In honor of NY Fashion Week, I thought it was time to do a series of posts that I’ve been looking forward to since I started Stiletto Sports. This five part series is dedicated to the best dressed and most fashionable athletes!

I remember loving game-day in high school and college because all the players would come to class all dressed up instead of their typical “I’m a Jock” attire of baggy shorts and tees. But on game-day, they showed that they actually had some style. Or someone in their lives knew how to shop for them!

Over the next few days we’ll be paying tribute to the style icons of the NBA, the NFL, the MLB, the PGA and, if we can find some stylish hockey players, the NHL! First up, the best dressed ballers! Feel free to leave me a comment below or shoot me a tweet @stilettosportsj to give me your input on who you think deserves to be on the lists!

The NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team

So I was actually hoping to do this post during the 2010 All-Star Game so this best dressed list is done a little differently than the others! It just so happens that the top 5 most stylish NBA players are one from each position so I created the NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team…. with a few reserves just in case of a major fashion faux pas emergency!

I have to give a huge thanks to Shelton & Mark  from HoopsBar.com because they are the ones who came up with this great idea. They are two of the most stylish guys I know and Shelton’s insight into the NBA was invaluable!

• Forward: LeBron James
• Shooting Guard/Forward: Kobe Bryant
• Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade
• Point Guard: Tony Parker
• Center: Kevin Garnett

Reserves:

• Center: Andrew Bynum & Shaquille O’Neal
• Forward: Paul Pierce
• Guard: Gilbert Arenas

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

He epitomizes style in the NBA. Don’t believe me? Check out GQ for further evidence. He has brought a high level of fashion to a game that has relied on baggy shorts, tees and ghetto fab wear for far too long. Doesn’t hurt that the man is seriously F-I-N-E. He could make a paper bag look sexy! So the things he does to a custom fitted suit……. WOW!

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Is there any “best in the NBA” list that Kobe doesn’t appear on? With all his basketball fame, he has to look fabulous at all times! GQ loves him! There was a big feature in December ‘09 and he is the cover of the March ‘10 issue. What I love most is that fashion runs in Kobe’s family. Wife Vanessa is always fabulous and their little ones Natalia Diamante and Gianna are little style stars themselves! When photographed as a fam, they look so put together and coordinated, it’s almost nauseating!

Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)

If you could only use one word to describe Dwyane Wade it would have to be: Swagger. He is absolutely positively full of s-w-a-g-g-e-r.  He pushes the boundaries of men’s fashion and takes them to a really wonderful place. Pinstripe suits, bold pops of color and of course, the pimp hat!

Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)

Tony has this effortlessly smooth yet casually suave style about him that takes our breath away. Maybe it’s the French vibe, or maybe it’s because wifey fashionista Eva Longoria helps dress him! Either way Tony’s amazing style has companies like London Fog dying for him to become their spokesman.

Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

Kevin is proclaimed to be one of them most stylish men in the NBA…. yet it’s almost impossible to find a photo of him out of his Celtics jersey!

The Reserves:

Centers:

I’m also going to nominate Laker’s Center Andrew Bynum. He’s even taller than KG and still pulls off the polished sexy look. Andrew has been unofficially linked to pop and fashion star Rihanna and you know she goes for the put-together metro-men!

You can’t talk about stylish NBA centers without dropping the name Shaq. Sure he’s been around since the beginning of basketball…and yes he is a giant at 7′1, 325 pounds….but Shaquille O’Neal has definitely been a style star in the NBA and for all the Big & Tall men out there!

Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)

Put-Together-Pierce would be a great nickname for Paul. He always has a sleek polish to his style, even when he is rocking the ghetto fab gear!

Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards)

Agent Zero scores a big 10 when it comes to high fashion. His unique spin puts him on almost every NBA best dressed list around!

Up next in the Best Dressed Series, the NFL Style Stars!

The NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Looking for awesome gift ideas for the NBA lovers and basketball fans in your life? Well, look no further! I’ve complied a list of over 50 of the best, most unique gifts that any pro-basketball fan would love to have. From 2009 Lakers Championship apparel and the hottest basketball kicks to NBA stocking stuffers and must-read basketball books, this list will give you an idea for every basketball fanatic on your list!

Please let me know if there is something you think should be added to the list. Also, let me know what you are hoping Santa (or the Holiday Armadillo) is bringing you this year! Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @StilettoSportsJ.

Don’t forget to check out 55 Gift Ideas for NFL Fans and 102 Gift Ideas for Yankees Fans. Stiletto Sports: One stop shopping for all the sports fans in your life!

Books

1. The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy  “ From the review: “Bill Simmons, best known as ESPN.com’s “The Sports Guy,” explores the NBA with hilarious insight, brilliant analysis, and a bevy of irreverent footnotes. Simmons is a fan first  and writes from the stands, not the press room.  The Book of Basketball is not just a tribute to hardwood heroes, but also a celebration of yelling at TV sets, revering lucky jerseys, and holding our breath until the final buzzer sounds. Throw in pages of nearly-insane statistical breakdowns (including a projected boxscore from the movie Teen Wolf), and it’s easy to see why fans of all levels should clear shelf space for this instant classic.”
2. When the Game was Ours: The behind the scenes story of Larry Bird & Magic Johnson and the decades long rivalry between them.
3. Sports Illustrated: The Basketball Book Everything a basketball fan could possibly want in a book, done by the experts.
4. Shooting Stars The LeBron James Story
5. The Art of a Beautful Game: The Thinking Fan’s Tour of the NBA From the review: It’s fashionable to say that pro athletes don’t have anything interesting to say. Maybe that’s because they’re not being asked the right questions. Chris Ballard, who covers the NBA for Sports Illustrated, asks the right questions. Namely, he gets players to talk at length on what they’re most passionate about — the intricacies of the sport that is their life’s work.
6. Mindgames: Phil Jackson’s Long Strange Journey A peek inside the long, strange mind of Chicago Bulls/Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Phil Jackson.
7. Michael Jordan: A Biography. The man, the myth and the legend himself.
8. Let me Tell You A Story: A Lifetime in the Game the tales of Red Aurebach, the legendary leader of the Boston Celtics, written by John Feinstien, the legendary sportswriter
9. The Los Angeles Lakers: 50 Amazing Years in the City of Angels. Not for Boston Celtics fans.
10. The Ultimate Basketball Book: More than 100 years of the Sports Evolution The name kinda says it all here! It’s the ultimate book of 100 years of basketball!

