During the Cleveland Cavaliers ' season opener at Madison Square Garden, guard Lonzo Ball hit big man Larry Nance Jr . with a perfectly placed lob pass. Nance threw it down, punctuating a 10-0 Cavs run and prompting sidelined star Darius Garland to rise from his seat and let out a scream that was clearly audible on the ESPN broadcast.

The play took place eight years to the day after the first time that Nance threw down an alley-oop dunk from Ball. That one took place at the arena then known as Staples Center. Ball was a rookie, having been drafted No. 2 by the Los Angeles Lakers and dubbed, at 19, the "new face of the franchise" by then–team president Magic Johnson. Nance was in his third season, still trying to establish himself with the Lakers, unaware that they'd trade him a

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