While many NBA players have brought their unique style to the podium during the 2013 playoffs, some trends have popped up multiple times throughout the first week.
DENIM: This postseason, players have embraced the utilitarian fabric to make bold statements. In the gallery below, Blake Griffin and Raymond Felton wear tailored denim button down shirts, while James Harden has an edgier take with a distressed shirt and plaid vest. Brandon Jennings looks summer-ready with a faded chambray shirt and white ankle pants, while LeBron James mixes it up by pairing a crisp denim button down with a black tie under a shawl collar sweater.
PINK: The color has range. Brandon Jennings spruces up a classic tan blazer with a warm pink button down, and Deron Williams wears the same shade under his gray jacket. For bolder variations, Caron Butler’s pink shirt pops under a gray suit and muted blue tie, while Matt Barnes pairs mauve pants with a black jacket and tie.
Let us know who wore these trends best, and if you could imagine them in your closet, tell us about it on Twitter using the hashtag #NBAStyle… -
ALL BALL NERVE CENTER – Part of the fun of the NBA Playoffs is that everything is amplified, from the intensity to the passion to the very stakes everyone is playing for. it is win or go home, and frankly, win or go home, NBA players want to look as sharp as they can while doing either.
Check out some of the looks these NBA stars put together over the first week of the Playoffs, from the fashion forward styles of guys like Russell Westbrook and James Harden, to LeBron James‘ sweater/blazer combo, to the classic suits on players like Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala. Skinny ties are worn by several players, and dudes like Mike Conley (cardigan) and Harden (plaid vest with a pocket square) displayed popular recent trends. And also, Russell Westbrook wore a leather shirt.
All these players and more are featured in the gallery below. Who wore it best? Give us your thoughts in the comments section, and keep the conversation going on Twitter by using #NBAStyle.
In a back-and-forth affair in Milwaukee, point guard Brandon Jennings punctuated a perplexing night (13 assists, but 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting, four turnovers) by nailing a 3-pointer as the buzzer expired to lift the Bucks to 2-0. The game was extremely competitive for the last 28 minutes, with Monta Ellis and Mike Dunleavy Jr. filling up the scoring column for the Bucks until Jennings performed a coup de grace on the Cavs.
For those that are new around these parts, the Horry scale examines a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time?), importance (playoff game or garden-variety Kings-Pistons game?), and celebration, and gives it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys, who is kind of the patron saint of last-second daggers.
How does Mr. Jennings’ shot Saturday night stack up? Let’s take a look. (more…)
Nov. 1, 2012 — These past few months have been a complete whirlwind for me. Adjusting to independence (i.e. cooking, cleaning, banking, etc.) in a brand new city has taken some getting used to, but I’m getting there. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived in Milwaukee after spending most of my life in the South. But I can honestly say that I love it here. The city, the Bucks fans and the lifestyle are awesome.
Thankfully, living away from home during my three years in Chapel Hill, combined with my parents’ guidance, helped prepare me for my professional career off the court. But the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program (RTP) over the summer was four days of learning life skills that have already helped me tackle the business of professional basketball.
Imagine waking up tomorrow and going to work in your dream job. Whether it is a doctor, a pilot, a teacher, an actor, business owner or an athlete. There is no feeling in the world like it and I’m so fortunate to be where I am today. This is the exact thought that went through my head when I sat down for the RTP — I was soaking everything in. Being among my friends, former teammates and other guys I’ll be seeing on an NBA court this year. It was surreal. I wanted to know everything about what it takes to be successful in my new career and the RTP filled every gap of every question that I had. (more…)
Almost had two Horry Scale entries tonight, but sadly Jordan Farmar‘s game-winner for the Nets left a measly 0.4 seconds left on the clock for the Clippers to salvage a win. A great shot no doubt (though where was the Clippers’ D on that play?), but twasn’t a buzzer-beater, so it fails to qualify. Fortunately, we still have Derrick Rose to take care of us.
For those that are new around these parts, the Horry scale examines a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time), importance (playoff game or garden-variety Clippers-Nets game), and celebration, and give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys.
Rose is one of the ultimate closers in the NBA, so it’s a bit of a surprise to me this is his first appearance on the Horry Scale. How did the league’s reigning MVP stack up? Let’s find out:
Difficulty
Not terribly difficult for Rose, who created some space for himself against Brandon Jennings before knocking down the step-back jumper from the top of the key to win the game. However, I am going to complain just a little here. I won’t argue with the outcome, but with as much time as Rose had to work with in a tie game, I want him to get to the basket there. I’ll give him a pass, though, because that’s typically what he does in game-winning situations. But a lesson to the kids — never settle for the J.
