Each season, Nike unveils its city edition uniforms for each of the NBA’s 30 teams. While some have been widely panned, others have proven a hit.
This season, the Los Angeles Lakers’ black city edition uniforms have been polarizing. While some don’t like them due to their relatively plain design, others have loved them, particularly Lakers players. The team has worn the outfits three times this season and won all three games.
After defeating the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday while wearing those uniforms to reach the semifinals of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, the Lakers will have to wait to wear the outfits again. The NBA will not allow them to wear the uniforms in Sin City, where they will play the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.
Via ESPN:
“The Lakers are slated to wear their gold icon jerseys, according to their uniform schedule on the team website, which lists the colorway planned for every game for L.A. through the end of the regular season. The Pelicans will be in their white association uniforms.
“The NBA is preventing the Lakers from wearing their black uniforms because of concerns over the visual contrast between the jerseys and the design of the specialized in-season court the semifinals will be played on at T-Mobile Arena, a source with knowledge of the subject told ESPN.”
A win on Thursday would put L.A. in the championship game on Saturday against either the Indiana Pacers or Milwaukee Bucks, who face off in the other semifinal game on Thursday.