Top 15 Kicks Worn During Week 4 of NBA Season

Top 15 Kicks Worn During Week 4 of NBA Season

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by | Nov 18, 2019 | Featured, NBA, Sneakers

We are officially one month into the NBA Season and the layout of where teams stand is starting to take shape. The storied rivalry of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers looks to be renewed as both of these squads have the two best records in the NBA. After the Lakers’ win last night against Atlanta, they now hold the best record in the entire league at 11-2, with the Celtics close behind at 10-2 respectively.

Players across the league continue to rock Kobe’s best signature silhouettes (models 4-6). Additionally, older Lebron models like the VII’s and VIII’s grace the hardwood for our fourth installment of the Top 15 Kicks of the week. Other players besides Kyrie Irving are starting to get their hands on the new Nike Kyrie 6’s and sporting them during games. Could Kyrie’s new signature shoe overtake the Nike Kobe 4 Protros as the most popular on-court decision for NBA players? Will the yet-to-be-seen Nike PG 4 be as successful as the Kyrie 6 and Zoom Freak 1 have been so far? Also, it’s one thing to rock sick Nike iD’s, older signature shoes you haven’t seen in awhile, or the newest signature sneaker, but P.J. Tucker is wearing shoes in games that you just can’t get your hands on or haven’t seen in 10+ years. Tucker is really on a whole other level when it comes to kicks worn on court, however Montrezl Harrell is making a case for himself.

15. Jordan CP3.XII “Cracker Barrel” – P.J. Tucker – Houston Rockets

 

     

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

 

     

 

13. Adidas Dame 6 “Veterans Day” – Damian Lillard – Portland Trail Blazers

 

     

 

12. Nike KD IV “N7 Away” – Montrezl Harrell – Los Angeles Clippers

 

     

 

11. Nike Kyrie 6 Pre-Heat “New York” – Darius Garland – Cleveland Cavaliers

 

     

 

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

 

     

 

9. Nike Zoom Freak 1 “Coming to America” – Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks

 

     

 

8. Nike Kyrie 6 Pre-Heat “Miami” – Ja Morant – Memphis Grizzlies

 

     

 

7. Nike Lebron VIII “Bred” – P.J. Tucker – Houston Rockets

 

     

 

6. Nike Lebron VII “Dunkman” – Montrezl Harrell – Los Angeles Clippers

 

     

 

5. Nike Kyrie 6 Pre-Heat “Shanghai” – Kyrie Irving – Brooklyn Nets

 

     

 

4. Nike Kobe 5 “Chaos” – Buddy Hield – Sacramento Kings

 

     

 

3. Nike Kobe 6 “Rice” – Trey Lyles – San Antonio Spurs

 

     

 

2. Nike Lebron XVII P.E. – Lebron James – Los Angeles Lakers

 

     

 

1. Nike Lebron III “Fairfax P.E.” – P.J. Tucker – Houston Rockets

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 18, 2019 No Comments
The Overtime Surge From The OKC Thunder Beats Philadelphia (127-119)

The Overtime Surge From The OKC Thunder Beats Philadelphia (127-119)

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by | Nov 16, 2019 | Featured, NBA

 

The Thunder came into this game after getting a reality check-in Indiana from the Pacers. That was the first game all season that the Thunder weren’t really into a game at the end. This Thunder team has been competitive all season and that didn’t change tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers. This was a complete game from the OKC Thunder tonight as 4 players had 19+ points. The player that stood out and made a huge difference in the game from the tipoff was Terrance Ferguson as he was locked in from the start. This is a sight that OKC Thunder fans have been waiting for from the native from Tulsa. Ferguson played with a lot of confidence and was able to make the best of his open opportunities from the 3 point line as he finished with 19 points on (5-7) from downtown. If the Thunder can continue to get this kind of explosiveness that Ferguson played with tonight they will be a scary sight to see on a nightly basis. The confidence that Ferguson played with tonight rubbed off on his teammates as they were able to click on all levels.

