ESPN’s “The Last Dance”: How To Watch The Miniseries Detailing The Sunrise and Sunset of Sports’ Greatest Faction

ESPN’s “The Last Dance”: How To Watch The Miniseries Detailing The Sunrise and Sunset of Sports’ Greatest Faction

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To think that this magnanimous documentary was pitched to the masses during this time last year and that it’s being released two months earlier than its June 2020 debut date is more than a treat.

Rather, it comes as a beacon of reassurance that the NBA family does indeed look out for its millions upon millions of patrons who pay their undivided attention towards those storylines that stretch across this great league. And speaking of the entertainment aspect so desperately conveyed by the league and its TV partners, we’ve gotten some basketball-related content in the past two weeks, most notably the NBA 2K20 Players Tournament and the NBA HORSE Challenge.

But now, expect all of your social media sites to blow up after tonight’s kickoff of the 10-part docuseries known as “The Last Dance”, a more explicit, descriptive look at the emergence of the dominant Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s, its championship reigns and eventual demise leading up to their 1997-1998 season.

As said earlier, this was supposed to air shortly after the conclusion of this year’s finals but as reality would tell the current story of humanity, an NBA Finals, let alone any playoff series, seems highly unlikely to start on time this year due to the league’s suspension as a result of the COVID-19 crisis directly affecting the world as we know it.

So, thanks to a little intervention from the likes of fans, NBA and WNBA players, and a certain superstar by the name of LeBron James begging the sports network to drop the documentary earlier on Twitter, ESPN is deciding to release a compilation of more than 22 years worth of concealed, unedited, and raw film detailing quite arguably the most memorable, marketable and influential run in the history of sports that involved six championships, multiple All-Star selections, year-end award recipients and the construction of a legacy so impactful that it will forever go un-tarnished.

Directed by Jason Hehir, this miniseries focuses on the 1997-98 champion Bulls and plans to delve deep into just what transpired in the breakup between Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr and no, it won’t pull any punches. With everybody being in the house as a result of this worldwide quarantine, it’s no secret that the anticipation for what could go down as the most anticipated sports documentary of all time has fervently increased.

We’re likely to see a different side of the man fans declare as “His Airness” tonight, so that initially mum Michael Jordan, who we all knew never gave the media that kind of kerosene to start their journalistic fire, will finally open up to the NBA universe and his many fans and prognosticators alike about why he felt the Bulls didn’t want him anymore after ’98 and what he really thought of his running mates in Chicago red during their years atop the NBA mountain.

And, some perceptions will be changed in regards to understanding his persona as a leader, cultural emblem, player, and person. That’s bound to happen. But, we’ll leave it to the producers of this already legendary series to describe that to us in whatever way they will. What will be shown tonight will be that never-before-seen footage of Jordan’s final days in a Bulls uniform, including personal tales and opinions from his teammates and coaches, and those closest around him during his time in the spotlight.

We’re scheduled to hear some wild stories tonight (apparently, more than just the already-known Jordan punching Steve Kerr in a heated practice) and in the next five weeks ahead, as the TV-14 edits of parts 1&2 air live at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 while the uncensored versions of the series will take place on ESPN.

The rest of the schedule goes as follows:

‘The Last Dance’ Schedule

  • Sunday, April 19, 9 p.m. ET — Episodes 1 and 2
  • Sunday, April 26, 9 p.m. ET — Episodes 3 and 4
  • Sunday, May 3, 9 p.m. ET — Episodes 5 and 6
  • Sunday, May 10, 9 p.m. ET — Episodes 7 and 8
  • Sunday, May 17, 9 p.m. ET — Episodes 9 and 10

*Encore showings of the previous week’s episodes will air at 7 p.m. ET.

Apr 19, 2020 No Comments
NBA HORSE Challenge: The Rundown

NBA HORSE Challenge: The Rundown

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So, as of yesterday, it’s officially been one month since the NBA – and more formally, the sporting world – was halted due to concerns surrounding the global COVID-19 crisis that has affected millions of humans in more ways than one. It’s been a rough, worrisome, and pretty boring void that sports and competition usually fill at a surplus this time of the year and while we’ve been without hardwood hoops in the last month of the regular season, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been proactive in giving basketball fans something to cheer on during this uncertain time.

