Global Basketball Trotters

A Coach with No Balls

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:25:00 +0000

And so Talk ‘n Text finally made it to the finals over the Manong Brigade-led Barako Bull Energy despite the continued bickering on the rough plays that coach Junel Baculi’s wards employed. Congratulations but it would have been sweeter if your coach would have kept all his complaints to himself rather than using media as leverage to get the sympathy of PBA followers.

As a coach, and in the professional level at that, the normal thing would be to strategize and work around the rough plays. With a big mouth and a personality that most people despise, it seems to show that you cannot win without stars on your team. In fact, when has this coach won without certified stars and blabbered so much?

In basketball, physical play is included. Now when it comes to playing elderly, you will expect the rough-housing from any of the more aged players. In fact, don’t be surprised if the coach does have his own “gulang” moves too!

But the thing is, you plan, study and find a way to motivate the boys rather than complain like a baby. In fact, there was even a time that this coach used his dirty tricks when he infused his enforcers in the dying minutes of a lost cause just to purposely hurt the opposing team. So who says this coach is an angel? I think not.

Now in the finals, do not be surprised to see this so-called championship coach from complaining once again. With the opposing team having players who know how to mix it up, he will be using media once again to get sympathy and a psychological advantage. It’s practically a given.

And yet he is the coach of the national team? Makes you wonder how he would handle situations in the international level. Oh wait, yes it serves as an excuse just in case his team falters which may most likely be the case since he was the same person who failed the last time out with an all-pro team.

And to think you graduated from a prestigious school and yet you act like an immature individual who thinks his fancy getup will negate all issues, this is one coach who will never get my admiration because his success is because of his players and not through his supposed masterful skill of coaching.

At some point, something is gonna give and I would bet that all haters of the coach (not the team) will be laughing their ass off.

Ricardo Brown rekindling memories through Facebook | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 08:28:00 +0000

Ricardo Brown rekindling memories through Facebook | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

Air21 Express now a PBA Contender after trade?

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:40:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The suspense is over and now Air21 and San Miguel Beer (officials, players and fans) can move on.

After finally getting the nod of PBA Commissioner Atty. Chito Salud, the Beermen have finally landed the coveted top young turks of the Express in Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.

The trio are being hailed as the new breed that will infuse new blood into the aging ballclub of San Miguel Beer.

Danny Ildefonso, who is likewise in the twilight years, remains the only remnant from the rebuilding years that SMB had made way back in 1999.

Over at the Air21 Express camp, the PBA trade does make them a sudden force to reckon with. With the addition of Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros, Dorian Pena and Paul Artadi, all the bases seem filled right now.

If you look at it, this is a team that can make it the finals when given the opportunity.

Complimenting their entry are holdovers like Wynne Arboleda, Jay-R Reyes, Leo Avenido, Josh Urbiztondo, Carlo Sharma, Wesley Gonzales and Reed Juntilla. For the record, that is no pushover lineup.

Sure, the new faces are indeed in the twilights of their career but for the time being and barring any injuries (career-threatening or not), Air21 has got what it takes to be a championship contender.

Fans may have not liked the trade between the two teams but the fact remains, Air21 has what it takes to win its first PBA title with the new veterans in tow.

These highlights are of course with the understanding that no further trades will be made for now.

The Express may have lost fresh legs and some height but have however inherited added artillery (with the entry of Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros), power/ruggedness (Dorian Pena) and energy/hussle (Paul Artadi).

If you think San Miguel got the better of that PBA trade guess again. The rookies are indeed promising but they will still be a work in progress.

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

Revised SMB-Air21 PBA Trade Approved!

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:37:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The San Miguel Beer and Air21 PBA trade drama is now over!

After being turned down the first time around, San Miguel submitted a revised trade offer that retained Danny Seigle in the list. Mick Pennisi and Joseph Yeo were taken out but new marquee PBA veterans were added to sweeten the offer.

The new player names added were that of "the Cebuano Hotshot" Dondon Hontiveros, "the Junkyard Dawg" Dorian Pena and Paul "Kid Lightning" Artadi.

Hontiveros rose to fame when he first played in the Metropolitan Basketball League (MBA) for the Cebu Gems. He entered the PBA in 2001, playing for the Tanduay Rhum Masters before being traded to San Miguel in 2003.

