix Tape Tour. He was also built like a fullback, causing him to miss several games for various ailments. The most serious one was the back injury that plagued him during his days with the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets and his first few years with the Golden State Warriors. 

But once Davis was able to overcome his back problem, he not only shed the “streetball” off his game but he was able to shed a few pounds as well.  He played 82 games in 2007-08, the first time he’s played a full regular season since 2001-02. The defining moment of his career came in the 2007 NBA playoffs when his underdog Warriors eliminated the heavily-favored Dallas Mavericks in the first round.

Though his time with the Warriors was priceless, Davis needed to be home. He opted out of his Golden State contract and signed a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Clippers this past summer. With a fat new contract and a more slimmer body (he’s lost 19 pounds during the offseason), Davis looks like he’s ready to re-establish himself as one of the top point guards in the Association and make the Clippers a contender in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

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