Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura baptized Detroit Pistons rookie Isaiah Stewart with a nasty poster jam on Saturday. While it was the Japanese-born sophomore who completed the highlight jam, it wouldn't have happened if not for the beautiful set-up from his teammate Russell Westbrook.
In the closing minutes of the first quarter between the two cellar-dwelling East teams at Capital One Arena, Westbrook surveyed the floor before collaborating with Hachimura for a pick-and-roll play. Upon receiving the rock, Hachimura needed just one long gather step to get to the paint before finishing perhaps the best dunk of his young career.
Stewart tried his best to keep up and protect the paint but only made the highlight even better by getting in the way. Here's the play which will surely be on SportsCenter.
Rui Hachimura dropped the HAMMER on Stewart 😨 pic.twitter.com/jKQAFIsSDp
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 28, 2021
Russell Westbrook, of course, is one of the most unselfish playmakers in the league and is always trying to make guys like Hachimura better. He was certainly pumped up after the 6-foot-8 forward's thunderous finish.
This play proves why Hachimura is thriving alongside Westbrook. His ability to finish around the rim is tailor-made for the former MVP's passing acumen.
Hachimura has gotten comparisons to the Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo since joining the NBA last year. That dunk definitely had shades of the two-time NBA MVP. Prior to the match-up versus Detroit, Hachimura has been averaging 13.6 points and 5.9 rebounds on 47.8 percent shooting from the field and 34 percent from long range in 36 games played.
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