Basketball Movies & DVDS

1. One Love: The Game. The Life. One Love features the top NBA All-Stars of the day and gives the viewer a clear view of how they got to the top of the basketball world. Highlights include never-before-released high school footage of over 30 current NBA players, literally at the beginning of their career paths. Check out Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Rasheed Wallace, and many more.
2. NBA Ultimate Jordan 20th Anniversary Collector’s DVD There aren’t many basketball fans that  won’t appreciate an MJ collector’s gift. Even fans that claim to hate him because they were Barkley, Malone, Magic or Ewing fans can still appreciate the awe-inspiring Jordan and all he did for the game of basketball.
3. NBA Dynasty Series & Complete Histories: Collector’s DVDs of your favorite dynasty. See all the highlights and behind the scenes footage of the L.A. Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and other top teams during their peak years!
4. The Los Angeles Lakers 2008-09 Champions DVD: Relive the Lakers 2009 championship minute by painful minute. Don’t mind me, I’m a Celtics fan.
5. NBA: 25 Years of Champions: This is a great archive collector’s DVD of the last 25 years of NBA championships. There is locker room coverage and all the key highlights of the playoffs .

Also, basketball themed movies make great gifts like Hoosiers, Coach Carter, The Pistol or The Air up There. My post Basketball Movies for Guys Who Love the Shake and Bake gives a bunch of suggestions!

NBA Fan Gear

Official Basketball Jerseys are always a great gift, no matter what the occassion! Check out Stiletto Sports’ 15 Most Popular NBA Jerseys for 2009-10 to see who’s hot right now!

Fashion Basketball Jerseys/Gear are also great, unique alternative gifts for basketball fans! Majestic makes great imitation jerseys for guys and gals!

1. Majestic NBA Imitation Jersey Tees
2. Majestic NBA Imitation Jersey Tanks for Her

Basketball  Sneakers

I had no idea just how popular basketball sneakers were to NBA lovers until the 2009 All-Star Game. That’s when I discovered that All-Star Weekend is like the Spring Fashion Show for NBA Sneakers. Seriously, that’s when all the new hot shoes premiere. I even did a post called the NBA All-Star All-Shoe Team, going through the best sneakers of all time.

Actually, basketball shoes debut constantly. There is always a new hot pair of kicks hitting Finish Line. Never let a guy make fun of how many shoes you have because let me tell you, they have the same shoe fetish. It’s just for sneakers not stilettos.

Here are some of the most popular brands and NBA player sneakers.

• Nike Zoom LeBron
• Nike Zoom Kobe
• Converse Wade Dwayne Wade’s signature line
• adidas TS Bounce Commanders: Who wears them? Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett
• Nike Huarache: Tim Duncan
• adidas Lightening Creator
• Air Jordans: Michael Jordan, despite being retired, still has one of the hottest sneaker lines in the industry. New releases in his line (in most divisions) are always highly anticipated and gobbled up like Manolo Mary Janes. And the retro collection is highly coveted

Fun Basketball Gifts & Games

1. NBA Monopoly If you haven’t checked out the other gift guides, then you don’t know how obsessed I am with customized monopoly games. I think they are such a great idea.
   Choose 22 of the 30 NBA teams and place the labels on the game board. Which teams will you choose? Which team will you put on Boardwalk, Park Place, Illinois, Baltic etc.? It’s your say which teams play! Then. . . buy, sell and trade your favorite teams in an effort to own and control the NBA, a basketball fan’s fantasy
2. Lakers Monopoly: Perfect for Lakers fan, this special-edition Monopoly board features famous Lakers players throughout history. Also contains six collectible Lakers-themed pewter tokens, including: Lakers Logo, Basketball Hoop, NBA Basketball, NBA Championship Trophy, Defensive Player and Offensive Player.
3. NBA Officially Licensed Poker Chip Set: This NBA set is sure to be one of the hottest items for poker players. It includes: 500 assorted 11.5g NBA branded chips, 2 full decks of officially licensed playing cards, “Referee” Dealer, “Big Blind” and “Small Blind” Buttons, 5 translucent red dice and a basketball leather wraped aluminum case. And reviews say they are all really high quality and very impressive
4. NBA Team Mr. Potato Head: I first game across this guy when doing research for my 102 Yankees Gift Ideas post and thought he was so stinkin’ cute! Such a fun, original gift idea for a sports fan!

NBA Stocking Stuffers

So maybe you don’t want to to turn the holidays into an NBA All-Star Christmas with jerseys and books and sneakers. That’s okay! How about fun little NBA themed stocking stuffers instead? These five ideas are guaranteed to put a smile on your basketball fan’s face!

1. NBA Team Bottle Openers
2. NBA Team Key Chains
3. NBA Team Magnets
4. NBA Team Coffee Mugs & Glasses
5. NBA Team Jewelry & Cufflinks

Ultimate NBA Lover Gifts

1. Tickets to a Game. Tickets to a game are really the best gift idea for any sports fan. Always get at least two tickets: one for them and one for you, whether you like the sport or not. It’s a great way to share on something you friend, father or significant other enjoys. Make it extra special by putting the tickets in an awesome Ticket Scrapbook Holder and then wrapping it up! Definitely a great suprise!
2. Gift Baskets: For this I recommend finding a fun basket, ceramic basketball shaped dish or a NBA team waste basket to start. Then fill it up with all sorts of goodies. I like doing basketball movie or book themed baskets. If you do the movie one, don’t forget to throw in some popcorn and popcorn seasoning! If you do a book one, add an NBA team mug so they can curl up and read with a cup of chocolate or coffee!
3. NBA Leather Recliners Yes the team colors can be garish and probably don’t go with your home decor, but there’s got to be a room somewhere in your house that it would fit in! This chair is super comfy and will make your basketball lover super happy—and the envy of all his other basketball loving buddies!
4. NBA Collectibles

• Signed Basketballs: For true NBA Fans, the best gift you can give is an autographed basketball from their favorite player. But be forewarned, if their player is any good, it’s going to cost you big bucks for the basketball. And the case to keep it in.
• Framed Memorabilia: I know this is a bit vague “memorabilia” but it covers it all. Because there is so many different kinds of collectibles, everything from framed game winning shots to pieces of hardwood floors of iconic basketball stadiums like Boston Garden.

