Dr. J says mascots are to blame for Slam Dunk Contest's decline

Back in Julius Erving's day, people were wowed by humans dunking.

Now, Erving says the mascots dominate dunks.

"The mascots messed it up," Erving told Darren Rovell of ESPN. "It was great seeing regular human beings, even though they were 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, running and dunking a basketball."

"When mascots started doing it with all the trampolines and all the crazy stuff and falling on the floor, then it became more like the X Games. The players can't live up to that."

Erving will once again serve as a judge in the Slam Dunk Contest. So, in case Mason Plumlee needs a third idea for a dunk, maybe don a mascot costume and lay down a trampoline. That should earn at least one perfect score.

When reached for comment, Cleveland Cavaliers mascot Moondog only responded with stunned silence.