Clip Reel: The First Half of the 2008-2009 NBA Season

We're going to give you 100 links to summarize November to February in the Association.

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This is how the 2008-2009 season began. How will it end?

What is "Clip Reel?"

Concept here is fairly simple: it's (roughly) the midpoint of the NBA season, the league will be celebrating in Phoenix this weekend, and the home stretch to June '09 begins on the backside. To put a bow on the first half of NBA '08 - '09, we're going to give you 100 links summarizing the season thus far. Take some time and enjoy it.

CONTENT FROM ESPN THE MAGAZINE RELATED TO THE NBA

(1) This link will take you to that Kobe Bryant playing soccer video from our 2009 Fan Issue. (As well as nine other videos.)

(2) A Fan's Guide to Heckling.

(3) Nice Ric Bucher feature on LaMarcus Aldridge of the Blazers.

(4) On this link, Bill Simmons is going to claim that nothing has changed the NBA more than Mike D'Antoni.

(5) Michael Beasley, Kevin Durant and the emergence of Prince George's County as a hoops hotbed. (WITH VIDEO!)

(6) Could Ricky Rubio be the "NEXT" big thing in the NBA? (WITH VIDEO!)

(7) What do you make of the potential for Brandon Jennings to show up in the NBA next year? (WITH VIDEO!)

(8) Pretty well-regarded Sports Guy column on Greg Oden.

(9) Who do you think is better: Chris Paul or Deron Williams? (WITH VIDEO!)

(10) This is the entire 2008-2009 NBA preview from the Magazine on one link.

(11) This is the Michael Beasley feature from our NBA Draft preview issue last summer. (WITH VIDEO!)

(12) Here's a feature on Josh Smith and the art of shotblocking. For this one, you need to be INSIDER.()

(13) So seriously, what will be the matchup in the 2009 NBA Finals?

(14) If you made a Mount Rushmore of dunkers, who would make it?

(15) What is Dwight Howard's best dunk ever?

(16) When discussing the concept of "viral video," NBA players come up quite often.

(17) A brief history of Lamar Odom's rise to superstardom.

(18) A similar look at Andrew Bynum.

(19) A collection of some of the best blocks Josh Smith has ever swatted six rows back.

(20) A bunch of aggregated dunks from Joe Alexander, Russell Westbrook and Rudy Fernandez.

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In his second season, Kevin Durant has emerged as a legitimate star.

RIDICULOUS DUNKS FROM THIS SEASON

(21) Rudy Gay goes all thunder-style to open the season.

(22) Josh Smith makes the Sixers cringe.

(23) Jeff Green was the trailer on this play, but got to the forefront pretty quick.

(24) Richard Jefferson throws it down on the break; he had numbers, but it's still impressive.

(25) Andre Iggy makes his first appearance on this list.

(26) Derrick Rose making his presence felt in November.

(27) Gerald Green can go thunder on your dome.

(28) Kevin Durant with a nice dunk against the Rockets.

(29) Ronnie Brewer has some absolutely filthy ups.

(30) So does O.J. Mayo (although on this dunk he seems to be unguarded).

(31) Wow, Kevin Love posterizing Vince Carter? Fun.

(32) You could argue that Tyrus Thomas has been kind of a bust, but then he goes and does stuff like this.

(33) Russell Westbrook "parts the red sea."

(34) Nene puts it on Yao Ming's head.

(35) In the future, Kendrick Perkins might not want to get in the way of Josh Smith.

(36) Surprising that we got to Link No. 36 without a Chris-Paul-to-Tyson-Chandler alley-oop, so here 'tis.

(37) This is the type of play you routinely saw from Kenyon Martin circa 1999.

(38) Jason Richardson feels the need to go 360 on the break.

(39) Really nice lefty jam from Tayshaun Prince.

(40) Man, Brandon Roy is athletic.

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Kobe and LeBron, Kobe vs. LeBron: a continual discussion.

(41) J-Rich goes windmill style.

(42) Al Thornton is definitely a bright spot for the Clips.

(43) This Jerryd Bayless dunk is fairly beast.

(44) This Gerald Wallace alley-oop is one of the most underrated dunks of the first half of this season.

(45) Lamar Odom going down the lane with authority.

(46) Wilson Chandler dunks on Luis Scola. (Best part of the clip is at the end, when Walt Frazier says very awkwardly, "The nasty stuff!")

(47) Shannon Brown showcases his ups.

