A player’s shoes always make a statement. Pregame, many choose to go with high-fashion dress shoes or sneakers. During games, a player can have career-defining moments that get memorialized by the shoes he wore. A player’s in-game sneakers often represent more than athletic performance. Notes can be seen scribbled across the sides, or logos crafted specifically for the player become globally recognizable symbols that represent the growth and influence of the game. In fact, the global aspect of basketball extends to shoes, as several NBA players now endorse Chinese shoe companies.
In this spotlight, we will highlight both the sneakers worn during the game, and the shoes that made the biggest statements during arrivals. As always, keep up with the conversation using #NBAStyle.
James Harden is a known risk taker, and goes all-out with multi-colored studded sneakers, which he pairs with a printed button down.
While many NBA players have different interpretations of high fashion and the latest trends, some are sticking with basic suits, while still mixing it up a bit. Perhaps the most important facet of today’s suit is an ability to break up the pieces and wear them with other items in your wardrobe. Let’s take a look at several different styles, including trends that can become part of any closet. Keep up with the conversation using #NBAStyle.
THE EXPERTLY TAILORED SUIT
Derrick Rose, Amar’e Stoudemire and Zach Randolph are in favor of finely tailored, slim cuts.
Either that or they have faith in Shane Battier’s considerable leaping ability:
With Chris Bosh sitting with the flu against the Clippers, the Heat decided to anoint the former Blue Devil to out-leap one of the best dunkers in the league in DeAndre Jordan.
Got to pick and choose your battles, right?
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You may have noticed it’s the offseason, which means we have plenty of time to sit around and think about many of the things that make it fun to be an NBA fan. Here at All Ball, we’ll be passing the time until the start of the season with a new series, the Fave Five. Each week we’ll count down a list of the five best, or worst … somethings. We’ll try to get creative with it. Plus we’re taking requests! If you have a suggestion for a Fave Five post, give us a shout and you may see it appear in this space over the next several weeks.
Who is going to win the Super Bowl this year? The World Series? Your guess is as good as mine. In the NFL and MLB, who wins from year to year is totally unpredictable. In football it’s about who is lucky and who is healthy; in baseball it’s who is lucky and who gets great pitching.
The NBA is different. There are very, very few Cinderella stories in professional basketball. For my money, the 2011 Mavericks and the 2004 Pistons are the only surprise champions I’ve seen in the NBA in my lifetime.
The best teams almost always prevail. Which is why when we think of the teams who have come up short since the start of the 2000s, the answers are pretty obvious.
Let’s take a look:
5. 2011 San Antonio Spurs
What happened: The Spurs got off to a ridiculous start to the season (they were 29-4 at one point), and for a while there was talk that they might flirt with 70 wins. They cooled a bit down the stretch, but still finished the regular season as the top seed in the Western Conference with a record of 61-21.
The draw in the West looked pretty good, as they faced the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. Talk about a mismatch – the Spurs, four-time NBA champions, versus the Grizz, who to that point had not won a single playoff game in franchise history in three previous appearances. So naturally they advanced to face HEY WAIT A MINUTE!
Memphis shocked San Antonio in six games, and the Spurs went home as only the fourth No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 8 seed*.
* The Bulls became the fifth this past season, but methinks that might have turned out differently had Derrick Rose been healthy.
Why they disappointed: I’ll be honest. I don’t really think of this Spurs team as being all that much of a disappointment. Some of that is due to the fact that the Grizzlies turned out to be a pretty good team, and some (maybe a lot) is due to the fact that Manu Ginobili hurt his elbow the final game of the season and was severely limited in the series. Still, 1 seeds don’t lose to 8 seeds, so here they are.
If you were not aware, Chris Boshnearly missed Game 3 Thursday night between the Heat and the Knicks due to the birth of his son earlier in the day.
But thanks to the wonders of modern travel and a veeeery understanding wife, Bosh arrived at Madison Square Garden just before tipoff, and showed little rust in adding nine points, 10 rebounds, and this block to the Heat’s dominant win, moving the team within a game of a series sweep of the hapless Knicks.
Via Hot Hot Hoops, here is Bosh with his brand-new son, Jackson, from early Thursday morning:
Congrats, CB1. Speaking as a father to a new son as well, the reflexes you’ve honed as a world-class athlete are going to come in handy at the changing table.
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We are midway through January, which means voting for All-Star starters is in full swing. Ever since Chris Bosh made a viral video to plead his case for All-Star inclusion (back when people loved Chris Bosh), it’s been de rigueur for players to tout themselves or their teammates for your vote.
Here at All Ball we’ll try to keep track of any and all videos put together by teams, players, or player advocates to help various All-Star causes.
We start off with a video from the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan:
Pretty simple stuff, nothing too exciting. Unfortunately it doesn’t hold a candle to this effort from the guys at The Basketball Jones, who made this outstanding plea on behalf of Raptors’ big man Andrea Bargnani:
Now that’s a reason to vote for someone.
If you see any others out there we should feature, drop us a line and let us know.
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As everyone knows by now, the compressed NBA schedule will force every team to play three games in three nights at least one this season (42 times in total). With only 66 games to stake a claim to a playoff spot or seed, how teams perform during these killer slates could have a large impact on how their seasons turn out.
With that in mind, we’re going to keep track of each of the 42 three-plays to see which teams take advantage and which teams fall apart. Up next, the Atlanta Hawks, who played three straight from Jan 5-7.
