An open letter to the PBA team owners

To: The PBA team owners.

As we know, the 2015 FIBA Asia Cup is nearing us. After a exhilarating performance during the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and the 2014 FIBA World Cup, the Philippines will get another chance to show the world what they have, and show that we are the best team in Asia.

That being said, the Gilas Pilipinas needs all the firepower they need. Last year, you assembled one of the best Philippine teams ever, but admittedly, the team could have been better. After all, many players were not allowed by their mother clubs to play. Case in point: Marcio Lassiter, who said that injuries wouldn't allow him to play, but rumors circulated that he wasn't released by his team.

This year, you face this dilemma once more. But this time, instead of supporting the program even more, you seem to not even care about the team. In fact, you have an iron grip on your players, hanging on to them like your life depended on it.

I understand that you want to preserve your players, because of course, they are one of your money-making assets. If ever your team falters, your sales might go down. I also understand that some of you have conflicts with other teams or even the MVP group (looking at you, SMC owners). Dahil nga ma-pride kayo, ayaw niyong tulungan yung ibang grupo.

Well news flash, mas importante ang pride sa bayan kaysa sa pansariling pride.

Pilipino din naman kayo di ba? Hindi ba kayo proud sa achievements ng bayan? Other countries out there are doing everything they can to help their team. I believe that the reason why USA has been so successful every year is because they get all the top talent without any problem at all. All their players are from the NBA, a league similar to the PBA, and yet the players can join the team without restrictions from their ball-clubs. The only thing keeping players are their own personal reasons, like injuries or family matters. And yet, here in the Philippines, many players want to join Gilas, but are not allowed by their teams. Kasi nga, parang mas importante pa ang pera sa inyo kaysa sa puso.

Theoretically, we can create a team that is globally competitive, a team that can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Argentina, Croatia, and France. You guys did it last year, and boy was that team a surprise! We all expected that we'd be outscored heavily, that we would be no match, but after really close defeats against Croatia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, we finally notched a victory against Senegal. The core that we had before is no more, however. Jimmy Alapag has retired. Japeth Aguilar is out with an injury, and June Mar Fajardo could soon follow. Marc Pingris is questionable. LA Tenorio is unavailable also.

I know a lot of talent can be found in the PBA. We already have a probable replacement for LA in Terrence Romeo, the MVP of the recent FIBA 3x3 Manila Masters. We also have Calvin Abueva in case Ping is unavailable. But I know that there are a whole lot of other players there that can contribute big time. So please, team owners. Disregard the fact that you are bitter rivals. Remove the fact that you might lose money. The Philippines is calling for you to help. WE NEED YOU.

Sincerely,
An avid basketball fan

Series in Review: Eastern Conference Finals (Cavs vs. Hawks)

With the conference finals finally behind us, and with about a week until the Finals start, we could probably pass time by revisiting the recent round of basketball in the NBA. We will start at the East, where the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Battle of the Wounded

 

Korver grimaces in pain after colliding with Matthew Dellavedova

 

It was like the Portland Trail Blazers against the Memphis Grizzlies all over again. Both teams were dealing with injuries, however, both came in different ways. The Cavs already had two of their star players down for the count, Kyrie Irving (who eventually returned during the Game 4 blowout), and Kevin Love (out for postseason), but the Hawks had it rough. They were already missing the services of defensive specialist Thabo Sefalosha in a gruesome case of police brutality, but then things went bad when DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap gained injuries that hampered their play. Worst of all, Kyle Korver sprained his ankle bad due to a controversial collision with Matthew Dellavedova, which ruled him out of the season.

Gift from the Big Apple

 

J.R Smith celebrates after hitting a triple

 

If there's anything that sparked the Cavs' sweep aside from LeBron's monstrous efforts, it's the break out of someone who was considered "trash" by one team: J.R Smith, who was tossed aside by the New York Knicks in their effort for a "rebuild". Smith has been particularly problematic at the Big Apple, dealing with shoelace-related problems and whatnot.

Smith found a home in northern Ohio after being trading, looking much more comfortable within this winning system. Even though he still chucks up threes at an incredulous rate, he didn't put up bad shots, taking shots within the Cavalier offense.
J.R Smith was phenomenal in the Conference Finals, scoring 18.0 points per game during the series (during which Kyrie Irving missed a chunk of the games), including a 28-point game during the first game, which saw him hit 8 of his 12 shots from deep. He shot an incredible 50 percent from the field, and 47.1% from three, despite having well over 50 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. He also collared 7.5 rebounds per game, and had two assists per game.

