Nearly midway through the 2017-18 season, the Northwest Division is red hot. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, and Denver Nuggets each hold a top 8 seed in the conference, while the Utah Jazz remain competitive for a playoff spot as well. Let’s take a look at the region-specific cultures Nike’s City Edition jerseys celebrate within this thriving group of teams.
Mile High Jerseys
These special Denver jerseys are not drastically different from the team’s other jersey choices. The Nuggets already have jerseys that are primarily navy with accents of gold and blue, but these jerseys replace the Nuggets’ team name across the chest with a mountain and two crossed axes. These images symbolize Denver’s nickname, Mile High City, which was given due to the city’s altitude of roughly a mile above sea level.
Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing
Nike chose to go with gray for these Minnesota jerseys to mimic the shade of fur on a real-life wolf. Fans may hope Karl Anthony-Towns and the Timberwolves’ game mirrors the ferociousness of these animals on the court as well.
Thunder and Lightning
The Portland Trail Blazers’ City Edition jerseys are jam-packed with local sports history. The plaid pattern was selected to honor the late Blazers coach Dr. Jack Ramsay, who was known for his signature plaid suits. The torso proudly displays a “rip city” logo, which is now the mantra of Portland sports team. This phrase originated in the Blazers’ 1970-71 inaugural season, as the then play-by-play announcer, Bill Schonely, excitedly yelled the phrase during a live game broadcast.
Jazzy Jersey
Utah’s city jerseys feature strips of warm colors, slowly darkening from the top down. Nike chose such a distinct pattern to represent the breathtaking red rock formations and canyons within the state.
Best of the West
The teams of the Northwestern Division have played a stellar first half of the 2017-18 season. Even if a couple of these squads tail off toward the end of the season, these jerseys will be going strong for years to come. Join the players in celebrating Northwestern pride and get your official Nike City Edition jerseys from Fanatics.
Sources
- http://www.espn.com/nba/standings/_/group/division
- https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/colorado/articles/what-makes-denver-the-mile-high-city/
- https://news.nike.com/news/nike-nba-city-edition-uniform
- http://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/10862689/portland-trail-blazers-wear-dr-jack-ramsay-honorary-patch-jersey
- https://ripcityproject.com/2014/09/08/why-portland-is-called-rip-city-portland-trail-blazers/
- http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/north-america/top-10/north-americas-top-10-natural-wonders-utahs-red-rock-country/