The NBA 2k20 Players Tournament came to an end Saturday night, as All-Star Suns guard Devin Booker took home the virtual gold in a sweep over teammate DeAndre Ayton in the tournament final, broadcasted live to the masses on ESPN as if it were a primetime matchup.

But now that the charitable 2K tournament is over, just what, you ask, succeeds it while captivating NBA fans for the next couple of weeks? Look no further than the inaugural NBA HORSE Challenge brought to you by State Farm, officially beginning tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Headlined by both NBA/WNBA superstars and National Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinees, eight participants will duke it out in an old fashioned game of H.O.R.S.E – AKA that game that you and your friends probably in the played on the driveway in which one player calls a shot, makes it and leaves it up to his or her opponent to copy the shot, or risk going up a letter.

This classic game will have pairs of current All-Stars like Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, Chicago Bulls guard Zach Lavine and Utah Jazz Guard Mike Conley go up with, or pair against, legends such as “The Truth” Paul Pierce, “Big Shot” Chauncey Billups, and WNBA current players and greats in Tamika Catchings, and Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky. ESPN Commentator Mark Jones will serve as the official host and lead commentator for the games, as all competitors will attempt their shots within the safety and comfort of their isolated humble abodes.

State Farm will officially donate $200,000 on behalf of the participants to charities focused on Coronavirus relief and response efforts as this donation adds on to the already gratuitous $74 Million raised by the NBA and Nationa Basketball Players Association to support the many people, communities, and countries affected by this disease through its NBA Together campaign.

Here’s how the tournament works, per NBA.com’s official press release:

“Participants of the NBA HORSE Challenge presented by State Farm will be divided into two groups of four, with the winners of the first two games in each group meeting in the semifinals.  The winner from each group will move on to the championship round.  ESPN will present the four quarterfinal games on Sunday. The semifinals and the championship game will air on Thursday, April 16, beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

A coin toss at the start of each game will determine who shoots first, with the more senior player calling heads or tails.  Players must describe each shot attempt, specifying the type of score they intend to make before taking a shot, such as a bank shot or swish. Dunking is prohibited. The first player in each game to accumulate the letters “H-O-R-S-E” after failing to match five shots is eliminated.”

As there are two groups of competitors in this challenge, Group one features battles between Chauncey Billups, Tamika Catchings, Mike Conley Jr., and Trae Young, and Group two will have games consisting of Zach LaVine, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, and Allie Quigley going at it.

Here are the matchups:

This is an elaborate effort by the NBA family to keep the sporting world unified during a tough time, so be sure not to miss out on the games of HORSE starting tonight on ESPN.

Apr 12, 2020 No Comments
Top 10 Easter-Themed Basketball Sneakers

Top 10 Easter-Themed Basketball Sneakers

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Obviously Christmas-themed signature basketball sneakers are/were the ‘creme de la creme’ of specialty colorways in the NBA. Not too far behind the Christmas packs, are the Easter packs that brands used to put out just a few years ago. At SneakerReporter we compiled a list of the Top 10 Easter-themed Basketball Sneakers. There was some criteria that had to be met in order for a shoe to be considered for the list. First, the shoe has to be a signature basketball silhouette – brand does not matter. Second, the shoe has to have an apparent “Easter” theme to it, whether it be pastel colors, details on the upper, and originality. How much a shoe has those three phases of criteria will determine how high the shoe is in our Top 10. Look below to find out which sneakers made up our list and to see if there were any surprises you weren’t expecting.

