{"id":373919,"date":"2014-04-10T14:05:52","date_gmt":"2014-04-10T19:05:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=373919"},"modified":"2022-09-16T20:50:18","modified_gmt":"2022-09-17T01:50:18","slug":"playoff-push-postseason-sneaker-upgrades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/playoff-push-postseason-sneaker-upgrades\/","title":{"rendered":"Playoff Push: Postseason Sneaker Upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the NBA<\/strong> regular season ends and playoff anticipation revs up, so does the footwear of top athletes across the league. Brands like Nike and Jordan aim to give their star players a competitive advantage by upgrading their latest silhouettes. Whether revamps come in the form of swapped midsoles or completely redesigned uppers, over the last few years, we\u2019ve seen technologically elite versions of some of the best signature sneakers debut around playoff time. Here is a look back at some of our favorite signatures and how they evolved to give elite NBA athletes an added push toward, and into, the postseason.<\/p>\n

Nike Zoom Kobe VII Elite<\/h2>\n Nike Zoom Kobe VII “Invisibility Cloak”\n Nike Zoom Kobe VII Elite “Home”\n

Carbon fiber heel support, full-length Zoom Air cushioning and a scaled polyurethane upper distinguish the Kobe VII Elite from its predecessor.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike Kobe 8 System Elite +<\/h2>\n Nike Kobe 8 System\n
\"Nike
Nike Kobe 8 System ELITE+<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Nike Kobe 8 System was stacked with carbon fiber and reinforced with Dynamic Flywire and Kevlar to create the Kobe 8 System Elite. Too bad we did not get the chance to see the Black Mamba chase a championship in this silhouette.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jordan CP3.VI AE<\/h2>\n
\"Jordan
Jordan CP3.VI “Sport Red”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Jordan CP3.VI AE “Squadron Green”\n

The AE in the Jordan CP3 line stands for ‘Artisan Edition,’ which means the sneaker was made with a different cut for style and comfort on the court. The first Chris Paul sneaker to receive this treatment was the Jordan CP3.VI, which dumps the vented upper in favor of a lightweight synthetic material with a lower cut.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jordan CP3.VII AE<\/h2>\n Jordan CP3.VII “Crescent City”\n Jordan CP3.VII AE\n

One of\u00a0Chris Paul<\/b>\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0most successful signature sneakers, the Jordan CP3.VII received its playoff version recently. The Artisan Edition of the\u00a0Jordan CP3.VII<\/strong>\u00a0combines lightweight Hyperfuse on the upper with Dynamic Flywire for an improved fit over the original.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Elite<\/h2>\n
\"Nike
Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 “10.0” PE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nike
Nike Zoom Hyperdunk Elite Black\/Metallic Gold<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Worn by the likes of Blake Griffin and Chris Bosh, the 2011 Nike Hyperdunk was reinforced with Kevlar Dynamic Flywire, Carbon Fiber and Nike Pro Combat padding.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike KD V Elite<\/h2>\n Nike KD V “BHM”\n Nike KD V Elite “Eybl”\n

The KD V Elite is a low-cut adaptation of the KD V, updated with a Caged Zoom heel unit, carbon fiber heel counter and Kevlar aramid reinforced Dynamic Flywire, which helped push Durant to the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike KD VI<\/h2>\n Nike KD VI “Maryland Blue Crab”\n Nike KD VI Elite “Team”\n

Shedding its shell, the Nike KD VI Elite offers an upper that is more breathable than the original. The most notable change in this signature from regular to postseason lies in the midsole, which sports a full-length Nike Zoom unit that is completely visible for the first time in the history of KD’s line.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0Jordan Fly Wade 2 EV<\/h2>\n
\"Jordan
Jordan Fly Wade 2 “Home”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Jordan Fly Wade 2 EV\n

During Dwyane Wade\u2019s stint with Jordan Brand, he received a couple of signature sneakers. The Jordan Fly Wade 2 EV is the upgraded playoff version of his second JB silhouette, with a more lightweight, Flywire-constructed upper.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike LeBron 7 PS<\/h2>\n Nike Air Max LeBron 7\n Nike LeBron 7 PS\n

King James<\/strong>‘ seventh signature sneaker was the first to be given a postseason upgrade. The\u00a0Nike LeBron 7 PS<\/strong>\u00a0went back to the its roots by burying the visible Air Max unit, swapping it with a more stable Nike Zoom sole.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike LeBron 8 PS<\/h2>\n Nike LeBron 8 “South Beach”\n
\"Nike
Nike LeBron 8 V2 White\/Black-Sport Red<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nike
Nike LeBron 8 PS Black\/Sport Red-White<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u00a0Nike LeBron 8<\/strong>\u00a0was the second of King James\u2019 signature sneakers to receive a performance-based upgrade. Maintaining the same silhouette, the LBJ 8 V2 dropped premium materials for better performance technology around the mid-season mark. After both the V1 and V2 released, a postseason \u201cV3\u201d gave the\u00a0LeBron 8<\/strong>\u00a0its third version, which is basically a Flwire-reinforced, Hyperfuse shell of the original.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike LeBron 9 Elite<\/h2>\n Nike LeBron 9 “Miami Nights”\n Nike LeBron 9 Elite “Away”\n

The most significant changes made to the\u00a0LeBron 9 P.S. Elite\u00a0<\/strong>were the incorporation of carbon fiber along the mid-foot and Kevlar infused into the Flywire cords\u00a0and laces. There was also an upgrade made in the form of a Nike Pro Combat padded inner lining, which helped boost LeBron to his first NBA title.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike LeBron 10 Elite<\/h2>\n Nike LeBron X “Crown Jewel”\n Nike LeBron X Elite “Home”\n

While made to be stronger than the original LeBron X, the\u00a0LeBron X P.S. Elite<\/strong>\u00a0was still able to shed a few ounces off the first edition. Similar to the\u00a0Nike LeBron 9 P.S.<\/strong>\u00a0Elite<\/strong>, this model reinforced its Dynamic Flywire cable with Kevlar and added a carbon fiber mid-foot wing for more stability.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Nike LeBron 11 Elite<\/h2>\n Nike LeBron 11 “Miami Nights”\n Nike LeBron 11 Elite “Gold”\n

Coming in with a slightly lower cut, the Nike LeBron 11 Elite features both Hyperfuse, Hyperposite and Flywire along the upper. The most visible change on the updated LeBron 11 is the new articulated external cage, found in the mid-foot area.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jordan Super.Fly 2 PO<\/h2>\n Jordan Super.Fly 2 “Crescent City”\n Jordan Super.Fly 2 PO
<\/a>\n

The Jordan Super.Fly 2 PO still bears key traits of the original Super.Fly 2, but now the upper of the sneaker features Nike\u2019s\u00a0Dynamic Flywire, as well as lace locks and a reinforced carbon fiber heel counter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the NBA regular season ends and playoff anticipation revs up, so does the footwear of top athletes across the league. Brands like Nike and Jordan aim to give their star players a competitive advantage by upgrading their latest silhouettes. Whether revamps come in the form of swapped midsoles or completely redesigned uppers, over the last few years, we\u2019ve seen technologically elite versions of some of the best signature sneakers debut around playoff time. Here is a look back at some of our favorite signatures and how they evolved to give elite NBA athletes an added push toward, and into, the postseason.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":373957,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[618],"tags":[1770],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPlayoff Push: Postseason Sneaker Upgrades | Snkrs Day<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Where to buy Playoff Push: Postseason Sneaker Upgrades shoes. 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