Before I get into the meat of the Hawks triumvirate of games, I should make note (for those that didn’t know) that I spent six years working for the franchise before coming over to NBA.com. I mention this because as far as I am concerned, these three games perfectly encapsulate what it’s like to root for them. They were the Hawksiest Hawks games I’ve ever seen.
Game 1: Heat 116, Hawks 109, 3OT - The Heat were without LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and if you know these Hawks, you know that spells trouble. Missed free throws, missed opportunities, Hawks loss. They made history by becoming just the 10th team in history to go scoreless in an overtime period (the third), so there’s that. -2 points
Game 2:Hawks 102, Bobcats 96, OT - Atlanta always seems to struggle in Charlotte, and despite the Bobcats being one of the worst teams in the league, they nearly pulled out the home win. I give the Hawks credit for perseverance if not style. 4 points
Game 3:Hawks 109, Bulls 94 – Just when you are ready to bury the Hawks, they turn around and blow out the Bulls in Game 3, snapping Chicago’s six-game win streak in the process. Josh Smith had one of those games that makes you simultaneously gobsmacked by his abilities (25 points, five rebounds, five assists, six blocks) and depressed because he often eschews them in favor of low-percentage jump shots. 6 points
What to do with this team? Do you focus on the fact that they lost at home to a Heat team playing Chris Bosh and the JayVees? Or do you notice the squad that was talented enough to go up 30 on Chicago in the third game — especially impressive given they’d played almost an extra half of basketball the previous two nights thanks to overtime? Shoot, the Hawks were a few missed free throws away from going 5-0 last week, with four of the games coming against the reigning Eastern Conference finalists.
Yet with all my griping and complaining, with settled dust and cleared smoke the Hawks somehow managed to post a new high score for the three-play, putting up 8 total points. Go figure.
Up next: The Oklahoma City Thunder are right on the Hawks tails, with three games in a row Jan. 6-8: home and home against the Rockets, and tonight against the Spurs.
When LeBron Jamessigned with Miami last summer, leaving Cleveland in the lurch like he did, as a fan I wanted him to feel what Cleveland fans felt. I wanted him to hurt the way they hurt.
As of last night’s title-clinching victory by the Dallas Mavericks, I think it’s safe to say that what the fans wanted has come to pass. Today, LeBron is hurting, and for the haters it is as satisfying as the first gulp of a Coke on a hot summer’s day.
Here is what I wrote right before the start of the season, and it still holds water:
If I am a Cleveland or Toronto fan (but more Cleveland), I don’t want to see Miami struggle through injuries and flame out in the first round because they are at less than full strength. I wouldn’t complain, but it’d still be a disappointment.
If you really want to be spiteful and vindictive (and really, isn’t that what hatred is all about?), you don’t want Miami’s success to be curtailed by a collection of rolled ankles and twisted knees. You want the Heat to be awesome. Devastate the league. Win 70 games. Cruise to the Finals. THEN lose. That is revenge, my friend.
Given the hubris and arrogance exhibited last summer, it’s hard to muster much sympathy for Miami. And while others had a stake in the production, the tab will be paid going forward by LeBron and LeBron alone.
After each game day until the end of the NBA Finals, we’ll be taking a look at the conventional wisdom of the moment — which team is the current favorite to win it all, and which team should be ashamed to still be putting on its jerseys.
Here’s how it looks on the morning of Monday, June 6.
Start planning the parade:
Miami Heat
All hail Dwyane Wade, the ultimate playoff closer. The Mavericks had no answer for him in Game 3, and I don’t reckon they’ll find one before this series comes to an end. Also, that game-winning shot from the baseline by Chris Bosh? That’s there any time they want it, and CB4 is one of the best mid-range shooters in the NBA. Kind of a nice option to have, yeah?
We all know the stat by now — of the 11 Finals series that were tied 1-1 since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 format, the team that won Game 3 won the title all 11 times. Miami will make it 12-for-12 in just a few more days.
Give it up already:
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks continue to amaze with their ability to rally from large deficits, but at some point you wonder why they keep falling behind by such big margins so often. In this case, it’s simple — they aren’t as good as their opponents.
For the second time in three games, the Dallas bench came up short. For something that was supposed to be a big advantage for Big D coming into this series, they are running short on time to make their mark. Jason Terry is a hit-or-miss contributor, and Game 3 was a miss. It almost seemed like he wanted to erase his tattoo.
Dirk Nowitzki is unbelievably good, and it almost seems like he can do this on his own. He can’t. Which is why the Dallas run is nearly at its end.
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What’s that expression? A thing of beauty is a joy forever? Well that’s what Dallas’ comeback was last night — a 22-5 run of sheer bliss that deserves to be remembered in prose for posterity.
The Mavs comeback, as told in rhyming couplets:
Jason Terry strokes the J, Flies down court and makes them pay.
A couple of freebies, Mavs moving fast, Marion drives and puts it off glass.
Kidd is open, he drains a three! A pull-up jumper from Mr. J.T.
It’s Dirk time now, making shots a’plenty, A rattling jumper, a finish lefty,
A trey from deep, the Heat feeling blue… The winner past Bosh. Take dat wit chew.
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Catch up on every single game-winning buzzer beater during the season and see how it rates on the Horry Scale.