 

 

10. Nike Kobe 11 Elite Low “Easter” (2016)

 

           

 

 

9. Nike Lebron X Low “Easter” (2013)

 

           

 

 

8. Adidas Dame 2 “Easter” (2016)

 

           

 

 

7. Nike Kyrie 2 “Easter” (2016)

 

                 

 

 

6. Adidas Dame 1 “Easter” (2015)

 

           

 

 

5. Nike Lebron XII “Easter” (2015)

 

                 

 

 

4. Nike Kobe 9 EM Low “Easter” (2014)

 

           

 

 

3. Nike KD V “Easter” (2013)

 

           

 

 

2. Nike KD IV “Easter” (2012)

 

           

 

 

1. Nike Kobe 8 “Easter” (2013)

 

                 

 

 

 

 

Apr 12, 2020 No Comments
NBA 2K20 Players Only Tournament: Here’s How It Works

NBA 2K20 Players Only Tournament: Here’s How It Works

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Well, it’s not exactly NBA basketball, but given the current circumstances, there are sure to be little complaints on Friday night.

2K Sports announced on March 31 that an official NBA 2K Players Only Tournament would take place on the evening of Friday, April 3, meaning that sixteen of the league’s most prolific talents would test their stick skills and take to the prominent virtual basketball simulation known as NBA 2k20 in a single-elimination tournament, as the Xbox One will be the official console of play.

Headlined by the likes of new Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young, the gaming tournament tips off — both virtually and denotatively — on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Now, anything basketball-related right now while the world is slowly recovering and flattening the curve amidst the COVID-19 crisis is a prize in itself, but the sixteen participants aren’t just playing for bragging rights on who is the best at 2k. The winner of this tournament will be crowned the ultimate NBA 2k20 champion, while also receiving a charitable donation of $100,000 from 2k, the NBA and the National Basketball Player’s Association as they select a charity beneficiary in support of the ongoing Coronavirus relief efforts.

So, here’s how this thing is broken down, as explained by NBA.com’s official press release back on March 31:

“Based on players’ seeding – which is determined first by NBA 2K rating, second by tenure – players will go head-to-head online in NBA 2K20. Prior to the tournament beginning, every player will choose eight of today’s NBA teams, each of which can only be used once. If a mirror match is set, the away team is awarded first choice of team. Rounds one and two will be single elimination, with the semifinals and finals running best of three.”

Below is the lead developer of NBA 2k Ronnie Singh, (AKA Ronnie 2k) as he explains just how this thing will work tonight, officially airing on ESPN at 7:30 as if it were another Friday night prime time NBA game.

As the seeding of the players were based on the ratings of their in-game avatars, Kevin Durant, given his career accolades and superior skill set, will be the highest-seeded player in the tournament as he is a top-five current player in the game, ratings-wise. His opponent tonight will be the 16th-seeded Derrick Jones Jr., the acrobatic wing from the Miami Heat who possesses a 78 overall rating in 2k20.

The seeding is as listed as follows:

1. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets (96)
2. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks (90)
3. Hassan Whiteside, Portland Trail Blazers (87)
4. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz (87)
5. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (86)
6. Andre Drummond, Cleveland Cavaliers (85)
7. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls (85)
8. Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers (85)
9. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers (85)
10. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns (85)
11. DeMarcus Cousins (81)
12. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets (81)
13. Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards (79)
14. Patrick Beverley, LA Clippers (78)
15. Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings (78)
16. Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat (78)

And here’s who is facing who in the first round.

NBA.com

The teams selected in place for Jones Jr. are the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, while Durant will get to pick either the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder or Utah Jazz.

During these uncertain times where it feels like we haven’t seen any source of live competition to feed our palates, this 2K tourney attempts to do just that, so be sure to not miss a single minute of the NBA action on both ESPN and ESPN2 tonight, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Additionally, if you’re unable to catch it on the major networks, the games will be streamed on the ESPN App, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook during and after the games have concluded their broadcasts.

Apr 3, 2020 No Comments
Top 15 Jordan XXXIV’s Worn On-Court This Season (so far)

Top 15 Jordan XXXIV’s Worn On-Court This Season (so far)

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It has been almost three weeks since the last regular season NBA game was played. All of us are looking around for not only the NBA, but sports in general, to fill this void in our lives. The NBA regular season was due to end in mid-April but now it’s looking like it won’t pick back up until at least June. Even when/if the season starts back up it’s looking like games will unfortunately be played without fans in attendance. In the meantime, during our respective COVID-19 quarantines, we can only hope for what’s to come and reminisce on what has already happened.