Dorian Pena likewise started out his career in the defunct MBA before hooking up quietly with the SMB franchise.

Paul Artadi finds himself on his fourth team after invading the league in 2004.

He initially played for Purefoods (B-Meg), moved to the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in 2007 and lastly with the San Miguel Beermen when he was traded by B-Meg for SMB point guard Jonas Villanueva.

PBA Commissioner Atty. Chito Salud has approved the 7-man trade meaning the players concerned will now be donning new colors for their respective team’s next outing.

Salud labeled the trade as a marked improvement and not a one-sided deal.

"I believe that this is a fair trade between the two teams (San Miguel and Air21)", Atty. Salud said.

The revised trade was sent to the PBA Commissioner's office as early as yesterday in a sealed envelope. Unfortunately, Atty. Salud was on leave to attend to personal matters.

The announcement was officially made right after the first game pitting Air21 against B-Meg Derby Ace.

Al-Hussaini, Baclao and Guevarra are expected to suit up in the Beermen's next game this Friday against the Meralco Bolts at the Araneta Coliseum.

Seigle, Hontiveros, Pena and Artadi are expected to play their first game this coming Saturday when the Air21 Express play the Talk 'N Text team in Davao City.

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NOTES: The Manila Bulletin Online Staff would like to thank Danny Seigle for personally thanking the online department on the article published yesterday here.

Danny Seigle went out of his way to personally thank yours truly and narrated how he appreciated the article titled “Seigle and Samboy: A Tale of Two PBA Stars”. He had no idea at that time on the status of the said trade.

Regardless, on behalf of the MB online staff, we wish you good luck Danny. Again, thank you for acknowledging the featured article yesterday!

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

SMB beefs up Defense with entry of Top Rookies

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:35:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – After taking into account the Air21 franchise, we now move to the other PBA ballclub, the San Miguel Beermen.

Gone are PBA veterans Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros, Dorian Pena and Paul Artadi. New to the fold are top PBA rookies Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.

The move was cheered (and jeered) by many as the Beermen successfully infused youth in their aging PBA lineup. However, it seems that SMB’s backcourt has suffered from this PBA trade.

If you will notice, the three new rookies play the center, power forward and small forward positions respectively.

They lost two guards in Hontiveros and Artadi and as of this writing, only Al-Hussaini has the potential firepower to compensate somewhat the departure of Seigle and Hontiveros.

Baclao and Guevarra have so far turned in numbers that leave a lot to be desired.

Baclao has turned in manageable numbers through points and rebounds but Guevarra has yet to show what made him a part of the Smart Gilas team before.

Holdovers of the SMB camp include Jay Washington, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Danny Ildefonso, Joseph Yeo, Denok Miranda, Lordy Tugade, Paolo Hubalde, Sunday Salvacion and Mick Pennisi.

Of the mentioned holdovers, Washington, Santos, Cabagnot, Ildefonso, Tugade, Yeo and Salvacion are perhaps the players that can go berserk scoring on any given night.

So does this spell trouble for the SMB camp? Not necessarily.

If you will recall, a sorely missing link to their previous campaigns was defense. This was something that the team had when now B-Meg player Marc Pingris brought when he was still under the ballclub. Ever since his trade, defense was an eye sore.

True enough and knowing Coach Ato Agustin’s philosophy, the Beermen’s intent this time around seems to solidify their defensive needs. And being an import-laden conference, there is Ira Brown to contend with.

The PBA Commissioners Cup may not necessarily be the time to shine for these rookies but the opportunity will be there.

From the looks of it, defense will be the key. Al-Hussaini and Baclao showed that during their stint with the Ateneo Blue Eagles and now they have to show that prowess once again.

The Beermen are still expected to be among the top contenders but the road will not be as easy as before.

All teams know for a fact that defense wins games and with the entry of the youthful big three, a new foundation seems to be in the works.

And to see if that is indeed the motif of the Beermen, we only have to wait until tomorrow to see how the entry of Al-Hussaini, Baclao and Guevarra works for the multi-titled PBA franchise.

Of course, this is discounting the possibility of more trades in the offing.

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

Seigle and Samboy: A Tale of Two PBA Stars

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:12:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – While Danny “the Dynamite” Seigle may be sitting on pins and needles these days, he has had a wonderful PBA career.