50 Gift Ideas for NBA Fans and Basketball Lovers is a post from: Stiletto Sports

One of the best gifts you can give a sports fan is a team jersey of his or her’s favorite player. But it’s not enough to just know who has the hottest, most-coveted and best selling  jerseys. Sure, that will help narrow the player search down but there are also a few other factors to consider before buying a jersey.

The best sports jerseys, NBA or other, can run you anywhere from under $50 to over $350. That’s a big spread! Here are the things to consider before picking out an NBA jersey for a holiday gift:

There are typically three different kinds of jerseys:

1. Authentic Jerseys: These are the most expensive because they are, well, authentic! Meaning players wear this kind. Heavy weight and flawless quality with all the details sewn into the jersey.
2. Premier or Swingman Jerseys: These are high-quality, brand name imitation jerseys and are mid-priced usually in the $100’s. These are usually a medium weight/texture (nylon or polyester) and the deails are usually sewn as well.
3. Replica Jerseys: These jerseys run from $20-70ish and are a great alternative if you can’t afford the authentic or premier jerseys. They are usually light-weight quality with the details screen printed on, not sewn. They won’t last as long over the years as the other kinds but they are still great gifts!
4. Fashion Jerseys: These are novelty jerseys, usually for women but not always. Brands like Majestic make awesome jersey-looking tees and tanks that are embellished with sparkles!

You’ll notice in the cool scrolling amazon widget at the top that there are a few of each kind so you can see the difference. Players are available in each kind of jersey, it’s just up to you on how much you want to spend, and how much your sports fan is coveting that jersey!

There are also different types of jerseys that the players themselves wear:

1. Home Jerseys: Typically when a team plays at home they wear white or light colored jerseys (except NFL and NHL because they have to be complicated).
2. Away (Road) Jerseys: On the road, teams usually wear a dark or primary colored jersey (in their team colors of course)
3. Third or Alternate Jerseys: Sometimes teams make up a third kind of jersey to increase jersey sales to make sure they always look fabulous and in style. It’s still based on their team colors but will be a secondary color instead of their primary one used for their away jerseys.
4. Throwbacks  Jerseys: Ah throwbacks. A blantant ploy by Nike, adidas, and Reebok and the teams to drive jersey sales through the roof. Throwbacks are all the rage and are very coveted by fans. Over the last few years especially, teams have been rocking old school looking jerseys called “throwbacks.” The new jerseys are designed to look like jerseys from back in the day.
5. Practice Jerseys: Jerseys that the teams practice in, not play in games with.

One final note, always be careful who you order your jersey from. For the Top 15 NBA Jersey’s I’m linking directly to Amazon.com because they offer the biggest variety and ease of shopping. But always ensure that your seller is credible!

Here are the Top 15 Most Coveted, Most Popular, Best Selling, Most Big Name NBA Jerseys for the 2009 Holiday Season!

1. Kobe Bryant (Los AngelesLakers) Kobe of course takes the top spot in jersey sales this year….as he does most years…..
2. LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) LeBron takes the runner-up spot this year. He’s got to be sick of always coming in second to Kobe so buy his jersey to bump him up!
3. Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets) He was Rookie of the Year and has been featured in the NBA All-Star Game. Definitely a fan favorite player and the teal jerseys are sweeeeett!
4. Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics) KG is one of The Three (Paul Pierce & Ray Allen also on this list)
5. Allen Iverson (Detroit Pistons) Ah Allen. Is he retired? Is he not? He kinda threw a temper tantrum at becoming a bench player and said he’s done. But who knows? In any case his 76ers, Pistons and Nuggets jerseys are still ranked high on list of jersey must-haves. And since he only played 3 games with the Memphis Grizzlies that one will probably be a high value collectible one day!
6. Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) D-Wade was #1 in jersey sales for two years in a row until ‘07 and still continues to prove himself as one of the most popular/fan favorite players in the league
7. Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics) Pierce is the C’s third leading scorer of all time!
8. Nate Robinson (New York Knicks) He rocked the NBA All-Star Weekend dunk contest with his high flying dunks and his KryptoNate sneakers!
9. Pau Gasol (Los Angels Lakers) Kobe’s right hand man that carried the team to it’s 2009 championship!
10. Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) aka “Superman”
11. Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls) Rookie of the Year last year!
12. Ray Allen (Boston Celtics) 9 Time NBA All Star and one of the best 3-point shooters in the league!
13. Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) Now you too can “be like Steve Nash” with this super pimp jersey! He is arguably the league’s best point guard.
14. Shaquille O’Neal (Phoenix Suns jersey) Despite Shaq being older than dirt (or at least it feels that way since he’s been in the NBA for 17 years now)and being bounced to like every team in the league (okay, so only 5 but that’s a new team every 3.5 years), he is still in the top jersey sales. He is currently on the Cleveland Cavaliers and that jersey is sure to be in the top list soon but as far as top sales for the year, it’s still Suns)
15. Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)

15 Most Popular NBA Jerseys -2009 Holiday Gifts for Basketball Fans is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Why the NBA Playoffs Can’t Compete with March Madness

Which came first: March Madness or the NBA Playoffs? Because whoever scheduled one right after the other is an idiot.

I have been trying for the last week to get myself all hyped up for the NBA drama, without much success. I just can’t get excited about the NBA Playoffs, coming off of the NCAA Tourney.

Before I started watching college basketball, I used to love the NBA post season. I’ll even admit that I got into the Finals last year. But that was under severe duress from my father who refused to put anything else on if the Celtics were playing. Including American Idol!

Plus, last year I missed all of March Madness. I was fiending for basketball boys.

I finally sat down to write my “Whooo Hoooo NBA Playoffs!!!!!!!” piece today, figuring I must have missed so much because the first round began a week and a half ago. I was expecting to be completely overwhelmed. I mean, if you miss the first round of the NCAA Tourney and then sit down to report it, forget it, you’ll never catch up.

After a week and half in March Madness, four rounds were finished, 64 teams were whittled down to the Final Four and there was only a week left of the NCAA Tournament.

You want to know what has happened after a week and a half in the NBA Playoffs?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

(Pause for NBA enthusiasts to yell and swear loudly. Feel free to write all negative “you suck” comments below.
Are you done? Good.)