 

The trio of Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was getting whatever they wanted in the second half of this game. Combined all three of them finished with 79 points on the night and they made the 76ers pay from all over the court. Chris Paul was able to get his offense going as he went into takeover mode in second half. When Chris Paul gets into attack mode he’s still one of the best to do it in the NBA. People were quick to turn their back on the talent of CP3 and tonight against the 76ers he let them know he’s still got it. Chris Paul was able to have the 76ers defenders on a rope and was able to get catch them with their hands in the cookie jar on his sweep thru move. Paul has been able to get to the line with ease and he’s been able to master his mid-range jumper. Paul was able to hit his jumper on anyone that was in his way didn’t matter if it was Joel Embiid or Al Horford. The play and leadership of Chris Paul have translated over to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he’s taken that next step in his career in OKC. Some of the moves that Shai was able to get off against the Philly defense was unreal. The 76ers had Josh Richardson guarding Shai all night and it didn’t matter who has been in front of him because of his dominant play. When Shai gets the confidence from his teammates he gets even more aggressive in his play and it showed tonight. Some of the layups and drives to the lane against Philly he had that look like he won’t be stopped. Shai is the future of OKC but he’s meshing well with Chris Paul in the present and it’s working. Shai finished with 24 points but made some clutch shots against the 76ers down the stretch. The last of the trio that went off tonight for the Thunder was Danilo Gallinari as he’s been an automatic sharpshooter from the perimeter and he’s looking for his shot at any moment. The one thing that was on display against the 76ers tonight that we haven’t seen from Danilo Gallinari’s game was his playmaking ability as he was making some sexy behind the back passes. We know he’s a walking bucket for the Thunder but if he can start opening the offense for the team like he did tonight when Philly was running out to him at the line it would help. Gallinari finished with a game-high 28 points on the night and was making some tough shots. When he’s in a zone like he’s been the last couple of games anything is possible for his game moving forward. In overtime, the Thunder were able to put their foot down and make the plays that the 76ers couldn’t down the stretch.

 

 

The 76ers were in this game for the majority of the night but in overtime, it was all OKC. The 76ers lost Tobias Harris as he fouled out and they weren’t able to capitalize on the hot hand of Josh Richardson who finished with 28 points. Joel Embiid had a big game for Philly with 31 points on the night but he needed some more points in the overtime that didn’t happen. The Thunder threw Steven Adams and Nerlens Noel at him to try and slow down the best big in the NBA. The Thunder were double-teaming Ben Simmons on the night and they were able to hold him to 16 points on the night. One thing OKC did in the second half was defend Simmons and Richardson differently with multiple looks. The 76ers weren’t able to execute in the overtime and that was the reason they lost this game. They had a chance to win in regulation but Joel Embiid couldn’t convert and now they’ve lost 5 of the last 7 games. The Thunder will be playing both LA teams next week as they look to improve on their record, even more, moving forward.

 

Nov 16, 2019 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Boston Celtics Vs. Golden State Warriors

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Boston Celtics Vs. Golden State Warriors

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by | Nov 16, 2019 | Featured, NBA

So much can change in a year.

You ask anyone this time last year about who would be the two teams destined to meet up in a potential NBA Finals seven-game duel, and most would have said these two teams, without question.

The Warriors were coming fresh off of a second-straight title, KD looked as if him staying in Warrior Blue and Gold for the rest of his career was to be an impending reality, Steph Curry getting into the hall of fame just ten years into his career was just a mere formality, Klay Thompson was the most impactful two-way player in the league, yadda yadda yadda.

Well, after the Golden years subsided, this summer saw the demolition of one of the most dynastic factions in sports. KD’s tearing of an Achilles in Game 4 of the finals and departure from the self-described toxic environment that was Oakland, Klay Thompson tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 Finals and being forced to sit out all of this season, Steph Curry’s sustaining of a broken left hand only a couple of games in the new season, and the destruction of a decent bench in free agency left the Warriors with arguably the most untalented starting five in the NBA.

