Grantland ranks Lakers as best designed court

The Lakers don’t have many things going for them. The only lists they regularly appear atop of draft lottery lists. However, Grantland recently published an article ranking from worst to first the designs of NBA courts. For a change, the Lakers found themselves on top of this list.

"They didn’t get it right until two seasons ago, when they debuted the exact look they have today. The blue is beautiful, soft and deep, and the Lakers have let it stand alone by removing almost all the lane markings. The streaking “Lakers” font behind each basket, a very slight variation on the font in the central logo, is miles better than the blocky white characters they had tried to squeeze down there.The centerpiece has always been perfect — the tasteful L.A. logo, with a star for each of the franchise’s 16 championships. The alternate “L” logo in two corners is a recent addition, and it adds some spice. That “L” is slanted, with yellow racing stripes slashing across its midsection, elements that create the illusion of speed and mirror the main team logo."

The biggest change in recent years, or at least most noticeably, has been the Lakers turning off the lights around the fans, changing to theater lighting. With the spotlight on the court, it clearly accentuates and, as Grantland puts it, makes it feel like a “monumental event.”

Considering the location of Hollywood, the theater seating lends itself to the atmosphere and environment they play in. Personally, I enjoyed the lights being on around the stadium, which let fans be seen and made the experience of those watching at home that much better.

Do you think the Lakers have the best court design in the league? Tell us your thoughts down below.