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Kalan Hooks, ESPN
Week 19 in the NBA was filled with game-changing plays in iconic sneakers.
The matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers came down to the wire with a game-saving block from high-flying Anthony Edwards.
“I hit my head, I think on the rim. [My head] is hurting real bad. … I ain’t never jumped that high in my life,” Edwards said in a postgame interview.
Edwards also posted 44 points in the Timberwolves win.
The 6-foot-4 guard’s explosive bounce was displayed as he paid tribute to historically Black colleges and universities in an Arkansas-Pine Bluff black and gold colorway of his signature AE 1 sneakers.
Here are some other top sneakers from Week 19 in the NBA.
Just a week after gifting the Clippers’ coaching staff a pair of his Harden Vol 8 shoes, the guard paid homage to a high school staple that almost every great player participated in: the McDonald’s All-American game. Harden wore the yellow and red colored shoes against the host Houston Rockets, where he chipped in 21 points and seven assists in the 122-116 win. The shoes’ insoles feature images of cheeseburgers, French fries, ice cream cones and McFlurries.
King James marked his name in the history books against the Denver Nuggets last Saturday by being the first NBA player to score 40,000 points. In a beige and green colorway of his Nike LeBron 21 shoes, the 39-year-old did a spin move in the paint to score his record-breaking bucket.
DeRozan has been paying homage to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant all season with his Nike Kobe collection. On Thursday, he donned a black and gold pair of the Kobe 11 “Mamba Day” shoes, recording 33 points and eight rebounds in a 125-122 win over the Golden State Warriors.
The shoes are dedicated to the legacy Bryant left on the court. The sneakers mark the date of his first and last contest with the Lakers, his championships, All-Star appearances and MVP honor, the 81-point game, the 20 years he played in the NBA and his No. 24 jersey.
After a win leads to the Kings lighting the beam again, two Carne asadas from Banzito’s Tacos — a taco truck outside of Golden 1 Center — are the only thing on Fox’s mind. The guard wore the taco truck-inspired Curry 1 Flotro in a nail-biting 131-129 win against the San Antonio Spurs. Fox scored 33 points.
Curry has been with the Warriors since he was drafted as the No. 7 pick in 2009. In his 15 seasons, he is the all-time leading scorer for the franchise with 23,302 points. To show his appreciation, the four-time NBA champion sported a pair of his signature Curry 11s that display vintage lettering from the Warriors’ jerseys worn during the 2000s.