So far the original 16 teams were whittled to….14. The first round isn’t even finished. And there are still two months left of the playoffs.

Yes, LeBron and the Cavs swept the Pistons and the Lakers almost swept the Jazz but that is hardly shocking news now is it?

And yes, the field could be whittled to 12 tonight since two teams are up 3-1 in the best of seven series. Whoo hoo! But, they are only on Game 5 in the seven series and the other half of the match-ups are tied 2-2. So in theory, the first round could last another week.

Wanna try the “Well, then you haven’t been watching the Bulls-Celtics series” argument?

Yup, I missed all four games, including the double OT one. Apparently, they were all nail-biters. But you know what,  it doesn’t even matter. There are still three more games left in the series.

Here’s the thing: In the NCAA Tourney, you have to watch every game because a nail-biter mean your team either hits the last second shot and moves on, or they go home. In the NBA Playoffs, there can be six nail-biters, six last-second shots and it can still mean that your team is coming back tomorrow to try again.

It’s hardly do or die. More like, do, die, come back life, die again…etc. The NBA Playoffs commercials are right, that is “amazing!”

The only other argument that has been given to try and get me excited about these best-of-seven match-ups is “There is no doubt that the level of play intensifies in the NBA post-season.”

Yes, very true. The players are  now actually worthy of earning their $20 million contracts. Congrats. NCAA players play just as well in the post-season and most of them don’t have $20 million contracts waiting for them in the NBA.

——————————————————-

Despite all that, I’m going to try really hard to get excited, get involved and not be too biased against the Playoffs. Truth is, I really like the Celtics, I have a major thing developing for LeBron James and basketball is my favorite sport to watch.

I’m just pointing out that if someone stuck the NBA Playoffs two or three months after March Madness, I bet I would be much more excited and eager to watch the two long months of games.

Give Me a Reason to Watch the NBA Playoffs! Pretty Please? is a post from: Stiletto Sports

I’ve already given a rundown of what the players were rocking during the big game. I couldn’t find info on D.Wades sneakers for The East before the game so I’ve updated that one here. But besides those hot kicks, there are a bunch of others that appeared over All-Star Weekend that everyone will be buzzing about Monday morning and for the months to come.

The Most Talked About and Most Coveted Kicks of the All-Star Weekend, aka the Sneaker Fashion Premiere Weekend.

The KryptoNates

What are they: Nike Foamposite Like Player Exclusive KryptoNates

Who wore them: Nate Robinson, New York Knicks

When: Slam Dunk Competition. He wore the shoes as part of his costume for his alter-ego KryptoNate as he destroyed Superman Dwight Howard, LY’s Slam Dunk winner.

Where to buy them: You can’t. Nike hasn’t released these guys yet but everyone is hoping!

What are they: Adidas TS Bounce Commander SuperMan PE

Who wore them: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

When: Slam Dunk Contest

Where to Buy: No can do, player exclusive at the moment

The Nike KD1

Worn by: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma Thunder

When: Rookie vs. Sophomore Game

Where to buy: Same thing, Player only. But you can find other KDs at Foot Locker

Converse WADE Slash All-Star Game 2009

Who: Dwayne Wade, Miami Heat

When: The All-Star Game

Why I’m so happy: Because I spent HOURS looking for this shoe for my East Shoe article and am so happy to finally see it. Check Sneaker News for more info

Where to buy: $79.99 at Foot Locker

What: Nike Think Pink Hyperdunk

Who: Michael Cooper, LA Lakers

When: Skills Challenge

What Part II: Nike partnered with the Kay Yow Foundation to create these limited edition shoes to help raise money for breast cancer research.

Where to Buy: The release date was pushed back, I’m not sure if they launched yet.

The Nike Zoom Flight Club

Who: J.R. Smith, Denver Nuggets

When: Premiered them during the Slam Dunk Contest

What Part II: They are actually the baby blue version of Tony Parker’s New Signature Shoe by Nike.

Where: Coming soon….

———————————————————————————-

A few of my favorites:

Nike Air Force 1

The Quickstrike

DJ Clark Kent

Adidas Attitude Lo

So Saved by The Bell or Fresh Prince of Bel Air looking! They are fab!

Adidas Top 10 Lo East & West

I am an East girl all the way, except when it comes to these shoes. I love the West ones and am actually considering getting a pair for myself! What?! They look like a pretty sunset!

Where to Buy: Dick’s Sporting Goods

Adidas NBA All-Star Game 2009 Eastern Conference Mid

First, they are repping for the East and as far as I can tell, there was no West equivelant made! And there is subtle snakeskin. These are HOT!

For more great All-Star kicks see:

• The East
  
• The West
  
• The NBA All-Star All Shoe Team

The 2009 NBA All Star Flight Club of Sneakers is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Once again I bit off more than I can chew with this “great idea” to analyze the All-Star Game by the players sneakers. Once again, not as easy as it seems! The sneaker info was not available for every player! Maybe I should have just rated the teams by hotness factor! Well anyway, it’s too late now. The West was a little bit easier than The East because some of the East players are first-time All-Stars or injured. And I couldn’t find shoe releases on them.

I’ll admit it. I wasn’t really going to watch the game. Now, I will so be tuning in just to finally get a glimpse at what the players are wearing! Check back Monday for more details and info on where you can buy the hottest sneakers (if you are into that sort of thing….I may throw in some hot heels too for girls like me!)

Don’t forget to check out The West rundown so you can make an accurate and informed pick for the game!

Like the shoes? Most are available through Champs, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority. Where I could, I put a direct link to the shoe.

The East:

Mike Brown- Coach

Ya know, I’m just not going to give the stats. It’s just not fair to try to put him in comparison to Phil Jackson. Plus, I have other stuff to write today and I’m bored of the stats!

Allen Iverson- Guard

Reebok The Answer XII

Iverson released three different versions/colorways of his Answer XII, one for each team he has played for: Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets and now the Detroit Pistons.