Whatever happens on the supposed PBA trade being drawn up between by San Miguel Beer and Air21, every Filipino will agree that Seigle is without a doubt one of the greatest players to play in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Looking back to history, Seigle can be compared to the plight of another San Miguel legend. He goes by the name of Avelino “Samboy” Lim otherwise known as the “Skywalker”.

Just like Lim, Seigle’s career had been hampered by a spate of injuries.

Perhaps the most serious one that has made “the Dynamite” injury-prone in the latter years was the one he suffered when he joined the RP National Training Pool for the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, North Korea.

It was in this year that Seigle suffered a serious torn right Achilles tendon after making a shot during one of the team’s pre-Asian Games against team Qatar.

He was unable to play for the team and sat out most of the 2003 season due to the injury.

Both Seigle and Samboy were never named the PBA’s season MVP.

However, Seigle does have PBA Best Player of the Conference Awards (2005-2006) and 3 PBA Finals MVP Awards (1999-2000). He has never played for any other team other than San Miguel Beer and has helped the ballclub win 6 PBA championships.

As for Samboy Lim, he holds the distinction of being one of the 25 PBA Greatest Players, a member of the 1989 Grand Slam team and being the first ever recipient of the PBA Sportsmanship award.

Lim has savored the PBA gold for 7 times, 6 with San Miguel Beer and one with Northern Consolidated back in 1985 under coach Ron Jacobs.

The farthest both players have gone was to be named to PBA Mythical Teams during their tenure. They haven’t relished winning an MVP.

However, with PBA championship rings to their credit, no one can take away the fact that both players did serve the San Miguel Franchise.

Lim now acts as the team manager for PBA crowd darling Barangay Ginebra while Seigle is obviously at the twilight of his career.

On whether the impending trade does materialize, the fact is that Danny Seigle will be always identified as a San Miguel Beerman.

Seigle will forever be known as someone who had helped the SMB franchise win 6 PBA crowns.

Such a feat is an achievement coveted by any professional basketball player, something many perceive is a fulfillment in its own right.

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

SMB-Air21 Trade Update: "No Deal!"

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:21:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – NO DEAL!

This is what best sums up the PBA Commissioner's decision with regards to the PBA trade deal involving key players from San Miguel Beer and the Air21 Express.

The official papers were handed to the PBA Office last Friday and was officially disapproved today by PBA Commissioner Atty. Chito Salud.

Atty. Salud deemed the transaction as “very lopsided” but it seems that this is not the last we have heard of the deal.

Sources reveal that San Miguel will be revising their offer and will exhaust all means to get the three rookie draft picks into the San Miguel team fold.

Once done, the revised trade offer will be re-studied by the PBA Commissioner.

The original deal involves Air21’s top rookies (Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Nonoy Baclao and Rey Guevarra) being sent to SMB for veterans’ Danny Seigle, Mick Pennisi and Joseph Yeo.

Additionally, two first round draft picks will be going Air21’s way.

Related to the potential trade deal is the fact that it may just be a footnote of a bigger deal where San Miguel may eventually purchase the Air21 franchise.

This story was reported on Manila Bulletin earlier today.

As of now, the beer and food giant owns three teams in the PBA – San Miguel, B-Meg and Barangay Ginebra.

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

Carmelo Anthony headed to New York (UPDATED) | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:14:00 +0000

Carmelo Anthony headed to New York (UPDATED) | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

Magic vs. Grizzlies: Physical and Emotional!

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:26:00 +0000

It was a rowdy game between the Orlando Magic and the Memphis Grizzlies but in the end, the Magic won and beaten every team in their division. Matt Barnes got ejected, Vince Carter and company scuffled and Dwight Howard got poked in the eye. All the ingredients you would expect from an NBA game as we now head to the playoffs. Check out the video highlights of that crazy game below.

Colangelo comments upset James

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:27:00 +0000

Considering what LeBron James(notes) has already done to help deliver an Olympic gold medal to the United States, he doesn’t understand how skipping this summer’s World Championships could keep him from playing in the 2012 London Games.

James said Wednesday that he’s “probably not” playing for Team USA this summer because of his impending free agency and a busy schedule. Dwyane Wade(notes) also is leaning toward not playing. USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo responded by telling Yahoo! Sports there will be no “free passes” to the 2012 London Olympics. Any player who skips prior USA Basketball commitments “without a legit issue, they do it with an understanding of the risk,” Colangelo said.