And on the Eastern side of things, the Celtics were just a quarter – forget just a home Game 7 – away from advancing to their 22nd NBA Finals. Kyrie was on the favorites list to win MVP, Jayson Tatum was only 20, Jaylen Brown was getting more minutes and confidence, and there wasn’t any other powerhouse in the East that, on paper, couldn’t breathe the same air of the 17-and-soon-to-be-18-time champs.

But to quote that book called “Of Mice And Men” that you probably read as a grade-school summer reading assignment, “The best-laid plans often go awry”.

Reality is often disappointing, too. That team that was supposed to have a cakewalk to the finals? They ended up only winning 5 playoff games in a second-round bounce, courtesy of the MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Irving couldn’t deal with the headlines and headlights that the prognosticators of the parquet floor brought on a nightly occurrence and retreated to Brooklyn to team up with Kevin Durant.

Supposed comeback player of the year Gordon Hayward had his worst season as a pro, Jayson Tatum underwent the dreaded sophomore slump, and the dysfunction of these C’s just ate up any hopes and dreams of them getting a taste of a deep playoff run.

Tonight, however, these two new-look squads get their first look at each other at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, right after the Grizzlies and Jazz game ends.

The Celtics have opened their 2019-20 campaign on an absolute blaze, as Kemba Walker has been a perfect fit and more for a team that needed a new vocal presence, as some speckle of recency bias would suggest. They sit at 9-1, winning nine straight games after their season-opening road loss to rival Philadelphia.

The start of their five-game road trip begins in sunny San Francisco, making this the first time Celtics green touches the floor of the newly-erected Chase Center.

Some facts about this matchup: The Warriors are 1-5 at home while the Celtics are 4-1 on the road. The Celtics are 2-0 vs the West while the Warriors are 0-1 vs Eastern teams, and the Celtics have won their last 9 games while the Warriors have lost 5 straight.

The Warriors have looked like doormats both home and away, and with a roster that’s seen nine changes to their starting five, Steve Kerr and the rest of the Warriors brass are looking at this season as a buffer of sorts for all of the Dubs’ best players (Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green) for them to be completely healthy as they try and take back the west next season.

While the Warriors walk into this one trying to win their third game of the year sitting at 2-10, the Celtics are trying to prove the point that they are championship ready now and with a big chance to earn a 10th straight win, the Celtics are foaming at the mouths at the opportunity to supplant themselves as the team with the best record as the NBA’s best team.

Nov 16, 2019 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies

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by | Nov 15, 2019 | Featured, NBA

We have 16 teams going into action tonight with the Utah Jazz meeting the Grizzlies in Memphis for the first time early into the season.

Both teams are coming off wins on Tuesday and Thursday in some very close games. The Jazz pulled out a win against Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets while the Grizzlies just barely pulled out a win in a memorable win against the Charlotte Hornets. Tonight’s match-up should be an interesting one, for Jazz guard Mike Conley will be making his return to the FedEx Forum for the first time since his departure with the Grizzlies.

Conley will be up against some very familiar faces on this Memphis squad, as well as some new faces, specifically in rookie guard Ja Morant. Morant has been a catalyst for the Grizzlies, averaging 18.3 points and 5.8 assists. They’ve started off their season so far at 4-7, but with his game-winning shot against the Hornets, they hope to take that momentum into tonight. The team hopes to prove that they’ll be doing just fine without Conley, despite some early struggles this season.

For the Jazz however, they’ve been looking fairly good to kick things off this season tied for second with a record of 8-3. The Jazz core has been up to par with what we as fans expected, with Donovan Mitchell is at the helm of this Utah squad, with names like Bagdanovic, Gobert, Ingles, and Conley to back him up. Mitchell has been doing it all for the Jazz to say the least, leading his team in points, assists, and steals.

The guard match-up going into this one will be fun to watch, with Mike Conley making his return to Memphis in addition to Mitchell and Morant squaring off in a battle of young talent. It should also be interesting to see how Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas of Memphis take on the French Center in Rudy Gobert. Jackson and Valanciunas have to contain the paint scoring and hope that their guards can contest some shots from the perimeter. It may seem like a tall order to try and defend such a well-rounded offense in the Utah Jazz, but Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are more than up to the task.

