DeMar DeRozan slams on Rudy Gobert for early Dunk of Year frontrunner

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert is one of the best shot-blockers in basketball. That talent put him on the wrong side of an incredible highlight in Wednesday's matchup with the Toronto Raptors at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

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With roughly 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan dribbled past the defending Gordon Hayward and rose to finish at the rim. Gobert tried to stop him, but it only ended with this early frontrunner for Dunk of the Year:

This thunderous jam gave the Raptors a 83-82, but they eventually lost 93-89 for their third-straight defeat. The dunk also helped distract attention from a relatively poor game for DeRozan, who shot 6-of-15 from the field for 14 points with six assists. Derrick Favors led the way for Utah with 18 points on 7-of-9 FG and 11 rebounds.

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Regardless, this dunk will be the most remembered aspect of this game. Expect to see it any time analysts and fans discuss the best dunks of 2015-16.

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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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