For the All-Star Game, there was also a Player Exclusive edition created

• Stats:  6′0, 180 pounds, 6/7/1975
• Current Team: Detroit Pistons, after trade from Denver Nuggest this season. 13th NBA Season
• Avgs: 18 ppg, 5.1 assists per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, 1.6 steals per game,
• All-Star Avgs: 10th game, 16 ppg, 6.6 apg, 2.5 steals per game

Dwayne Wade-Guard

Converse WADE 4

I’m sure he will have a different colorway done up, but rumors are that this is the shoe he will be rocking. I spent two days looking for info on this so please, if anyone else knows different, let me know! I’ll be more than happy to update! He is keeping it very quiet which makes me think some fab shoe came out this weekend!

• Stats: 6′4, 216 pounds, 1/17/1982
• Current Team: Miami Heat 6th NBA Season
• Avgs: 28.4 ppg, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1.4 blocks
• All-Star Avgs:  5th game, 14.5 ppg, 2.5 rebs, assists and steals.

LeBron James- Forward

Nike Zoom Lebron VI, Eastern Conference, All-Star Edition

• Stats:  6′8, 250 pounds, 12/30/1984
• Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers, 6th NBA Season
• Avgs: 28.6 ppgs, 7.5 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
• All-Star Avgs:5th Game, 23 ppg, 7 rpg, 6 apg, 2 steals

Kevin Garnett- Forward

Adidas TS Bounce Commander

————————————————————————-

• Stats: 6′11, 220, 5/19/1979
• Current Team:  Boston Celtics, 14th NBA season
• Avgs: 16.5 ppg, 9 rpg
• All-Star Avgs:12th  game, 13.8 ppg, 7.3 rebounds

Where you can get the shoes: Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sports Authority

Dwight Howard- Center

Adidas TS Creator All-Star Edition**

——————————————————————–

**mixed reports. Also heard that it would be the Bounce Commander that Garnett is rocking.

• Stats: 6′11, 265 pounds, 12/8/1985
• Current Team: Orlando Magic, 5th NBA Season
• Avgs: 20.8 ppg, 14.1 rebounds, 2.9 blocks
• All-Star Avgs:3rd, 18 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2 steals, 1 block

Where you can get the shoes: Dick’s Sporting Goods

Joe Johnson -Guard

Air Jordan 2009 All-Star Game

Player Exclusive

—————————————————————————

• Stats:  6′7, 235 pounds, 6/29/1981
• Current Team: Atlanta Haws, 8th NBA season
• Avgs: 21.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 6.2 assists
• All-Star Avgs: 3rd Game, 7.5 ppg

Ray Allen – Guard

Air Jordan 2009, All-Star Game

Player Exclusive

• Stats: 6′5, 205, 7/20/19075
• Current Team: Boston Celtics, 13th NBA Season
• Avgs: 13.2 ppg, 3.3 rps, 3 assists, 1 steal
• All-Star Avgs: 9th game, 15.6 ppg, 2.4 rebs & assists, 1.4 steals

Danny Granger – Forward

Nike Zoom Phenom

All this special elusive shoe. Had a hard time tracking it down but here it is. Could be different colorways for the game.

• Stats: 6′8, 228 pounds 4/20/1983
• Current Team:  Indiana Pacers, 4th NBA Season
• Avgs:  25.4 ppg. 5 rpg, 3.2 assists, 1 steal, 1.5 blocks
• All-Star Avgs: First Game!

Paul Pierce -Forward

Nike Air Max P2 V

Hopefully they will now make an adult version of the shoe with the special All-Star theme or something, because right now they are only available for kids. Go figure.

• Stats: 6′7, 235 pounds, 10/13/9178
• Current Team:  Boston Celtics, 11th NBA season
• Avgs: 19.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg,  3.8 apg, 1.1 steals
• All-Star Avgs: 7th Game, 10.2, 3.2 rps, 2.3 apg, 1.5 steals

—————————————————————————

Rashard Lewis

Nike HyperDunks East

• Stats: 6′10, 230 pounds, 8/8/1979 (19 days older than me!)
• Current Team: Orlando Magic  11th NBA Season
• Avgs: 18.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 steals
• All-Star Avgs: 2nd game 2 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal & assist

Devin Harris -Guard

Adidas, Ts Bounce Commander or Lightening Creator

I couldn’t get a definite fix, but got this from Bounce Mag.

• Stats: 6′3, 185 pounds, 2/27/1983
• Current Team:  New Jersey Nets, 5th NBA Season
• Avgs: 21.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.6 steals
• All-Star Avgs: First Game!

————————————————————————————-

Mo Williams- Guard

Ah Mo. As if you didn’t have enough scandal with your selection to the All-Star team over LeBron’s teammate. Now you have to go and be all complicated with the footwear. I could not find even a hint about it. All I know is that he just switched from Nike to Adidas so most likely, he’ll be rocking on of the two shoes displayed next to Devin Williams. But if his contract isn’t up he could be sporting the  the Nike Hyperdunk (Rashard Lewis) or the Nike Huarache 09. They made the West Huarache for Tony Parker and made an equivalant East version even though no one is signed up to wear it.

• Stats: 6′1, 190 pounds, 12/19/1980
• Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers, 6th NBA Season
• Avgs: 17.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.1 apg
• All-Star Avgs: First Game!

Also selected to team but not playing due to injury are Chris Bosh and Jameer Nelson

NBA All-Star Starting Sneakers & Players: East Coast Kicks is a post from: Stiletto Sports

The NBA All-Star Weekend is in full effect. Friday night kicked off with the Rookie Challenge. Saturday is full of fun with the 3-point shootout, the Skills Challenge shootout and the fan fave Dunk Contest. All to hype up the main event of the All-Star Game Sunday night at 8 p.m. (est).

I wanted to give you the starting line-ups and analysis but didn’t want to just be all boring and list the stats. You know I hate stats. They just muddle everything up. No one seems to really care about the game anyway. While researching for my All-Star All-Shoe Team post, I discovered that this weekend is actually a Fashion Show for Boys! It’s really just a Sneaker Showcase of the hot new kicks hitting the markets. So I figured, the best way to really gauge and analyze this game would be look at the Players shoes, not trying to compare points-per-game!

I won’t even try to use my Official Rulebook for Team Selection on this one. I mean, clearly I will pick the team with the hottest shoes to win the game!

First up will be The West but don’t forget to stop back and check out The East Conference Kicks!

Like the shoes? Most are available through Champs, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority. I tried to put some direct links to the shoes, too.

