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VIDEOS: Top 5 NBA plays of the year

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

It's difficult rounding up a year-end top-five list for the NBA, a league that produces a collection of highlight-reel plays each and every night. 

But with 2014 coming to a close, that's exactly what we did. 

Below are the top five plays that stuck out to us over the past calendar year. We start with a trio of plays that just missed the cut.

Honorable Mentions

Terrence Ross crowns Kenneth Faried

Everyone loves a good poster dunk. Ross turned in arguably the best one of the year.

J.R. Smith crosses Anthony Bennett, throws down hammer

Bonus points for inciting a riot on the New York Knicks' bench.

James Johnson winds back, dunks hard on Andre Drummond

Ross's teammate Johnson got in on the poster action, too.

Johnson's description of the dunk was just as good: "That was nasty, right? I cocked that joint back and banged on him," he said.

Courtney Lee's controversial buzzer-beating alley-oop off an inbounds pass was one of several others to miss the cut.

We now head to the main event. 

5. John Wall circus shot

The Washington Wizards' point guard produces highlights with the best of them, but Wall's wild, off-balance, not-looking-at-the-basket circus shot tops the list.

4. Vince Carter hits Game 3 buzzer-beater

Carter got redemption for the near-identical shot he missed as a member of the Toronto Raptors some 13 years earlier. 

3. Blake Griffin windmill alley-oop slams

Griffin was finding his way on this list one way or another. Here, you get two for the price of one, as the high-flying Griffin threw down a pair of windmills - and showed off his passing skills - in a span of less than one minute to edge out his posterization of Kris Humphries. 

2. Damian Lillard shoots Rockets out of playoffs

Lillard ended the Houston Rockets' season and propelled the Portland Trail Blazers into the second round with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

1. Paul George throws down 360 slam

An in-game 360 windmill slam is something we never see. And George threw it down super cleanly to gain extra style points.

Get well soon, Paul.  

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