Game Situation
Potential trade bait Ersan Ilyasova scored on an offensive rebound to tie the game at 104-104 with 24 seconds left to play, which gave the Bulls all the time in the world to set up a play for the win. Chicago cleared it out for Rose, who went mano-a-mano with Jennings for the final shot.
Importance
The Bulls fell to the Heat in last season’s Eastern Conference finals, and the two teams appear on a crash course to go at it again this May. With the way Miami has improved, home-court advantage could certainly play a big role in that series, and as such, every win for Chicago will matter from here until the end of the regular season. The Bulls remain two games ahead of the Heat with this win.
Celebration
Watch the clip again, and listen for the crowd’s reaction (go ahead, I’ll wait). What city was this game played in again? I had to look a few times to remind myself it was played in Milwaukee because judging by the crowd’s reaction, you might have thought it was the Windy City. Look how much red is in that crowd! I realize Chicago is a short distance from Milwaukee, but that’s embarrassing. Bonus points for the skyward finger-point celebration from Brian Scalabrine.
Grade
1.5 Horrys. A tie game, plenty of time to work with, and a more-difficult-shot-than-necessary from Rose makes this one fairly standard. But I’m giving an extra half-Horry in honor of the Bulls fans for turning the place into United Center North.
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We are keeping Robert Horry busy in the early goings of this season.
Once again, the Horry scale examines a shot in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time), importance (playoff game or garden-variety Clippers-Nets game), and celebration, and give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys.
Let’s put another crawfish on the barbecue grill and see how this one rates:
Difficulty: Now we’re talking. Melo, Rudy, Mo, your shots were nice — but they were jumpers. With the Bucks only left with :00.5 left to play in the game, their options were limited. There was time for a catch and shoot logistically, but barely. Most likely, they were going to have to get a tip of some kind.
I gotta give it to Milwaukee here — the Pacers had to know that something around the basket was the Bucks’ best hope, yet Mbah a Moute was still able to find Bogut flying towards the rim. You can fault Indy some for not defending it better, but Brandon Jennings does set a nice back screen on Jeff Foster to give Bogut just the amount of separation he needs to get a hand on the pass. Any time you have such little time, there is little room for error. On this play, the Bucks executed to perfection.
Game Situation: The game was tied, but when there is only half-a-second left, the score of the game only matters if a team trails by three. There are no discussions of strategy with 0.5 on the clock, no conversations about waiting for the last shot or making your move early enough to get a rebound, you just do whatever you can to get a hand on the basketball heading towards the basket and hope for the best.
Importance: The Central Division is up for grabs, Carlos Boozer‘s return to the Bulls nonwithstanding. The Pacers are proving surprisingly feisty so far, and though Milwaukee hasn’t shown their form from the end of last season, they could still factor in the race. It’s early, but wins in December count just as much as ones in April.
Celebration: Obviously the home crowd erupts, and I especially like Bogut’s Euro-style two-hand fist-shake after the ball drops.
Grade:
4 Horrys. Very high marks for difficulty, and the division aspect of the game raises the stakes.
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Well that didn’t take long. After Rudy Gay hit the NBA’s first game-winning buzzer-beater last Saturday, it only took four more days before our next entry into the 2010-11 ledger. Mo Williams, step right up to claim your prize:
A refresher — any time there is a GWBB, we will examine its bonafides in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time), importance (playoff game or garden-variety Clippers-Nets game), and celebration, and give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys.
Let’s see how this one rates:
Difficulty: It’s a nice shot, no doubt, and Brandon Jennings does all he can to bother Williams. However, this isn’t that hard a shot for an NBA player to make, a face-up jumper from just left-of-center.
Game situation: Tie game, so no harm no foul if it’s a miss.
Importance: In the early season, neither the Bucks or Cavs are doing much to make themselves look like contenders, but I’ll say this — given their summer, I have to think every win feels just a little bit sweeter for Cleveland this year.
Celebration: Mo Williams jumps on the scorer’s table as the crowd in Cleveland goes wild. That’s quite a little Thanksgiving present for the Cleveland fans.
Grade: Three Horrys. Thought about giving it a 2.5, but I bumped them up an extra half-an-Horry for being an antidote to the Cavs’ fans misery.
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First it was Andrew Bogut buying 100 seats to fill his Squad 6 team. Now, other Milwaukee players are getting in on the act to help fans make their way to the Bradley Center as well. Fans at the Bucks’ recent open practice had a chance to win tickets by sinking a halfcourt shot. If they couldn’t get the job done, a player got to give it a go as well. Take it away, Brandon Jennings:
Pretty cool. But Jennings wasn’t the only Bucks player to come through for the fans. Brian Skinner got in on the act as well:
Job well done fellas.
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