The West

Phil Jackson -Coach

• Stats: 6′8, 230, 63 years young
• Former Player: NY Knicks
• Current Team: LA Lakers
• Former Team: Chicago Bulls
• 18th NBA Coaching Season
• Stats: 1,018 wins, only 428 losses, 9 NBA Championships (2 three-peats with Bulls, 1 3-peat with the Lakers)
• All-Star Stats: 11th game, 18 ppg, 4.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 steals

The Starters

Kobe Bryant- Guard

Nike Zoom Kobe IV, Western Conference, All-Star Edition

—————————————————————

• Stats: 6′6, 205, 8/23/1978
• Team: LA Lakers, 13 seasons
• Avgs: 27.8 ppg, 5 assists per game, 5.6 rebounds
• All-Star Stats: 11th game, 18 ppg, 4.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 steals

Chris Paul- Guard

Air Jordan 2009 All-Star Game Player Exclusive

—————————————————————

• Stats: 6′0, 185 pounds, 5/6/1985
• Team: New Orleans Hornets, 4th NBA Season
• Avgs: 21.5 PPG, 10.9 assist per game, 2.8 steals per game, 5.4 rebounds
• All-Star Stats: 2nd game, 16 ppg, 14 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg

Tim Duncan-Forward

Adidas TS Bounce Commander

—————————————————————

• Stats: 6′11, 260 pounds, 4/25/1976
• Team: San Antonio Spurs, 12th NBA season
• Avgs: 20.8 ppg, 10.4 rebs, 3.8 assists, 2 blocks per game
• All-Star Stats: 11th game, 12.5 ppg, 11.4 rpg,  2.5 apg

Where You Can get the Shoes: Sports Authority, Dick’s Sporting Goods

Amare Stoudemire-Forward

Nike Foamposite Lite All-Star Game PE

—————————————————————

• Stats: 6′10, 245 pounds, 11/16/1982
• Team: Phoenix Suns, 6th NBA season
• Avgs: 20.8 ppg,  8.2 rebs,  2.0 assissts, 1.1 steals, 1 blocks
• All-Star Stats: 3rd game, 17.7 ppg, 7.7 rpgs, 1.7 apg

Yao Ming – Center

Reebok ATR Elite II (2008)

I tried really hard to find out what he has for this year’s game but to no avail so here are his All-Star kicks from LY.

And also his kicks from the 2008 Olympics, the Reebox Hexride which are kick-ass! So hot!

• Stats: Tall.
• Okay fine. 7′6, 300 pounds (and yet lanky as can be),  9/12/1980
• Team: Houston Rockets, 7th NBA Season
• Avgs: 19.7 ppg. 9.4 rebs, 1.7 assists and blocks per game
• All-Star Stats: 6th Game, 8 ppg, 4 rebs, 1 assist per game

__________________________________________________

Tony Parker- Guard

Nike Huarache ‘09

And just an FYI, Nike has finally decided to create Tony’s Signature Shoe!

• Stats:  6′2, 180 pounds, hot. 5/17/1982, Eva Longoria’s hot hubby.
• Team: San Antonio Spurs, 8th NBA season
• Avgs: 20.4 ppg, 6.5 assists
• All-Star Stats: 3rd game, 8 ppg, 7 assists

Pau Gasol-Forward/Center

Nike HyperDunk West

• Stats: 7′0, 250 pounds, 7/6/1980. Really scary looking….
• Team: LA Lakers, 8th NBA season
• Avgs: 18.3 ppg, 9.5 rebs
• All-Star Stats: 2nd game, 12 rebounds, no points yet.

David West-Forward

Nike Foamposite Lite All-Star West

Not to be confused with his Player Exclusive, Foamposite Lite West, named for him!

• Stats: 6′9, 240 pounds, 8/29/1980 (seriously? another August b’day close to mine! Crazy!)
• Team: New Orleans Hornets, 5th NBA season
• Avgs: 19.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.0 assists
• All-Star Stats: 2nd game, 6ppg, 4 rpg, 1 apg

_________________________________

Chauncey Billups-Guard

Adidas Lightening Creator

• Stats: 6′3, 202 pounds, 9/25/1976
• Team: Denver Nuggets, 12th NBA season
• Avgs: 18.4 ppg, 6.2 apg, 2.5 rpg
• All-Star Stats: 4th game, 9.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, 3.7 rpg

Dirk Nowitzki-Forward

Nike Air Max Spot Up All-Star Edition Game PE

—————————————————————

• Stats: 7′0, 245 pounds, 6/19/1978 (wow, actually older than me….)
• Team: Dallas Mavericks, 11th NBA season
• Avgs: 25.7 ppg, 8.3 rebounds
• All-Star Stats: 8th Game, 9.3 ppg,  4.6 rpg

Brandon Roy- Guard

Nike Zoom Phenom Player Exclusive

• Stats: 6′6, 211, 7/23/1984
• Team: Portland Trailblazers, 3rd NBA season
• Avgs: 22.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.1 assists
• All-Star Stats: 2nd Game, 18 ppg, 9 rpg, 5 assists, 1 steal 7 1 block

Shaquille O’Neal- Center

Just cuz I follow the guy on Twitter didn’t mean I could just write to him and be like, Yo, Shaq can I get a pic of your kicks so I can finish this post already? Totally thought about it though… Anyway, couldn’t find what he is wearing but I’ll update when I do find out. This is what he rocked LY, produced by smaller shoe company Li Ning.

Li Ning , All-Star 2008

Shaq Dunkman 2004

These are my fave Shaq shoes that I’ve seen! Funny.

• Stats: 7′1, 325 pounds, 3/6/1972 (wow!)
• Team: Phoenix Suns, 18th NBA seaons
• Avgs: 17.5 ppg, 9 rebs, 1.5 blocks
• All-Star Stats: 15th Game, 16.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.6 blocks

NBA 2009 All-Star Game Starting Players & Sneakers is a post from: Stiletto Sports

NBA All-Star Weekend kicks off today. Big weekend o’fun. So B/R asked for some analysis about the Top NBA All-Star Starting Line-ups of all time and I considered doing it. Then I realized the only All-Star game I ever cared about was in 1994 when B.J. Armstrong from the Chicago Bulls was selected and my love for him was finally validated!

