Upside Down

03/08/2016 09:28:13 AM

Imagine a lopsided result of a heaven-and-hell game. And I mean “heaven and hell” because one team is currently sitting atop of the league standings; while one was on the verge of rebuilding for the next season.

Well, we hope they could get back on their winning track, even if Kobe Bryant will not be around by then.

Turns out, it was a blowout win by the Los Angeles Lakers against the top-seeing Golden State Warriors, 112-95. And does it get any better than this? At least you did not lose big time at your own turf—Staples Center. That deprived you from tallying loss #52 on your standing, and instead list win #13.

All that despite an ailing Bryant. The league's current star veteran only played 24 minutes and finished 12 points on a bit woeful 4-for-14 field goals. But his younger stalwarts stepped up for him. Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell teamed up for 46 points. With Brandon Bass and Marcelo Huetas checking their opponents on defense and beat them on their own rampaging game. These two had 13 and 10 markers, respectively. Julius Randle also had a 12-point, 14-rebound game.

Shucks.

Imagine the Lakers pulling off a biggest upset against the Warriors, the defending champions whose on the verge of seeking their first back-to-back titles in the NBA—and fifth since winning them in 1947, 1956, 1975, and 2015. Though honestly? Is this consdiered the biggest upset in the league history?

I don't think so yet. Maybe this season, it definitely is.

But hey, even winners are losing at some point in their lives. It definitely happens, even if you argue that it's a rare occurrence. Heck, they even lost to the Portland Trail Blazers by 32 points (105-137); thanks to a career-high 51 points by Damian Lillard. Quite a humiliating moment on their part.

When you think about it, it's a bad night. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had a combined 33-point effort; but perhaps their defense made their shooting performance atrocious—a combined 13-for-40 field goal output. Draymond Green had a good news-bad news on his stats sheet: a near triple double on one end (nine points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), and a team-high seven turnovers at the other. As a team, they shot 4-for-30 from 3-point range, something that Clarkson and Russell's effort fare better (7-for-13).


Was an absence by Andre Iguodala became a factor on this one? That can be considered. But a second quarter surge? I mostly think so.

While they are a dominating road team in the NBA for the past 23 years, they wound up winless after five games when trailing after three quarters. All of their defeats were set outside the Oracle Arena; with five of them were decided by at least 10 points.

But we all know they will bounce back. Give them a break. Heck, they might even toppled the Chicago Bulls and their all-time high record of 72 wins.

REFERENCE:

https://sg.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/lakers-hand-ice-cold-warriors-6th-loss-of-season-in-gigantic-upset-234106514.html

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

West (and Kobe) FTW For the Nth Time!

2/27/2016 1:35:12 AM

Will not do some sort of game review for the 2016 NBA All Star Game. Well, I just been catching up with that thanks to an episode of NBA Action aired on Basketball TV. At least, for all we know, this will be a farewell mid-season exhibition for the Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. In fact, the guard-forward did the jumpball as opposed to his levelled counterpart LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And as far as the recap is concerned, this clearly a take-over for the young uprisers. Oh, you’re gonna argue that Russell Westbrook was already way past mid-decade in the league? Hey, give the guy a break. He has the shades (even a bit) of the veteran’s explosiveness. 

But perhaps save the first quarter bucket to be a classical finish. Yes, with a friendly roll.

Now, they shattered records on scoring; just like any other past All Star games. Imagine the winning team scoring the highest ever with 196. Paul George came close to at east level himself with the late Wilt Chamberlain with a game-high 41. Perhaps, Coach Gregg Popovich checked him on defense to at least save the record from falling apart. (Why, Pop?!)

But nonetheless, All-Star Game won’t be the same for Bryant, who made 18 ASG appearances in over 20-year career. Indeed, a celebrated one for the Black Mamba.

Other than that, that shows which continent is the most dominant. All that despite having more number, and an even more evident of player changes among the entire roster. At the end, the Western conference is still at the top of the NBA. 

No doubt about it.

