Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans wins the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend in Orlando, Fla. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Little known Jeremy Evans, a last-minute replacement for Iman Shumpert, was awarded the 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk champion during NBA All-Star Weekend in Orlando, Fla. Using fan voting to declare the winner, a first in the competition’s history, Evans joins an exclusive list of past winners that includes Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Kobe Bryant, Nate Robinson, and Dwight Howard.

But did Evans deserve the title of “best dunker in the world?” Former champ Jason Richardson was one of several players who didn’t feel Evans was the right call. He wrote on Twitter immediately after the contest, “I guess one dunk is all u need.” He followed that with “I think Paul George or Chase Budinger should of won…. Guess all 3 million votes came from Utah lol.”

The one dunk Richardson mentioned was the one in which Evans dunked two basketballs off a lob by Utah Jazz teammate Gordon Hayward while he was seated. However, Evans had two clunkers that probably didn’t deserve more than a “7” if we’re playing by the old system. His first attempt, the eye-in-the-sky dunk, was a complete dud because he didn’t sell it.

Based on consistency, creativity and pure entertainment, the winner should have been Indiana Pacers forward Paul George. His first dunk was Vince Carter-esque, jumping over 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert and 6-foot-6 Dahntay Jones. Then he followed that with the Tron-like presentation when the lights at Amway Center were dimmed and George wore a glow-in-the-dark jersey while performing a reverse windmill. Clippers All-Star point guard Chris Paul tweeted: “That idea for Paul George’s dunk was one of the most creative dunks I’ve seen yet!!! #GreatIdea”

George could have sealed the deal had he properly executed the sticker dunk in the third round. He should have brought more than just two stickers. But despite the misses, when he did complete the dunk it was still better than Evans’ third-round attempt when he jumped over comedian Kevin Hart (who is like 4 feet tall).

Charles Barkley said it best. He said the NBA gave the keys to the same voting public that elected George W. Bush as president of the United States. Once again, America got it wrong. Paul George should have been crowned the 2012 slam dunk champion.

Led offensively by the explosive trio of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson and Stephen Jackson, the 2007 Warriors embraced the “We Believe” mantra and treated the fanatic Bay Area faithful with a playoff performance for the ages. Davis, Richardson and Jackson never saw a 3-point shot they didn’t like, and that fearless attitude spread like wildfire on the entire roster. Also on that underdog team were the well-traveled Al Harrington and Matt Barnes, and two young players in second-year guard Monta Ellis and third-year center Andris Biedrins.

The architect of the “We Believe” Warriors was Don Nelson, the “Mad Scientist” who was known for his free-wheeling offense and wacky game plans. Nelson had a leg up on the Mavericks because he knows their personnel very well, having drafted the core of the ’07 Dallas team.

Forward Matt Barnes, who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, enjoyed his finest hour when he was with the Golden State Warriors in 2007. (GETTY IMAGES)

Golden State won the season series against Dallas during 2006-07, and that template fueled the Warriors to the biggest playoff upset since the 1994 Denver Nuggets shocked the Seattle SuperSonics.

Bay Area sports fans have not been excited about its Warriors since ’07, a magical moment frozen in time it seems in the minds of Warriors fans. There is real optimism this upcoming season – once the lockout ends – because the new-school Warriors have the pieces to push for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, at the San Jose Event Center the “We Believe” 2007 Warriors will play in an exhibition game against the current crop of Warriors, featuring young “Dubs” Stephen Curry, David Lee and Dorell Wright and one holdover  from the 2007 squad – Ellis. The game tips off at 6:30 p.m. PST.

Scheduled to participate in the exhibition game and play for the “We Believe” Warriors are Richardson, Harrington and Bay Area native Barnes, the game’s host. A few former Warriors who weren’t on the 2007 team (Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Anthony Morrow and C.J. Watson) are also tentatively on the program.

Jackson and Davis, the two leaders of the ’07 squad, are not scheduled to appear, although there is still a chance that Davis could make a surprise appearance.

“With the lockout, we’re all thirsty to do something,” Barnes told the San Francisco Examiner. “I got the idea from a friend of mine who’s a promoter in the Bay Area. He approached me about doing an old vs. new Warriors game, and then I thought how it’d be cool to do it with 2007 team. That team is pretty legendary.”

A portion of the proceeds will go to Matt Barnes’ Athletes vs. Cancer Foundation.

The cast of characters remain with one minor addition (Channing Frye) and one major subtraction (Shaquille O’Neal). But make no mistake about it, Alvin Gentry’s Suns are looking more and more like Mike D’Antoni’s Suns.

Reinstalling D’Antoni’s free-wheeling offense was the best coaching move Gentry made when he took over for Terry Porter halfway through the 2008-09 season. The Suns averaged 117.7 points per game after the All-Star break and, though the team missed the playoffs, won six out of their last eight games.

Steve Nash leads the NBA in assists at 11.5 and is making 44% of his threes.

This season, the Suns have picked up where they left off last spring as Steve Nash and Co. have a league-best 109 scoring average (tied with Denver) and a league-best 49% shooting percentage. The red-hot shooting has translated into a fast start as the Suns are well ahead of last year’s pace and in second place behind the West-leading Lakers in the Pacific Division.

Earlier in the season, the Suns concluded an East Coast-trip that saw them go 4-1. The road trip was highlighted by a 110-103 win at Boston and a 119-115 win at Philadelphia, a game where Nash scored 21 points and dished out 20 assists.

The 35-year-old Nash owns a NBA-best 11.5 assists per game and is making 52% of his field goals and 44% of his threes, all above his career averages.

As good as Nash has been in terms of shooting the ball, his statistics pale in comparison to teammate Jason Richardson, who is making 50% his field goals and 44% of his 3-pointers.

Most observers thought Amare Stoudemire would benefit the most from O’Neal’s departure, but obviously it’s Richardson who has really prospered. With Shaq no longer a hindrance on offense, the Suns have been able to fully utilize Richardson’s skills.

Richardson, who along with Jared Dudley, came to Phoenix as part of a four-player deal that sent Boris Diaw and Raja Bell to Charlotte last year. Richardson said it took him a full season to get acclimated to his third NBA team, but now he feels more comfortable with his role in the system.

“They need me to step up scoring a little, and I’m being more aggressive,” Richardson told the Arizona Republic.

Frye was Phoenix’s “minor” offseason acquisition. It’s a minor transaction compared to the big splashes made by the Celtics, Lakers and Cavaliers.

But the 26-year-old former University of Arizona star has been bargain, a move that cost Phoenix just a little more than $2 million for two years. A career 8.4 scorer with New York and Portland, Frye is averaging close to 14 points a game and has already made 25 3-pointers, which is somewhat shocking considering the 6-11 center made just 20 3-point shots in his previous four seasons.

Frye’s new-found long-range game has afforded the Suns to field a starting five who can all face up and make jump shots. This creates more room for Nash and Stoudemire to run their pick-and-roll offense.

The Suns may not be able to chase down the L.A. Lakers in the Pacific Division, but they’ll make a strong case for a playoff berth.