Then, my Canadian Shoe Expert Etienne** stepped in and started talking bout the crazy shoes that come out for All-Star Weekend. He showed me some pics and I found out that this is Ultimate Sneaker Fashion Week with players modeling their hot new shoes that are about to launch! The games are like Runways! Perfect! I love fashion shows! And shoes! And I’d get to write about them!? It’ll be much easier and funner than looking up b’ball history.

Right. You have no idea how obnoxious it was to compile research about this. I never want to hear another man bitch or mock my shoe collection or hear a guy tell his wife “what do you need another pair of shoes for?” Because seriously, do you even know how many shoes Kobe Bryant puts out in a year? How many different colors the Air Force 1s come in? How many divisions of Air Jordans there are?

I will never be mocked again for my love of shoes.

These are not in any order, I do not believe in ranking shoes. It is mean to the other shoes. Don’t worry, this is very Sneaker-Hater friendly. Never been a fan myself till now. But these are so fab I want some! And shhh….there may even be a pair of heels in there too!

**Etienne is also the inspiration, the co-creator, and coiner of the term “new shoe dance”  in 2002. This dance is very special, involves a lot of shaking and is used to celebrate the purchase of a fabulous pair of heels or sneakers.

If you like this piece you will love the Slideshow I put together on The Bleacher Report! The pics are bigger better and it’s just plain fun!

Nike, The Air Force 1, 1983

The start of the madness. This little shoe propelled Nike to the top. It now comes in over 1,800 color combinations and limited editions. It is the number one selling shoe style of all time. And the basis of Nelly’s 2002 hit song “Air Force 1″

Air Force 1, All-Star 25th Anniversary

Detailing in the shoes includes faces of the “original six” and the “new six” that helped launch AF1s to their height of popularity

Michael Jordan, Air Jordan I, 1985, All-Star Game

The first “all-star sneaker.” Mike broke all the rules rocking these during the game. He was charged $5,000 a game every time he wore them because it went against the NBA dress code.  And he rocked these in his first all-star game. Talk about being fashion forward! Who knew the madness that this little moment would lead to.

Air Jordan XVII Lightening, 2002, MJ’s Final All-Star Game

Scottie Pippen, “It’s gotta be the Red Shoes,” 1994

Sure Scottie was always a good player, but no one really focused on him while Mike was flying through the air. Then came the 1994 All-Star Game where Pip pulled down 29 points, 11 boards and four steals and won the MVP. If that wasn’t enough, his shockingly red shoes definitely yanked him right out of Mike’s shadows and said “here I am, look at me!”

Tracy McGrady, T-Mac 3,

Don’t you hate when you have two pairs of shoes that go with your outfit and you really can’t decide which pair looks the best?

Don’t worry! Just go Punky Brewster style and mix things up!

Also I have to say I am transfixed by these shoes. Very shiny!

Kobe Bryant, The Strangest Shoes Ever, Multiple years

I had to pick these because these just don’t look like real shoes. They are beyond strange.

Nike Zoom III All-Star Edition, 2008

Almost like a jelly shoe…or a plastic Ken doll shoe. Very peculiar.

The Kobe I, 2001 &  The Kobe II

WTF. These terrify me. Are they sneakers? Moonmen shoes? Cars for feet? The original Kobe’s were actually made-up with the design team from Audi. I read somewhere that he did wear The Kobe I during an All-Star came but I can not 100% confirm because I forgot the site. As for the silver one…how bad do you just want to stick a Barbie and Ken doll in the shoe and add a steering wheel? Vroom!!

Chris Webber, DaDa Chrome CDubbz, 2002

I don’t feel like these need any other descript than “badass!” And shiny!

LeBron James, Nike Zoom

I couldn’t pick a fave here, I liked them all for different reasons.

Zoom IV, All-Star Skills Challenge, 2007

Zoom V, All-Star Game East, 2008

Zoom III All-Star Edition, Houston 2006

Zoom IV, Las Vegas All-Star 2007

Paul Pierce, Nike Air Max P2 IV,2008

Normally I think Celtics’ players should be rocking green sneaks all the time. However, this shoe is awesome! It manages to incorprate a monogram with fake croc design while staying sleek and stylish at the same time. I want to start a sneaker collection so I can touch these ones.

Allen Iverson, Reebok–The Question 1996, and The Answer VI 2008

What a difference almost 10 years of technology and fashion makes! Since ‘96 Iverson really has become the Answer to Reebok’s failing b’bball shoe line! The 2008 All-Star show was as cool as you can be with a velcro-strap.

Dwayne Wade,  Converse All-Star BOGO, 2006

Who doesn’t love a BOGO?

(special Infomercial voiceover) In stores, these shoes would sell for over $100 a piece! But right now we are offering you the deal of the century! If you buy the red, white and blue All-Star shoe we’re going to give you another another pair of sneakers in D Wade’s college colors, for free! But wait, if you order in the next few minutes, I’ll throw in a special poster of Wade that says “Greatness is not a destination. It is a journey!” absolutely free! Don’t wait, order today ***

**Some restrictions apply. Limited time only. Not available in stores anymore. Not for sale. I cannot give you this deal. Too bad you can’t get them anymore. Etc.

My Personal Faves:

Air Force I Low LE, 2006 Houston All-Star Game

I looked at a lot of sneaker designs for all the recent All-Star Games and for some reason this one really stood out to me. It’s shiny, vibrant simplicity makes these shoes wow me more than the glam and glitz of some other models.

Nike Zoom BB II, 2008 All Star Game

(disregard the comments from the previous shoe) Fun and funky and look like animal print?!!?!? Shut up! LOVE them!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Adidas, All-Star Gabe Urist x Adidas TS Pro Model Mid, 2008

They are pretty sneakers! Adidas got together with NYC jeweler Gabe Urist to develop this sweet pair that was sold exclusively in New Orleans during the 2008 All-Star weekend. They even have Japanese flowers on the heel and shiny gold stripes!

Mariah Carey, Air Jordan XI Heels, 2003

I thought these were an urban shoe myth like S&TC’s Manolo Mary Janes. Still not entirely convinced they are real because this is the only physical proof I could find of them! But apparently Mariah Carey totally rocked them!  If anyone has further information about this shoe myth I would greatly appreciate it!