Those words didn’t sit well with James, who has played in two Olympics, a World Championships and a FIBA Americas Championships for the United States.

via

Game Zone News Is Now Open!

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:47:00 +0000

To all our readers, please be informed that all updates and basketball news are now at our new site. You can go to Game Zone News at http://www.gamezonenews.com for the latest news and updates in the sporting world.

Thanks and hope to see you there.

NBA Goes Easy on Blazer’s Threat

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:50:00 +0000

It seems weird that a team can go nuts over a dispute that could mean losing millions of dollars. But thanks to the fine people of the Portland Trailblazers, Darius Miles is technically being disallowed to play for any team, at least for now.

The problem all started with this ridiculous stipulation that if Miles would play 2 more games for any team that dares to sign him. Under the agreement:

If Miles plays in two more games, his $9 million salary for this season and next will go back on Portland's salary cap, making them a luxury tax paying team this season and depriving them off $9 million in salary cap flexibility they would have had next summer.

Of course the Players Union is stepping up to safeguard the Miles’ case but the NBA seems to be employing a hands-off policy.

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed up Darius Miles to a second 10-day contract, defying the Portland Trailblazers’ threat. Will they go after the Grizzlies for doing so?

The Grizzlies have also been playing with Miles. Already signed to an initial 10-day contract, they purposely cut him off and re-signed him to a second 10-day contract to avoid being obliged to sign him up. Well, that is the NBA for you.

(Source) ESPN

Marbury Could Make the Celtics Worse

noreply@blogger.com (bryboy) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:02:00 +0000

No harm intended but adding Stephon Marbury to the Boston Celtics now could be a recipe for disaster. The controversial guard who seems to be missing in action for close to a year right now is still in arrears with the New York Knicks and with the trade deadline fast approaching, Marbury has made it known that he is open to rejoining Kevin Garnett.

The Celtics are pursuing him but maybe this is because they are in a slump. Losing 7 of their 9 games is not really something the Boston organization will be happy about but just the same, adding controversial manpower may disrupt the fluidity of their offense.

If the Celtics are indeed inclined to sign him up, it would be best to get him on board next season. If he is signed up now, chances are he may be riding more time on the bench to adjust to the new plays of Boston Coach Doc Rivers.

Knowing Stephon Marbury, we all know he is not fond of not getting playing time. Wasn’t that the reason why he had this conflict with the Knicks in the first place?

Chris Paul Sets New NBA Record

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:25:00 +0000

New Orleans Hornets’ standout Chris Paul set a new record for most consecutive times having a double-double garnering at least 20 points and 10 assists to start a season. He raised the bar to six consecutive games, a record previously held by NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson.

Chris Paul claims that he was only able to do this amazing feat because of his teammates who converted his passes and validated them as assists. From this, we see that he isn’t a player who takes all credit for his achievements. He shows us that basketball is truly a team sport. His incredible talent and unselfishness has helped him achieve great things.

CP3 was the fourth overall pick of the New Orleans Hornets in 2005. He eventually won the Rookie of the Year Award. By just watching Chris Paul, you could anticipate that he will eventually beat an NBA record set by NBA Hall of Famers.

The record-breaking stat-line happened during a win over Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Chris Paul recorded 21 points and 13 assists. He led his team in bouncing back from two consecutive losses after winning their first three games of the season.

Tyson Chandler recorded 13 points and hauled down 13 rebounds to help Chris Paul lead his team over the Heat. David West also scored 21 points. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 30 points.

The Hornets defeated the Heat with a final score of 100-89.

(photo taken from http://www.nba.com)

Brandon Roy Strikes Again

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:20:00 +0000

Just a few days after I wrote about the excellence of Brandon Roy, he has proven me right when I said that he is a player to watch out for. Brandon Roy showed that he is a player who can hit crucial and clutch baskets for his team. His most recent victim was the Houston Rockets.

With his team tied with the Rockets in the overtime period, Brandon Roy hit a turnaround jumper to give his team a two point lead in the dying seconds. After that, Yao Ming hit a foul-counted basket and converted the free throw leaving 0.8 seconds on the clock. Portland called timeout and drew up a play. Brandon was very disappointed at himself because it was he who committed the foul and allowed the Rockets to take the lead. He wanted to redeem himself so badly. How did he do it? He hit a 30-foot jumper to give his team the win.