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

You're banned!

02/15/2016 04:44:18 PM 

Interaksyon

See what happens when you mess with a wrong guy? Ask him.

Imagine a sudden decision called out by a top sports official on one of its employee. It's like watching at a scene where one gets fired in such a humiliating manner. Or at the context of sports — with a flavor of entertainment — it's like Vincent Kennedy McMahon or her daughter Stephanie going irate and shouting “YOU'RE FIIIIIRRREEEEDD!” to anyone who dared to stand on their way (but of course, professional wrestling way too different from professional basketball).

It looked like a simple highlight clip on YouTube; for over two minutes, it appeared like a normal temperamental moment on the court. But not until the commissioner has stepped on the court and confronted Ivan Johnson, an reinforcement player for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters last Saturday afternoon at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

And that resulted into the most harshest penalty ever set by the sports league executive — a lifetime band plus a hefty fine of Php 250,000.

So it's like you lost already a lot of money because you haven't even finished a single regular conference game at the country. Not even you reached halftime right there.

Spur-of-the-moment are the best worst words to describe this shenanigan at all. Who in the right frame of mind would do that at all? This republic's ain't Martial Law or an on-the-spot crime scene where citizen arrest is an applicable neutralizer.

Okay, I get it. He had done it a lot of times. From a basketball league in Korea in 2007, to the NBA 2008 (Atlanta Hawks, to be exact). But heck, as much as he garnered accolades, he's still human after all. Perhaps, he may be an underrated version of what has been a guy known as Renaldo Balkman.

And maybe, on his recent bye-bye stint with the Philippines, the import who powered TNT to the '15 Commisioner's Cup title, was figured out onto array of mishaps. He was part of a brawl in a pre-season game at Moro Lorenzo Gym and fined Php 50,000 plus a one-game suspension as a result.

And after years of having series of unbecoming actions towards a player, game official, and even a fan, looks like he messed up big time with a sports executive. No wonder why PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa turned on his “trigger-happy” self by firing him out of the league. Yes, both literally and figuratively.

That's what you get, Ivan. Well, as Kume said (though of course, not by any literal means). Though it may appear like he got entangled on two flagrant fouls—which automatically merits technical fouls at all and contesting them—sent him packing out of sight... and even out of mind.

But the question: is there really a due process about this incident? Not even count as a tough love, brother. Some would even tell the guy should enroll himself on anger management classes.

Perhaps, a 'fuck' word, in his eyes, was barely enough to merit a hellish-slash-just punishment, whatever you believe in.

Though honestly, he deserved the punishment. That was a huge disrespect to the authority, no matter how we think of the current cheiftain.

But certainly, due process wasn't there. It's like an instant basic principle of Newton's Law of Motion but was driven at the fast lane. Like an instant suspension ala special delivery. And to think that Narvasa was involved into array of 'popular and unpopular' decisions to run the PBA, including the banning the notable sports beat journalist Snow Badua out of the league—and even warned all personalities involved that there will be consequences should they talk to the blacklisted reporter.

Also, the sudden confrontation incident with Dondon Hontiveros. How crap is that?

Yes, just like that.

Ain't those impulsive calls an enough basis for him to earn some massive calls on his resignation from the post? 

Well, We can never tell, my friends.Let's just see how far things would roll.

REFERENCES:
http://pba.inquirer.net/67139/tnt-import-ivan-johnson-fined-p250k-banned-from-pba
http://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/news/ivan-johnson-banned-for-life-from-pba-for-utter-disrespect-of-authority-in-altercation-with-narvasa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Johnson_%28basketball%29
http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/ivan-johnson-should-undergo-anger-management-says-pba-official
www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/5/11/3014108/ivan-johnson-middle-finger-photo
www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/tnt-import-ivan-johnson-fined-p50k-suspended-in-commissioners-cup-opener-for-punching-blackwater-players-in-tuneup

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

Streak's Over

12/13/2015 12:16:40 PM

For over the past few days, my attention has been caught by the Golden State Warriors. No wonder why they are the present NBA Champions. No wonder why they had a very impressive run for the past season and at present (well, so far).