Inconsistency

The Hawks were heavy favorites during the regular season, owing to their Spurs-like basketball. Because of Mike Budenholzer's effective system, Atlanta soared towards a 60-win season. But even then, Coach Bud's squad showed flashes of something that was never seen in San Antonio.

It was inconsistency.

Sure, there were stretches of play that showcased the brand of basketball they were used to. But there were times that they looked like a totally different team, one without an identity. This was most evident during the later stages of the regular season, and continued all the way to the playoffs.

This was also the case for the Cavs series, which basically dictated the whole series. The Cavaliers were the epitome of consistency (not really, there were still times where they lacked the offensive firepower), while the Hawks, well, they were just hurting. Coupled with key injuries, Atlanta just didn't look like the team that won 60 games. Cleveland, on the other hand, looked like a totally different team. Led by the resurgence of LeBron James, the Cavs manhandled the Hawks offensively AND defensively, the latter of which came as a big surprise. After allowing opponents to score 104.0 points per 100 possessions during the season, Cleveland's defense suffocated the Hawks, allowing only a shade under 98 points per 100 possessions. For the postseason, the Cavs had a DefRtg of 98.5. (GAAS)

Warriors decimate Rockets behind Curry's hot shooting

Stephen Curry (left) attempts a lay-up against Nick Johnson

When asked about Stephen Curry's performance after game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, Steve Kerr said: "Steph was Steph."

He could not have said it better.

Chef Curry cooked up some hot sauce against a Houston squad fighting for their playoff lives, torching the home team with 40 points on 12-of-19 shooting, including 7-of-9 from three, to lead Golden State to a 115-80 pounding of Houston. He also had seven assists and five rebounds.

With this, the Warriors are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit. Only three teams have come back from 3-0 to force a Game 7. The odds are stacked against the Rockets.

"We just can't quit on each other," Howard said on the post game interview. "We've come too far. We've been through too many battles to just allow it to end like tonight ... we've just got to man up."

James Harden had 17 points, but he was atrocious from the field, shooting only 18.8% from the perimeter. Josh Smith had 16, while Trevor Ariza struggled once again, having only 7 points.

Draymond Green had 17 points and 13 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the Playoffs. Klay Thompson also had 17 markers, and also facilitated well, finishing with five dimes.

The MVP did virtually everything on the court. A couple of finger-rolls over Howard, bank shots, the usual three-point shots, assists, some more threes, a little bit of trash-talk, more threes. You know, the usual MVP-like performance.

Houston had many attempts to come back, all in vain. There was this time where the lead was down to nine early in the second quarter, but it was foiled by Curry. And after the half-time, the Rockets came back strong, using a 13-6 run to cut the deficit to 18. Once again, the Warriors stopped the run.

[VIDEO] Rockets' fan tries to trash talk Curry, and it doesn't end well

We all know that Stephen Curry is one of the best three-point shooters in the league, and he can hit shots from literally ANYWHERE on the court. Anywhere.

But did you know that this baby-faced assassin can also talk trash?

During the second half of Game 3 of Rockets-Warriors, a Rockets fan tried to help Houston by "closing out" on Curry from the sidelines.

Needless to say, it did not end well. For the fan, at least.



But Curry felt like being a bit snarky today, and when he hit another triple from the same spot, the same fan, feeling humbled, reached out to the MVP for a high-five.


De-nied!

So kids, remember this. DON'T try to talk trash against Stephen Almighty. He can be unforgiving at times. (GAAS)

Warriors edge Rockets, take Game 1

Stephen Curry (left) shoots over Clint Capela of the Rockets

The Golden State Warriors proved once again why they are the best team in the league today, by taking down the streaking Houston Rockets, 110-106, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. With this win, they take a 1-0 lead in the series, which has proven to be crucial in any playoff series.

Stephen Curry, the reigning MVP, was once again dominant in this game, scoring 34 points on an insane 13-of-22 clip from the field, including 6-of-11 from the three-point arc. He also dished out 5 assists and collected 6 rebounds. Shaun Livingston was exceptional for Golden State, scoring a career playoff-best 18 points off the bench, while Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green, scoring 15, 14, and 13 point, respectively.