Although Brandon Roy only made 6 out of his 18 attempts going 33% from the field, he proved to everyone that he can take and make the shot when it matters. Brandon showed no fear and displayed confidence in himself as he knew that was his shot to take. No one else wanted that shot more than Brandon Roy.

The Blazers beat the Rockets 101-99.

(photo taken from http://www.nba.com)

Allen Iverson Traded to the Pistons

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:34:00 +0000

Allen Iverson is now the newest member of the Detroit Pistons. He was sent to Detroit in exchange for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.

There is only one problem in this transaction. Reports say that it seems like Antonio McDyess is not willing to play for the Nuggets. Allen Iverson on the other hand has spoken about this trade. He said that no matter where he plays, he’ll be giving it his all.

This trade will give both teams a different look compared to before. Other teams will have to re-adjust their style of play when they play Detroit and Denver. Detroit will be a faster and more explosive team. They will have Allen Iverson, Rodney Stuckey and Richard Hamilton manning the guard positions. On the other hand, Denver will now have a better half court offense because of the acquisition of the forever-composed Chauncey Billups. If Antonio McDyess decides to suit up as a Denver Nugget, it will really help the Nuggets’ frontline. A huge void will have to be filled due to Marcus Camby’s departure in the offseason.

Development by the younger guards of both teams convinced them that their superstars could be moved. Rodney Stuckey for the Pistons and J.R. Smith for the Nuggets are quickly developing into the voids that are left by the departing stars.

Allen Iverson is averaging 18.7 points and is dishing out 6.7 assists in the first three games for the Nuggets. On the other hand, Chauncey Billups is averaging 12.5 points, 5 boards and 7.5 dimes per game. Antonio McDyess is averaging 7 points and 4 rebounds in the team’s first two games.

Let's talk about Dwyane Wade

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:10:00 +0000

Dwyane Wade has been quieted by injuries in the past seasons. It seemed like his hype died down after he led his team achieve every NBA players dream, an NBA championship. Along with winning an NBA championship, he also won that year's MVP award in the finals.

As this season begins, Dwyane shows us his true capabilities once again as he seems perfectly healthy. He gave us a taste of how well he really plays in the Beijing Olympics where he led his team in scoring amidst NBA Superstars like Kobe Bryant and Lebron James on his team.

What makes Dwyane Wade a great player is his unselfishness and desire to win. He is a tremendous competitor and great leader on and off the court even at a young age. He was one of the NBA’s elite before he was injured. Now that he’s healthy, he will surely return to that state once again. Dwyane is also one of the best slashers in the league complemented by his accurate mid-range jump shot. He developed into one of the NBA’s best a few seasons ago but was slowed down by unfortunate injuries. In the first two games of this season, Dwyane Wade is averaging 23 points, 8.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks per game.

The real question now is whether Dwyane Wade could lead his team back into the postseason and show that they are championship contenders. I believe that with the Heat’s current roster, they can’t win it all. They could get to the postseason but they lack that dominating inside presence they had to win the championship when they won in the finals a few years ago.

Dwyane just needs more help and I’m sure he’ll be capable of bringing the glory days back to Miami as before.

Brandon Roy Leads his team past the Spurs

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 07:24:00 +0000

Brandon Roy bounced back from a terrible season-opener by scoring 26 points, making 10 of his 18 field goals attempted. He also had seven assists, grabbed five rebounds and stole the ball three times. Brandon led his team, along with Lamarcus Aldridge, over the San Antonio Spurs, 100-99, escaping with a needle-hole-like margin.

Brandon Roy scored only 14 points in the first game of the season against the Lakers who slaughtered his team. Brandon went 5 of 15 for the night. It seemed like he couldn’t get his rhythm going.

In his second game of the season, he showed everyone why he was one of the best players on his team and in the league. He shrugged off a terrible performance and led his team to a victory. Brandon Roy scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half.

The Spurs almost pulled their amazing comeback off with a barrage of three point baskets due to their unselfishness and ball movement. The Spurs hit 5 three pointers in the 4th quarter alone. In the dying seconds, Michael Finley missed a 12-footer on the break that would have given the Spurs the win. Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 27 points and grabbed 10 boards.

