Boomshakalaka! – it was 28 years ago that NBA Jam stole the hearts (and quarters) of basketball fans and gamers across the globe. Along with pop culture items like the Sony Discman, Ecto Cooler, and MC Hammer, the 2-on-2 game has reached legendary 90’s status.
As a not so legendary Cleveland Cavaliers season nears the finish line, let’s take a look at which current Cavalier teammates would form the best 2-on-2 NBA Jam duo. *The two main versions of NBA Jam (released in 1993 and 2010) featured anywhere from two to four players per team to choose from for your squad.
As a refresher for those of you who haven’t handled the sticks in a while: the best NBA Jam rosters generally incorporate players who are above-average at any one or more of these skills: three-pointers, blocks and defense.
Previous versions of NBA Jam had the following Cavaliers available for gameplay: Mark Price and Brad Daugherty (1993) and (you may want to cover your eyes for this one) Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varejao.
Without further ado, here are four current Cavaliers who would make the most sense to potentially deliver the nail in the coffin to opposing Jam teams.
The first is not a shocker.
The no-brainer: Cavs big man Jarrett Allen
Nearly seven feet tall, Jarrett Allen makes the roster as the defensive anchor. Never afraid of challenging a dunk attempt, Allen and his block and a half per game make for an easy choice to defend the lane and prevent the opposition from catching fire.
Add in his 13 points and 10 boards a night and Allen makes for a sneaky good secondary offensive option, thanks in large part to his finishing with authority, of which we’ve seen plenty of lately.
The Cavs flamethrowers: Collin Sexton and Darius Garland
Getting buckets is the name of the game. Who better to handle the scoring than either of the Cavs’ starters in the backcourt? Collin Sexton is putting up nearly 25 points a night this year and is a career 39 percent shooter from three. Most importantly, he’s anything but shy when it comes to pulling the trigger. With only one teammate to (potentially) pass to, Sexton’s game is tailormade for NBA Jam.
In his second season, Darius Garland is averaging just under 18 points per game, including two made looks from beyond on the arc. Factor in his six dimes and over a steal per game, and Garland makes a strong case to get the virtual starting nod.
The Cavs wildcard: Larry Nance Jr.
Larry Nance Jr. does a little bit of everything which gives him the roster spot over the longest tenured and most often talked about (screamed about?) Cav – Kevin Love. Nance is a versatile player who would match up well in the arcade world with both wings and bigs. Filling the stat sheet with 9 points, 7 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals a night this season, Nance does just enough of everything to irritate the opposition.
Pairing Nance with Allen or either of the above-mentioned guards, works because of his position versatility. Need him to initiate the Jam offense (which mainly consists of avoiding being pushed)? Nance is your guy. Helicopter dunk an alley-opp? Yep. The 2018 dunk contest participant gets it done.
Pair any of these two Cavaliers players together on NBA Jam and you’ll be drinking celebratory Ecto Coolers after stacking wins.