For more great All-Star Shoes, check out Marc Ecko’s Complex

The NBA All-Star, All-Shoe Team is a post from: Stiletto Sports

If you haven’t noticed already, I tend to not recap games if my team fails to win. It’s not really intentional, it’s just that when I go to sit down and recap the game, something of extreme importance comes up! Take for example, the Super Bowl. I planned on writing about how fab the Steelers are, but…I had to recap the commercials!

And on Friday, I did sit down to recap the  crucial Celtics-Lakers game from the night before that ended in OT (with a questionable no-call foul I must add).  I can show you my half drafted piece if you want! But my neighbor called to see if I wanted to catch the mantinee of He’s Just Not That Into You to save some cash and avoid the mad Friday Night Movie Date Night mess that is our movie theaters. And well, I totally wanted to see that movie and saving money is good! It was much more important than recapping a game that already happened, dontcha think?

You know, I had a point. How I was going to get from that point to talking about today’s games…Hmm. That movie was so good it tends to distract me from thinking about anything else!

Well, anyway. There are huge showdowns in the NBA today.

By the time I hit publish on this the Boston Celtics-San Antonio Spurs game will be over. And the final minutes of the game were pretty incredible. The last :09 were intense—and lasted about 15 minutes! The Spurs won 105-99.

Next up is the showdown between the LA Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

There has been much whoopi-dee-do about this match up all week. It pits Kobe Bryant against LeBron James. Again. Who is the best?

This week Kobe scored 61 against the NY Knicks; LeBron followed two nights later with 52 points and a triple double (that was later taken away. Don’t ask, it’s one of those really stupid technicalities that makes you just want to hit people. For all intents and purposes of this piece, I’m calling it a triple double. Meaning he had double-digits (10+) in three different categories. In this case, Scoring, Assists, Rebounds). All the talk this week is been all crazy: Who is better? What did the showdown in Madison Square Garden prove?

Um, that the Knicks suck? Well actually no, because neither game was a blowout. The Lakers-Knicks final was 126-117 and the Cavs-Knicks final was 107-102.

There have been thousands of articles about this all week. Kobe is better because he has the championships to back it up. LeBron is better because….well okay I haven’t actually read anything that said he was better but it was hinted about him being more well-rounded, especially after his MSG performance.

So here is their breakdown:

• Kobe averages 27.5 points per game
• LeBron has 28.5 ppg
• Kobe has 5 assists per game
• LeBron has 7 per game
• LeBron also leads his team with rebounds and steals. Kobe, not so much.
• Kobe has like a million championships, gold medals, MVP votes, All-Star Game appearances and what-not

This is tough for me. I am a huge Phil Jackson fan. That said, I’m very anti-Lakers. It is written in stone that you cannot like the Celtics and the Lakers (just like liking the Red Sox and the Yankees). And if you liked the Chicago Bulls through the 90s you are pre-disposed to hate the Lakers. Oh. Ha. Must think before I type. Apparently no one told Phil Jackson about that little pre-disposed rule.

Anyway, I am also very anti-Kobe for the most part. No real reason. Just because. Maybe because of all the hype, which, granted, is well earned. But it irks me.

James has his fair share of hype but to me, it always seems more understated. I’m sure I’ll get backlash on that comment.

Plus I think he is hotter.

It’s also tough for me because the Cavs are the competition for the Celtics for the best in the East and the Lakers are the threat in the West.

But if I am being forced to pick. I like LeBron better and I’d rather see the Cavs win. I will look more into who really is better and report soon!

More about Who is Better, Kobe or Lebron?

NBA Sunday Showdown is a post from: Stiletto Sports

I haven’t spent a lot of time talking about the NBA yet, except for some idle chatter about the Celtics, mostly because I haven’t had time to talk about it! With college football and the NFL taking up so much time and mental energy, basketball took a backseat for me. But football is almost over (Oh, didn’t you know? Football NEVER ENDS! There is still the Pro Bowl this weekend.) the NBA All-Star Game is next weekend and it’s almost time for NCAA March Madness so it’s time to switch focus!

Today seems like the perfect day to at least start digging into the NBA a bit because there is a HUGE game going on tonight: the LA Lakers are heading to the east to meet up with the Boston Celtics again. It’s like having a Magic 8-ball look into the 2009 NBA Finals.

Here’s the deal with the two teams in case you didn’t know:

• They have a long-standing and often heated rivalry that dates waaaaaaay back to the 1960’s when the Celtics beat the Lakers 6 times in row in the Finals.
• In the 1985, the Lakers won their first championship against the Celtics. And the rivalry really heated up with Magic Johnson on one side and Larry Bird on the other.
• The rivalry lay dormant until last year when it was revived in the Finals once again.
• The final game of the Championship Series took place in Boston and the C’s made complete fools out of the Lakers with a 131-92 win.
• In the Finals, the Celtics are 9-2 against the Lakers.
• Celtics have 17 Championships; the Lakers have 14. Together they have 31 out of the NBA’s 62 Championships, which is just ridiculous.
• In their last 2o matchups, the Celtics have won 8, the Lakers 12

This season:

• This season, the Celtics 19 game winning streak  came to an abrupt halt by the Lakers on Christmas day.
• The Celtics then went on a  major skid losing 7 out of their next 9 games.
• However, they are now on another 12 game winning streak and will be meeting up with the Lakers again.
• The Lakers are 38-9
• The Celtics are 41-9, the best record in the NBA

The stats:

• The Lakers are coming off a massacre at NY Knicks where Kobe Bryant scored 61 points
• The Celtics just barely won their game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Ray Allen hit a 3-pointer with :5 on the clock.
• The Lakers are still really pissed about that loss last year in Boston and they will be out for blood.
• The Celtics will be looking to continue their hot streak. The only other team to have to two 16+ winning streaks  in the same season is……you guessed  it, the Lakers.

Oh, who am I picking? You have to be joking. If I don’t pick the Celtics, I would get disowned by my father—and friends. I have worked out a deal with him to not always root for the Red Sox because hello, I am a New Yorker and we get beat up for things like that—but talk against the Celtics? Forget it! Plus, as much as I love Coach Phil Jackson, I’ve never been a Laker fan.

All that being said, I am sooooo not going to be watching the game. I mean, hello….it’s the huge Grey’s Anatomy/Private Practice event on ABC! Like I would miss that!

Celtics/Lakers Rivalry Ready to Reheat is a post from: Stiletto Sports