Runner-up MVP James Harden, who was serenaded by the Oracle arena with chants of “over-rated”, silenced the home crowd with 28 points on an efficient 11-of-20 shooting, and also hovered on a triple-double with 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Trevor Ariza, the Rockets’ Game 7 hero, had 20 points, dealing his damage from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of his 5 shots from deep. Josh Smith, another one of Houston’s unsung heroes, had 17 points.

Interestingly, Houston had quite a large lead for the majority of the first half, leading 49-33 5 minutes into the second half, but then they were silenced after that. Golden State went on a massive 25-6 run, capped by a 20-foot step-back fade-away from none other than MVP himself, Curry. After the half, it was 58-55 for Golden State.

It was a close game after that, both teams going back-and-forth. They were trading blow after blow, like some sort of boxing match. Curry and Harden, the undisputed leaders for their teams, led their respective squads in the game, and at one particular point in the fourth quarter, the Bearded One found his rhythm. He made FIVE straight shots from inside the arc, at the expense of Thompson’s defense, heralded as one of the better perimeter defender. Despite that, Golden State kept building at a lead, and at the two-minute mark of the fourth, it was 108-99 for the Warriors. They have clinched Game 1.

James Harden (right) tries to lay it in against Festus

Ezeli

But Houston wouldn’t go down, not without a fight. Smith hit a lay-up to chop the lead to nine, then a turnover from Thompson and a missed shot from Curry in two consecutive possessions led to four consecutive free throws for Smith and Corey Brewer, both of which have struggled from the charity stripe. At 47 seconds, the lead was 108-103 for the Warriors. This was turning out to be a close match.

After a timeout from Steve Kerr, Green missed two straight point blank shots, and then turned it over straight to Ariza. In Houston’s offensive possession, Jason Terry passed it to Trevor Ariza, who hit a three-pointer. 108-106, Golden State. 16.1 seconds. This is still a game.

Terry, and then Harden, committed a foul to stop the clock. However, the person who they sent to the line was Curry, and he subsequently hit two free throws to seal the game for GSW.

The Warriors and Rockets will return to the Oracle Arena at Thursday (Friday PH Time) for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

East Finals preview: (1) Atlanta Hawks vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers

Season Series:

 

Date	Winning Team (Score)	Losing Team (Score)
November 15, 2014	Cleveland (127)	Atlanta (94)
December 17, 2014	Atlanta (127)	Cleveland (98)
December 30, 2014	Atlanta (109)	Cleveland (101)
March 6, 2015	Atlanta (106)	Cleveland (97)

Regular Season Leaders:

 

Statistic	Atlanta		Cleveland
Points per Game	Millsap, Paul	16.7	James, LeBron	25.3
Rebounds per Game	Millsap, Paul	7.8	Love, Kevin	9.7
Assists per Game	Teague, Jeff	7.0	James, LeBron	7.4
Steals per Game	Millsap, Paul	1.78	James, LeBron	1.58
Blocks per Game	Horford, Al	1.29	Thompson, Tristan	0.74

The first semi-final match-up of the 2015 NBA Playoffs is set, with two new faces this deep in the post-season lock horns for a chance to compete for the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy. Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the Eastern Conference Finals, where the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks battle the #2 Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Road to the Conference Finals

 

It hasn’t been easy for the Atlanta Hawks this post-season. After notching the top spot after the regular season, they were expected to demolish the eight-seeded Brooklyn Nets. But Lionel Hollins and the Nets would have none of that, bringing the supposedly easy series to six games, before the Hawks finally eliminated Brooklyn from the playoffs.

At the East semifinals, they faced an upstart Washington squad, fresh from a sweeping of the Toronto Raptors, led by veteran Paul Pierce. Again, the Hawks failed to make quick work of the Wizards, largely due to the efforts of Pierce and point guard John Wall. However, Wall injured his wrist during Game 3 of the series, and despite being ruled out for the whole playoffs, he played at Game 5 and 6, playing a pivotal role in the Wizards offense and defense. However, Atlanta finished off Randy Wittman and the Wizards, thanks to big games from Al Horford, including a buzzer-beating put back in Game 5 to clinch the victory.

The same can be said for the Cleveland Cavaliers; however, their setbacks have some long-term effects on their post-season campaign. Despite cruising past a young but resilient Celtic squad, Kevin Love, Cleveland’s starting power forward, and a vital cog in the Cavalier offense, sustained a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the playoffs for good.