Lebron Shows Larry Brown and the Bobcats Why he is King

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:12:00 +0000

video taken from youtube.com
In Cleveland’s home-opener, Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers gave Charlotte’s debuting coach, Larry Brown, a not-so-pleasant welcome as the Bobcats’ coach. The Cavs defeated the Bobcats 96 - 79.

Lebron James displayed his usual MVP-like performance scoring 22 points, dishing out 9 dimes, and grabbing 9 rebounds. He was one assist and one rebound shy of another one of his triple double performances. Fellow Cavalier Daniel Gibson scored 25 points, 20 of which came from the 1st half, to lead the Cavaliers in scoring. Newcomer Mo Williams did his share of damage by scoring 17 points and dishing out 7 assists for the night. Ben Wallace led the Cavs on the defensive end grabbing 10 boards and swatting 5 shots.

Aside from his great stat-line, Lebron James displayed quickness and strength when he hammered (could be an understatement) two dunks while leaving the Bobcats’ defense lost in translation. The first one came in the first few minutes of the game when he penetrated down the lane and left his defender dumbfounded as he could only watch Lebron from the backseat. The second one came in the fourth quarter in the open court where he was fouled and was still able to throw it down.

Jason Richardson led the scoring load for the Bobcats. Gerrald Wallace scored 13.

Derrick Rose Lives up to the Hype

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:50:00 +0000

In Derrick Rose’s debut in a Chicago Bulls uniform, he was able to provide the fans with something to look forward to. Derrick Rose was drafted first overall by the Chicago Bulls in the last NBA Rookie Draft. Derrick Rose played for Memphis College for one year before signing up for the draft. As a player in Memphis College, he averaged almost 15 points and 4.7 assists. He played a key role in leading his team to the NCAA Championship where they lost to Kansas.

Derrick showed signs of maturity on the court and incredible quickness. He was a player who has so much potential. Now, Derrick shows us that he is capable of being an NBA team’s playmaker. In his NBA debut, Derrick scored 11 points, dished out 9 assists, and was accountable for three steals. He displayed flashes of potential greatness as he showed spectators his amazing quickness and floor-leadership.

Although Derrick had an impressive first game, he also showed his lack of experience by committing 4 turnovers in the game. This shouldn’t be a worry though because he is still a young player and has many more years to come and many lessons to learn. He has the potential to be one of the NBA’s premier point guards.

NBA Regular Season Opening Games

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:57:00 +0000

There are three games scheduled on the NBA regular season’s opening games. These three games will give us a quick taste of the season ahead.

The Cavaliers and the defending champion Celtics will tip-off the season openers. We will see a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals. This will be very interesting because of Mo Williams’ debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers. We will see how big his effect on the team’s performance will be. As for the Celtics, well, we’ll see if the Celtics are really serious about repeating as NBA Champions this season.

Next up will be the Bucks going against the Bulls. This game isn’t as hyped up as the Cleveland-Boston game but it will show us the regular season debut of Richard Jefferson with the Milwaukee Bucks and of course, the 1st overall pick in the Draft, Derrick Rose with the Chicago Bulls.

Last but surely not the least, the Portland Trail Blazers play against the runners-up in last season’s NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers. This game will be the one-year delayed debut of last year’s first overall pick, Greg Oden. This will also be the first time Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum will be able to play together. We will see in this game how well these three players will play on the court.

It is game time NBA fans. This is no longer preseason. It’s the real deal for the NBA teams. Each team will be giving 110% to capture that first victory and hopefully many more to come.

Injuries plague teams even before the start of the season

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:39:00 +0000

Numerous injuries have occurred since the beginning of the preseason. It all started with Gilbert Arenas' knee surgery (hopefully his last) and then came Monta Ellis, mo-ped accident, and so on.

News about injured players haven’t stopped coming for a while now; sprained ankles, injured knees, torn ligaments, bone spurs, poked eyes and much more. Duration of these injuries may vary from days to months. There are some unfortunate cases wherein the player may even miss the whole season; a problem Washington Center Brendan Haywood may possibly face along with Philadelphia Bigman Jason Smith and Portland Forward Raef Lafrentz.