Nov 15, 2019 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Brooklyn Nets Vs. Denver Nuggets

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Brooklyn Nets Vs. Denver Nuggets

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by | Nov 15, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The second game of the night on TNT features the Denver Nuggets taking on the Brooklyn Nets on home ground, as both teams look to get back on track in this eleven-game season.

Kyrie Irving and Jamal Murray had pretty memorable duel the last time the two squared off inside the Pepsi Center, but it was ultimately Murray’s night as he dropped a cool 48 on Irving’s head during Kyrie’s last visit to Denver as a Boston Celtic, leading to Irving chucking the ball into the nosebleeds in Denver. That game was just another crumb of rubble onto the dysfunctional pile that was the Celtics’ 2018 campaign.

Now, Irving returns to the Mile-High city with an entirely new arsenal of new teammates, and a new jersey to don as this marks the first time Kyrie heads to the Southwest as a Brooklyn Net. The Nets had one of the most successful offseasons in recent memory, acquiring Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan and Kevin Durant in the matter of a day, adding them to a prospective, young and promising roster.

They’d know that Durant was to be out for the season after tending to a torn Achilles suffered in the NBA Finals back in June. What they didn’t know was how difficult it would be to overcome the growing pains of a obtaining new chemistry with new pieces while trying to win without him for a full year. The Nets sit at 4-6 and are slipping defensively, having the fourth-worst defensive rating in the NBA.

They’re currently riding a two-game losing streak with losses coming by way of the Jazz and Suns during their four-team road trip. Though the year is young, the Nets find themselves in a puddle now under .500 by two games, and in a startlingly competitive Eastern Conference, Brooklyn might want to hit the gas pedal as expeditious as possible if they still want to be considered as a piece in the playoff puzzle come April.

As for the Nuggets, a rare home loss to the undermanned, John Collins-less Atlanta Hawks was bad enough, but Jamal Murray letting Trae Young, who, might I add, is having an All-Star second season, score 42 on his head spells trouble for the Nuggets as Kyrie looks to avenge his loss to Denver last year. That defensive performance is unbecoming for the NBA’s ninth-most defensively efficient team, and they’ll be tasked with dealing with the Nets’ offense that makes opposing defenders switch at a quantifiable rate.

Still, it should be fun to see how the Nets’ frontcourt, more specifically DeAndre Jordan, matches up with arguably the most-skilled Center in the Western Conference in Nikola Jokic, and also how the perimeter defense of Brooklyn fares against the perimeter scoring ability of Jamal Murray, Torrey Craig, Gary Harris and the rest of Mike Malone’s lineup of guards ready to take the floor.

Nov 15, 2019 No Comments
BREAKING: Portland Trail Blazers To Sign Free Agent Carmelo Anthony

BREAKING: Portland Trail Blazers To Sign Free Agent Carmelo Anthony

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by | Nov 15, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The year-long wait for one of the league’s all-time great scorers finally came to a sudden end Thursday night, as the Portland Trail Blazers pulled the trigger on signing Carmelo Anthony, who hasn’t laced up and played on an NBA floor since November 8th, 2018.

Anthony joins a team looking for a frontcourt floor spacer on the wing, and who better to sign than the 2013 NBA scoring champion and a 10x All Star. He’ll play alongside the talented backcourt of CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard, and will presumably start for a team that needs just a hint of another offensive spark, now sitting at 4-8 with connsecutive losses to the Warriors, Clippers, Nets and Raptors.

Anthony fits right into a rotation marred with injuries to their frontcourt depth (Zach Collins and Al-Farouq Aminu, just to name a few guys who are missing) and with an open roster spot available for him, this may be his last chance to get his NBA career back on track.

The deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, is non-guaranteed.

The Chicago Bulls were the last team to acquire Anthony after he was traded from the Houston Rockets in January, but it was clear the Bulls had no future plans to keep him around. They ended up waiving him on February 1st.

Just a year ago, the 35-year-old’s numbers with the Rockets spoke for themselves. He shot 40.5 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Nov 15, 2019 No Comments