A little heat on their feet helped top performers in Week 20 of the NBA season.
For the Chicago Bulls against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, DeMar DeRozan delivered a clutch performance. DeRozan forced overtime with a midrange basket close to the end of regulation.
The Compton, California native pulled down nine rebounds in addition to a season-high 46 points on 62.5% shooting from the field. In overtime, he made a 3-pointer with 2:17 remaining to give the Bulls a decisive lead.
“It’s like a survival mode that kicks in, in a fun way,” DeRozan stated. “You cherish those times. I simply thrive on those kinds of times. I don’t fear failing.”
Wearing a unique set of Kobe Bryant sneakers, the Kobe 9 elite low “Beethoven,” which was introduced in 2014, DeRozan accomplished all of this. Ludwig van Beethoven, the renowned German composer, is honored in the sneakers.
Here are a few more outstanding kicks from Week 20 across the league.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron 21 has released a player’s version of his sneakers, in honor of his son Bronny, who is a player for the USC Trojans this season. The sneakers feature Cardinal and Gold, the primary colors of USC. This week, James gave the shoes to the women’s and men’s basketball teams.
On Wednesday, he put on the show against the Sacramento Kings, finishing with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists in a defeat.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
On Monday, Tatum debuted a new pair of Jordan Tatum 2 sneakers with a “Taco Jay” theme. This is the fifth iteration of the “Taco Jay” series, which made its debut in March 2020.
In a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Celtics forward finished with 26 points, eight assists, and five rebounds.
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
When facing DeRozan, Haliburton brought his own sneaker fire. He donned the 2013-released Nike Kobe 8 What the Kobes.
It was a shoe from Nike’s “What the” line, which combined several motifs and colors into one unit. Though the shoe that Haliburton wore is undoubtedly the most well-known, Bryant’s own “What the Kobe” sneaker debuted in 2012 with the Kobe 7.
Against the Timberwolves, Haliburton scored 17 points and dished out 14 assists, his highest total since January 19.
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Edwards, who was highlighted in this week’s top kicks, is back and hotter than ever. He honored his 10U Atlanta Vikings football squad by donning a fresh hue of his AE 1 sneakers. The Minnesota Vikings’ colorways are comparable to the purple and gold ones.
On the road against the Lakers, Edwards was unstoppable in the hoop, tallying 25 points along with seven rebounds and assists apiece.
Kelly Oubre Jr., Philadelphia 76ers
Oubre Jr. wore a special collab on Thursday — the Willy Wonka Converse All-Star themed kicks first worn by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in November 2023. The limited edition shoes are inspired by the Willy Wonka golden ticket storyline.