Just like previous “NBA Lane” spots, the league filled the new ad with several easter eggs meant to appeal to hoops junkies, as well as younger digitally savvy viewers. Below, a sample of what to look for, according to descriptions provided by the NBA:
NBA75 Blimp: The aircraft is a nod to the Larry O’Brien trophy being delivered to Cleveland by the Goodyear blimp in 2016 after the Cavaliers won the title.
Multi-generational press row: Iconic NBA broadcaster Marv Albert is joined by ESPN’s Malika Andrews and French NBA commentator Xavier Vaution.
Clocking iconic moments: A shot clock displays timestamps associated with legendary playoff moments: 8.9 (Reggie Miller’s 8 points in 8.9 seconds); 6.6 (Michael Jordan’s “Last Shot”); 0.4 (Derek Fisher’s famous buzzer-beater).
Reserved parking: A car pulls up to a spot “Reserved Reigning Champ” with the license plate “Fr34k” (Giannis Antetokounmpo). The adjacent spots are reserved for “Iceman” (George Gervin) and “The Answer” (Allen Iverson).
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Hakeem’s broom: Bobbleheads show Hakeem Olajuwon holding a broom, referencing the Rockets' sweep of the Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals.
Quadruple-double bucket: David Robinson holds a popcorn bucket that says “Quadruple Double,” referencing his quadruple-double in 1994.
Sacramento cowbells: Fans near Chris Webber ring cowbells, a nod to the deafening crowd noise in Sacramento in the early 2000s.
A nod to gamers: “Fortnite” avatars “Fishstick” and “Peely” are seen celebrating inside the arena on a scoreboard video.
Ben’s chalk toss: Stiller mimics LeBron James’ iconic chalk toss pregame ritual.
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