(48) Grant Hill showing his dunk skills circa 1992, but in 2009.

(49) T-Mac absolutely annihilates Tyrus Thomas.

(50) Hakim Warrick "brought the whip" on this one.

THE KOBE AND LEBRON SECTION

(51) Who do you think is better, honestly?

(52) Here is a good Chris Broussard "Behind the Story" on the attitude of Cleveland fans to LeBron James at this moment. Funny Bron Bron Super Fans video on that link as well.

(53) The Broussard Magazine feature on LeBron is here, but you gotta be an Insider to read it.()

(54) Here's another funny Bron Bron fans in Cleveland video that we made.

(55) To the game highlights: here's Kobe with 61 points at MSG.

(56) Here's LeBron with 52 at the Garden.

(57) Here are highlights from their second head-to-head this season, on February 8th.

(58) Here are some highlights from their first head-to-head, on MLK Day.

(59) Kobe and Bron Bron interviewed together.

(60) This is a nice NBA All-Access piece on LeBron and Kobe.

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Few people can fill it up like Carmelo Anthony, as he proved this season with a 33-point third quarter against Minny.

(61) Rather than individual links, take a look at this: The Top 10 LeBron James plays of 2009 so far.

(62) And here's the Top 10 Plays of the season for Kobe thus far.

(63) This is honestly one of the sicker Kobe/LeBron YouTube clips we've ever seen assembled. Watch it.

OTHER RIDICULOUS PLAYERS AND INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

(64) You can watch Chris Paul run the fast break from a mini double decker tour bus.

(65) Here are clips from CP3's fifth triple-double of the season, a few weeks back.

(66) Here's Paul with 34 points and 8 steals against the Kings in December.

(67) Dwight Howard versus the Thunder in November: 30 points, 19 rebounds, 10 blocks.

(68) Not all from this season, but to get you hyped for the Dunk contest and for Dwight: Howard's Top 10 dunks.

(69) Carmelo Anthony scores 33 points in one quarter against the T-Wolves.

(70) 'Melo with 35 points in an eight-point win over the Spurs during the first week of February.

(71) D-Wade with 43 against the Suns in late November.

(72) Here are Wade's Top 10 individual plays of the season so far, via NBA TV.

(73) Al Jefferson had 36 points and 22 boards against the Rockets on February 7, 2009.

(74) Tony Parker owned Jefferson's team earlier this season, scoring 55 on 'em.

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O.J. Mayo has been a star for the Grizzlies on the court and in the community.

(75) His teammate Tim Duncan going for 25 and 17 against the Suns on Christmas Day.

(76) Brandon Roy takin' those same Suns for 52 in December.

(77) Here's a good Suns clip: Steve Nash drops 21 dimes in one night against the 'Stons.

(78) Marcus Camby pulling down 27 boards in one game in December.

(79) Here's Jamal Crawford goin' for 50 against the Bobcats in December.

(80) Mario Chalmers with nine steals a single game in November.

(81) This is probably the best link you'll find for summarizing amazing individual performances.

A LOOK AT THE ROOKIES

(82) These might be some of the best Derrick Rose clips you'll find from this season.

(83) Here's a nice Michael Beasley dunk.

(84) Quick clip, but a good sign of what Russell Westbrook can do going down the lane.

(85) Nice Kevin Love dunk on the Kings.

(86) Danilo Gallinari has shown some flashes of promise.

(87) O.J. Mayo could be the front-runner for ROY, and here's one small example of why that is.

(88) Eric Gordon went for 41 in a game this season.

(89) For now, this is the main thing Joe Alexander does well, but his game will expand.

(90) DJ Augustin scores 29 points against the Bulls and fellow rook D-Rose.

(91) Brook Lopez goes for 24 and 17 against the Sixers in late January.

SO, WHAT NEXT?

(92) So seriously, can the Lake Show win it all?

(93) Who's going to be ROY?

(94) Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft?()

(95) How many ESPN.Com NBA Preview Dime calls will prove to be accurate?

(96) How many plays in the second half of the season can top these ten plays?

(97) Assuming you agree with this list, do you think anyone can crack it by the end of this year?

(98) If you want cool-arse video content moving forward, keep this bookmarked.

(99) For information purposes, keep this bookmarked.

(100) And heck, if you're into content aggregation like this, keep this bookmarked and keep on checking back.

ANYTHING WE SHOULD HAVE ON HERE? E-MAIL US!

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