Right now, there are more or less 90 injured players on the NBA’s injured list and players listed as day-to-day. Some of these players include Stars like Gilbert Arenas, Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison, Allen Iverson, Manu Ginobili, Michael Redd, Baron Davis, and Monta Ellis.

These injuries are unavoidable in basketball. That is an unfortunate truth. It is sad that with the season starting in a few days, there will be players who will be missing games. Now, all we can do is wish the players well; stay away from injury and to those injured, get well soon.

This season, I believe, may be one of the most unpredictable seasons especially with the offseason moves of teams like Golden State and Philadelphia.

If you would like to view the injured list, just click the link below (as of October 17, 2008):
NBA.com

Shaun Livingston signs with the Heat

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:29:00 +0000

The Miami Heat has signed returning Point Guard Shaun Livingston. Shaun Livingston has been out for a while now due to a major knee injury. He injured his knee while going for a wide-open lay-up when he was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Shaun Livingston was a fourth overall draft pick in the 2004 draft. His game was improving fast. He is a 6’7 point guard who can take it strong to the hole and was already developing an outside game before he was injured. He was well on his way in permanently taking over the Point Guard spot for the Clippers.

This free agent signing would be a great move for the Heat if Shaun Livingston could play as well as he used to. This will do well for the Heat’s rebuilding program. He would blend well with the team because of his pass-first attitude and his great athleticism. He will be teaming up with Shawn Marion, Dwyane Wade, and newcomer Michael Beasley.

Note: The Miami Heat finished last place in the standings last season. They won the 2nd overall pick in the Draft Lottery and they used their pick to take NCAA freshman sensation Michael Beasley. The Heat are probably far from winning a championship with the make up of their team now. But with the addition of new players to their lineup, things could turn around for them in terms of making the postseason. (As long as Dwyane Wade stays healthy of course.)

Ben Gordon Stays with the Bulls

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Ben Gordon has just reportedly signed a qualifying offer with the Chicago Bulls, his former team. Ben Gordon was a 3rd overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He has led the Bulls in scoring for the past three seasons with 18.6 points per game. He is well-known for his magnificent 4th quarter performances.

Ben Gordon showed signs of doubt that he will be suiting up for the Bulls this coming season. The Chicago Bulls will have a problem in their player rotation now that they have Ben Gordon back. They recently drafted Derrick Rose. Obviously, he will be seeing a lot of playing time to develop his young talent and to gather experience in the NBA.

The Bulls have Larry Hughes, Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, and Ben Gordon in the guard spots. Whose playing time will mostly depreciate? I think it’ll be Ben Gordon’s due to his height disadvantage. Kirk Hinrich is a much better passer than Ben Gordon. Larry Hughes is a much better defender. Derrick Rose, well, he is the 1st overall draft pick. It would be a waste if he would spend much time on the bench.

I think there are a few options for the Bulls. One, trade Ben Gordon for a player that could help them out on the frontline; Two, play a 3-guard rotation where Joakim Noah could play center and Luol Deng or Tyrus Thomas could play the 4-spot. It will be a very difficult decision for the Bulls on what they will do.

Honestly, I like Ben Gordon but I don’t think that the Chicago Bulls is the team for him.

Gilbert Arenas undergoes 3rd Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (jammyc) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:53:00 +0000

Bad news again for Agent Zero fans out there, Washington Wizards Star Gilbert Arenas has undergone another surgery. He will be out until December which means he will miss training camp and the start of the regular season.

So now, the Wizards are left with Antonio Daniels and Dee Brown as their choices for starting point guard. Roger Mason Jr. has moved on and has joined the Spurs. The much anticipated return of Gilbert Arenas has become another let down to the Washington Wizards’ fans. The Wizards’ organization announced that they were aware of losing Gilbert Arenas for another few months prior to signing him to a $111-million six year deal during the summer.

After Gilbert Arenas’ breakout season with all those clutch cold-blooded game-winning baskets, we have yet to see Gilbert Arenas back to his normal self playing on the court. Actually, he played a few games last season but once again, he injured his knee and had to undergo another surgery. He missed the playoffs due to that surgery.

Will we really see Gilbert Arenas, Agent Zero, play in December? Will he ever be able to recover from his knee injuries? The Wizards’ organization seems to believe so, should we? Well, let’s all hope Gilbert Arenas recovers soon and doesn’t have to undergo another surgery. Get well soon Gilbert!