The Jordan XXXIV has been the unexpected hit of the 2019-20 NBA season so far. With young additions to the Jordan Brand family like Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura, and Jayson Tatum, the Jumpman legacy looks to be in good hands for the coming years. The Jordan 34 has been the most well-received signature Jordan model since the 29’s. In addition to the four budding young superstars, players such as Kemba Walker, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Mike Conley Jr., and Cody Zeller have all rocked P.E.’s of the Jordan 34’s this season. We compiled a list of all the Jordan XXXIV’s worn on-court this 2019-20 NBA season and have narrowed it down to the Top 15 pairs. Some Jordan Brand athletes definitely have more flavors than others when to comes to P.E.’s of the XXXIV’s, while some prefer to just keep it with their team colors. Which athlete do you think had the most spots out of the 15 in the countdown? Who do you think took home the #1 spot with the best colorway of the 34’s worn on-court this season?

 

 

15. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Mike Conley Jr. – Utah Jazz

 

     

 

 

14. Jordan XXXIV “Brotherhood” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

           

 

 

13. Jordan XXXIV “BHM” P.E. – Cody Zeller – Charlotte Hornets

 

     

 

 

12. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Zion Williamson – New Orleans Pelicans

 

     

 

 

11. Jordan XXXIV “MLK” P.E. – Zion Williamson – New Orleans Pelicans

 

     

 

 

10. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Blake Griffin – Detroit Pistons

 

     

 

 

9. Jordan XXXIV “Snow Leopard” – Kemba Walker – Boston Celtics

 

     

 

 

8. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Rui Hachimura – Washington Wizards

 

           

 

 

7. Jordan XXXIV “Paranorman” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

           

 

 

6. Jordan XXXIV “International Women’s Day” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

           

 

 

5. Jordan XXXIV “Lemonade” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

           

 

 

4. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

           

 

 

3. Jordan XXXIV “Wrapping Paper” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

           

 

 

2. Jordan XXXIV “Rising Stars” P.E. – Rui Hachimura – Washington Wizards

 

           

 

 

1. Jordan XXXIV “Taco Jay” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

                 

Mar 30, 2020 No Comments
Top 5* Kicks Worn During Week 21 of NBA Season

Top 5* Kicks Worn During Week 21 of NBA Season

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And just like that, the NBA season was haulted. Not even halfway through last week, the NBA decided to indefinitely postpone the 2019-20 season due to the continuing outbreak and fears of the coronavirus. Since then, notable players such as Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and even Kevin Durant have been confirmed to have the virus. Teams across the league, not only in the NBA, but in all sports, are going through the process of having their players and staff tested. This current time without any sports being active is a situation none of us have faced in our entire lives. In the NBA some players like Zion Williamson, Kevin Love, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and even Mavs owner Mark Cuban, have stepped up to pay for numerous staff’s pay that work at their arenas where they play.

 

With only getting through a few NBA games last week, our normal list of the week’s top 15 sneakers had to be slimmed down to 5. We still wanted to bring you a list for week 21 because it looks as if no games at all (which also means no sneakers at all) will be played for the foreseeable future. Check below to see our Top 5* kicks worn during this past week and let’s hope the 2019-20 NBA season will continue in due time.

 

 

5. Adidas adiZero Rose 1 “Simeon” – Jamal Murray – Denver Nuggets

 

     

 

 

4. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Carmelo Anthony – Portland Trailblazers

 

     

 

 

3. Q4 Sports The Specialist “Kobe & Gigi” Custom – Langston Galloway – Detroit Pistons (done by @andr3wtl)

 

           

 

 

2. Nike Lebron VII “Lakers” P.E. – Lebron James – Los Angeles Lakers

 

           

 

 

1. Jordan XXXIV “Taco Jay” P.E. – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics

 

                 

Mar 17, 2020 No Comments