They went into the East semis with a huge hole at the 4 spot AND the shooting guard spot, due to a suspension. Despite that, they went toe to toe with the Bulls, who were inspired by the return of Derrick Rose to the post-season. However, a crucial injury to Pau Gasol late in the series gave the Cavaliers the edge, and to compound the Bulls’ woes, Rose had an injury during Game 6, a do-or-die for the said team. Cleveland eventually won; however, another star player was bitten by the injury bug. Kyrie Irving suffered an injury during the series, and he aggravated the injury during the Game 6 close-out match. He had to leave the game, and despite saying that he could play through the injury, there’s no knowing how much of the Kyrie Irving we saw in the playoffs will we see against the Hawks.

X-Factors:

 

Atlanta Hawks: DeMarre Carroll

 

As everyone would know, literally anyone on the Atlanta bench can contribute big time. Dennis Schroder? Sure he can. Mike Scott? Hell yes, he does! Kent Bazemore, Pero Antic, you name it, they got it. Mike Budenholzer’s system, largely patterned from the Spurs offensive and defensive schemes that Coach Bud’s accustomed to in his time as an assistant to Gregg Popovich, every member of the Hawks roster has a chance to do something for the team.

Because of this, it’s especially hard to find an X-Factor for this team. However, I’d have to give the honors to the least acknowledged starter of Atlanta, DeMarre Carroll, who has been playing big time for his team in the postseason.

Aside from his offensive contributions at the 2015 Playoffs (17.1 points per game this Playoffs, compared to 12.6 in the regular season), and the all-around hustle plays that he provides for the team, Carroll’s contribution in the Hawks roster is the defensive prowess he brings to the table, making him the primary perimeter defender of the team. He’s usually tasked to harass the opposing team’s ace player. The Hawks only give up barely 100 points while Carroll’s on the floor, which is a testimony to his skills in defending.

That brings me to why he’s the X-Factor in this series for Atlanta. He will most likely be tasked to defend Cleveland’s best player, which is none other than LeBron James, who has been on a tear the past few games. Stopping LeBron is key to stopping Cleveland’s offense as a whole, because with Irving dealing with an injury, and Love out for the season, it’s up to James to carry this squad. If Carroll can shut down or at least reduce James’ impact, while still providing the offense and the hustle he gave in this post-season, Atlanta has a great chance of advancing to the Finals for the first time in many years.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Matthew Dellavedova

 

As I have mentioned a while ago, Kyrie Irving is dealing with tendinitis in his leg, and though he says he can play through the injury, we won’t know how much of Uncle Drew will we see in this series, or if he’s able to play at a hundred percent. Because of that, it’s up to the reserves to fill in his shoes. Luckily for the Cavs, they have Matt Dellavedova.

The Australian rookie of Cleveland will have to step up his game against the Hawks, along with fellow backcourt players JR Smith and Iman Shumpert, but Dellavedova takes the X-Factor role because if ever Kyrie needs to take a rest, Delly’s number would be called to take over the starting spot. Also, since Irving will likely have limited minutes, Dellavedova would be probably called to take on Atlanta’s point guards, Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder, both of which are crucial to Atlanta’s offense.

If Matthew Dellavedova can have games such as his Game 6 performance against the Bulls, then David Blatt would be more than happy to rest Kyrie Irving for a longer period of time.

Match-up to Watch: LeBron James vs. DeMarre Carroll

 

This is one of the more interesting match-up in this Eastern Conference Finals, because, quite frankly, no one has been able to stop the King this playoffs. Jae Crowder hasn’t stopped him. Evan Turner failed. Jimmy Butler, who was expected to slow down LeBron, had a few bright spotss while guarding him, but ultimately he didn’t succeed in slowing down the King.

Can Carroll slow down James’ onslaught in this series, or will LeBron continue his rampage in this post-season? We’ll have to wait on that, but it would sure as hell be fun to watch.

Prediction: Atlanta in 7

Before the Playoffs, I have placed Cleveland as a surefire lock for the Eastern Finals, and I had no doubt that LeBron and the Cavs would make it to the Finals. Today, however, things have changed drastically for Cleveland. Kevin Love, a stretch forward who would have placed a great strain on the Hawks defense due to his long-range threat, is out for the season. Kyrie Irving, one of the primary offensive options of the Cavaliers with his accurate three-point stroke and a nifty ability to get to the hoop, won’t be playing at a hundred percent.

