Sneaker Watch: Roy’s Heroics Help Even Series
words // Brandon Richard
It was just last Wednesday when Brandon Roy found himself on the end of the Portland Trail Blazers bench fighting back tears because he had benched in favor of younger, inexperienced players. Once one of the most dynamic players in the league, Brandon’s career has been derailed in recent years due to multiple knee surgeries. He’s a player will all the will in the world, but does always get the necessary cooperation from his body. However, he looked a little like his old self in Game 3. He led the Blazers bench with 16 points and helped Portland get back in the series.
What started in Game 3 carried over to Game 4 in a big way. With the Blazers down 23 points in the third quarter, they turned to the guy that was once their closer for a spark. That’s exactly what Roy gave them, scoring 18 of his game-high 24 points in the 4th quarter to lead the Blazers to an improbable comeback win and even the series at 2 games a piece.
Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers got on the board after beating a lackadaisical Bulls team behind Danny Granger’s 24 points. Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder put the Denver Nuggets’ backs against the wall by taking a commanding 3-0 lead in their series. Lastly, the upstart Grizzlies from Memphis continued to make fans in San Antonio nervous, beating the top-seeded Spurs 91-88 in Game 3.
Check out what kicks were worn on the court in another eventful day of NBA Playoff basketball.
Brandon Roy scores two of his 18 4th-quarter points in the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse.
DeShawn Stevenson shoots in his adidas adiPure Low PE.
Dirk Nowitzki shoots in a PE colorway of the Nike Hyperdunk 2010.
Peja Stojakovich shoots in the “Duke” Nike Zoom Kobe VI.
Nicolas Batum shoots in his adidas adiPure PE.
LaMarcus Aldridge drives in a new metallic silver Nike Air Max Hyperdunk 2010 PE.
Jason Kidd dribbles in the PEAK Kidd II.
Gerald Wallace shoots in the Jordan Play In These F.
Luol Deng drives in his Nike Air Max Fly By PE.
C.J. Watson wearing the Nike Air Max 360 BB Low.
Paul George receives instructions in the Nike Zoom Kobe VI POP.
Darren Collison runs the point wearing the adidas adiZero Infiltrate.
Danny Granger drives in his Nike Air Max Fly By PE.
Derrick Rose attempts a floater in the new adidas adiZero Crazy Light; Dahntay Jones defends in an iD colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe VI.
Roy Hibbert shoots in the Nike Hyperdunk 2010.
Mike Dunleavy attempts a layup in the Nike Zoom Kobe VI iD.
Kyle Korver gets into position to shoot wearing the his Converse Star Player EVO PE.
Manu Ginobili drives in his Nike Air Max Fly By PE; Shane Battier defends in the PEAK Battier V.
Zach Randolph celebrates his heroics with fans wearing a Nike Air Max Fly By PE.
Mike conley breaks out a new grey colorway of the adidas adiZero Crazy Light.
Daequan Cook wearing the adidas Crazy 8.
Nene dunks in his adidas adiPure PE.
Birdman hypes up the crowd in a PE colorway of the Converse Star Player EVO.
Earl Smith shoots in the Nike Hyperdunk 2010.
Serge Ibaka shows the effects of a physical series in a PE colorway of the adidas adiPure.
Ty Lawson and Russell Westbrook scramble for the ball in the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse.
Kevin Durant drives in a new colorway of the Nike Zoom KD III.
images via ESPN
Amar’e Stoudemire dunks in a Player Exclusive colorway of the Nike Zoom Huarache Trainer.
Brook Lopez shoots over Joakim Noah in the adidas adiPure.
Derrick Rose runs the show in the “Light Onix” 
Joakim Noah dunks in the Le Coq Sportif Joakim Pro Model.
Kyle Korver shoots in his Converse Star Player EVO Player Exclusive.
Carl Landry goes up an under wearing PEAK.
Chris Paul shoots in his 
Dirk Nowitzki shoots in the 
Courtney Lee closes out the year in the “Black Cement” 
Kevin Martin goes to the hole in the Air Jordan 2010 Team.
Martell Webster drives in the ATR Elevate MW5.
Michael Beasley shoots in the adidas Crazy 8.
Dwight Howard goes left hand in the adidas Superbeast.
Jameer Nelson goes for a layup in the 
James Posey shoots in an iD colorway of the 
Quentin Richardson returns from suspension in his Jordan Evolution ’85 PE.
Austin Daye shoots in his Nike Zoom Kobe VI iD.
DaJuan Summers defends the paint wearing the “Flu Game” Air Jordan Retro 12.
Evan Turner lays it up in the Li-Ning Brass Monkey.
Jrue Holiday shoots in the adidas Crazy 8.
Rodney Stuckey drives in the adidas Pro Model 2010; Elton Brand Defends in the Converse EB3.
Point guard battle: Russell Westbrook drives in the 
Kevin Durant does his best George Gervin impersonation in the Nike Zoom KD III.
Nate Robinson returns in the “French Blue” 
Al Jefferson shoots over Kosta Koufos in the 
Dominic McGuire attempts a layup in the “Space Jam” Air Jordan Retro 11.
Josh Powell drives in an iD colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe VI.
Kirk Hinrich shoots in Converse Sicks Ox.
Mike Bibby tries to find an opening in the Jordan CP3.IV.
DeMar Derozan dunks in a Nike Zoom Kobe VI iD.
James Johnson drives in the “Cool Grey” Air Jordan Retro 11.
Juwan Howard drives in a Jordan Hardcourt Classic 1 Player Exclusive.
Dorell Wright dunks in PEAK Team Dynamic.
Reggie Williams drives in the “Golden State” Nike Air Go LWP.
Stephen Curry goes up strong in his Nike Zoom Hyperfuse PE.
Blake Griffin finishes off an excellent rookie campaign wearing a Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Player Exclusive.
Eric Bledsoe posts up in the “Entourage” Nike Air Max LeBron 8 V/2.
Greivis Vasquez lays it up in the 
Shane Battier gets into the paint wearing his PEAK Battier V shoe.
Aaron Brooks shoots in his Nike Zoom Hyperfuse Low Player Exclusive.
Matt Bonner closes out in his New Balance basketball shoes.
Perhaps in his final game as a Phoenix Sun, Nash rocks his standard Nike Zoom Go Low.
Tim Duncan wears the 
Tony Parker defends Frye in his Nike Zoom Brave IV PE.
Kobe Bryant shoots in the “Purple Gradient” colorway of the Nike Zoom Kobe VI.
Marcus Thornton tries to evade the defense of Ron Artest in the Nike Air Max Penny I.
Ron Artest drives in the BALL’N Layup; Donte Greene defends in a silver-based colorway of the Nike Hyperdunk 2010.
Goodbye Sacramento.