Atlanta, on the other hand, has never been this healthy this deep in the post-season. Everyone’s playing at full capacity. Al Horford, who the Hawks have missed during their last trip to the Playoffs, is healthy and making the big plays for this Hawks squad. Add to that the Spurs-like offense which gives balanced minutes, and you have a title contender. It’s hard to imagine this version of the Atlanta Hawks missing out on the train to the Finals.

James and the Cavaliers would make it hard for Atlanta, but the balanced attack of the Hawks would eventually edge out Cleveland for a spot at the Finals. (GS)

Best position around the league?

Ah, how time flies in basketball.

Just last decade, the NBA was dominated by the big men, like Shaquille o'Neal and Tim Duncan. Play was slow, highly dependent on the guys under the paint. Today, however, is a different story. Most teams play uptempo basketball, trying to run the floor every time they can.

But what has happened to the center position, or all the other positions in basketball? Surely, the meta, or the traditional line-up, as called in MOBA games, has changed around the league. After all, large men like Shaq can't run for 36-40 minutes per game.

Evidently, the strongest position in the league today is at the point guard position. Bannered by MVP frontrunner Stephen Curry, the 1 is easily the hardest position to guard in the league. Every championship contender must have an elite point guard to win (an exception might be the LBJ-led Miami Heat, who was without an All-Star caliber PG. Sorry, Mario Chalmers). Golden State obviously houses Curry, while the defending champs, the Spurs, have All-Star Tony Parker. In the East, the top 3 teams today, the Hawks, the Raps, and the Wizards, have star-talent floor generals in Jeff Teague, Kyle Lowry, and John Wall, in that order.

Checking the statistics, however, we see that most floor generals do not show off in the statistical aspect of the league, particularly in the Player Efficiency Rating of the NBA. Of the top 20 players in the league in terms of PER, only three point guards enter the list:  Oklahoma City's electric PG Russell Westbrook , Curry and Los Angeles Clipper Chris Paul. A lot of other point guards missed this list, such as Kyrie Irving, Derrick Rose, amongst others.

The other guard position, the shooting guard, isn't much better, with only one player reaching the top 20: Houston Rockets guard James Harden (#4). Not even Golden State sharpshooter Klay Thompson, or emerging Chicago Bull Jimmy Butler made the list.

However, while not as stacked as the previous position, the 2 is still quite strong, aside from the men mentioned above. Current Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic was an NBA Third Team member, while perennial Sixth Man contender Jamal Crawford (a.k.a J. Crossover) has been a steady source of output for the fluctuating Clippers. And let's not forget the greatest SG to play in this era, Kobe Bryant, who's standing at #3 in the all-time scoring list, surpassing Michael Jordan this season.

To the frontcourt we go! The small forward position might as well be the most famous around the league, and its a no-brainer why. The three houses the elite players of the league in LeBron James of Cleveland, and Kevin Durant of Oklahoma. However, these two, including another elite in Carmelo Anthony, are the only ones who have crashed the top 20 in PER ratings. That is because despite the presence of top-tier players in this position, the small forward is not really stacked. The other notables around this position are Utah Jazz star Gordon Hayward, and Spurs defensive ace Kawhi Leonard.

The power forward position might be the the most efficient position in the league today, and with good reason. Most of these big men take high-percentage shots (an exception might be Portland big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who relies on an nasty outside jumpshot to get points. How he does it, I don't know), which lead to higher field goal percentages and high PER ratings. Seven of the top 20 in PER all play the 4 spot usually. Leading the power forwards, and practically everyone in the league today, is New Orleans star Anthony Davis. Other members are Aldridge, high-flyer Blake Griffin, Pau Gasol, Utah Jazz stalwart Derrick Favors, DPOY candidate Tim Duncan, and Brandan Wright.

A lot of people tend to say that the center position is currently the weakest in the NBA. Without a bunch of All-Star centers in the league today, the 5 has obviously declined from its former glory. However, a resurgence of centers has emerged today, with Miami Heat stalwart Hassan Whiteside leading the way for these big men. Other centers who emerged at the top 20 are Nikola Vuvecic of the Orlando Magic, emerging big man DeMarcus Cousins of Sacramento, Memphis big man Marc Gasol, Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, and another emerging star in Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz.

To be fair, every position has its own stars. However, some positions just tend to be deeper (i.e point guard spot), while others just have a bevy of All-Stars at the top, but are really shallow (small forwards, say hi!). --GS--