Well, it’s quite their chemistry showed on the way they play the basketball. And even if head coach Steve Kerr is out on sick bay, Luke Walton must have done a great job on manning the team as Stephen Curry was on his MVP self, and his teammates has been complimenting very, very well.

At first, I was supposed to write this piece as  How Do You Stop the Streak? And we’re not talking about how Brock Lesnar did to Undertaker on WrestleMania XXX last year. And not even on how to stop Floyd Mayweather’s unbeatable run in boxing ‘cause unfortunately not even Manny Pacquiao can do so.

But rather, it’s how to contain the high-octane offense by the Golden State Warriors and moreover, to send them to a standing with a single dirt.

And just a few minutes later, the Milwaukee Bucks stopped Golden State’s historic run. Yes, on one of 2015’s big weekend of sporting events where UFC 194 will be staged at Las Vegas featuring the Aldo-McGregor scuffle for legitimacy, Donaire redeeming himself in one of the classics against Cesar Juarez, and if Roman Reigns will win the WWE’s Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.

Yes, that 24-0 run. And if you’re gonna look back to last year’s Finals: 27. However, if you’ll count the last four games of the regular season alone (according to NBA.com), it’s 28. And that’s one up against the second longest winning streak in a single regular-season; when Miami Heat had done it a few years ago by going 27-0.

Kinda ironic if we’ll talk history here: the Milwaukee Bucks also stopped a victorious run by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972; and the snapped from a 33-game winning streak has set an all-time record . And no other team came up very close.

Well, you have to give it to the Warriors. Winning for more-than-a-quarter of the entire 82-game assignment is no joke. As your victories racked up night by night, more and more teams will find a way to extinguish your fiery run. Either you have to study a lot of playbooks or do something more strategies.

And as of this writing, I can say this is the first shocker of this Saturday night. 

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions

Just My Opinion: Kobe's Retirement

11/30/2015 7:26:43 PM

Before anything else, first and foremeost, I admit I am not a huge fan of Kobe Brayant. In fact there were times where I hated him first. But just like an ordinary human being whose always moved by a constant word called “change,” he earned my respect. There’s no question he;s one of the most prolific scorers this league ever had.

And comparing him to the like of Michael Jordan, batch mate Allen Iverson, or even fellow Laker greats Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—as well as having other NBA top stalwarts LeBron James, Kevin Durant and even James Harden compared to him—is a one motherfucking unfair judgment.

Why did I say so? Every single player who steeped in the hardwood had their own career tenure; their prime, rise and fall—just like how the sun rises and sets.

It’s sad to see Kobe hang up his sneakers soon. We’ll forever be grateful on his evolution from being physically aggressive to a team player we always perceives on him. No matter how many times we called him “ball-hogger” or too arrogant (or whatever), he’s one heck-of-an-athlete out there who can make you a photobomber on his picturesque thunderous throwdowns, and draw an awesome awe on your face when he steps in and knock his signature fadeaway jumper.

And just like almost any other NBA player, he had his own shares of stardom and legendary moments, as well as altercations and controversies off-court. Saying Kobe’s a rapist for once is nothing compared on how Jordan’s wife divorced him with a whopping $168 million as a settlement price, or how Bron’s shoulder-bump on Heat coach Erik Spolestra. They’re human beings after all.

Say, 19 years was definitely a long run. Look at his fellow draft mates Iverson and Marcus Camby who were just as strong as Jelly Joe’s son but retired from playing the game too soon. So let’s give him a break. It’s never easy to take the sprints and doing offensive and defensive playbooks when you’re already past peak. Even the then-40-year olders Michael Jordan and Robert Parish will tell you that; and especially when injuries are nagging you the most (aside fromyour wife).

Life will definitely never be the same for the Lakers and the NBA. Well, for his team who struggled to get back on the standings, hopefully his downtime will be a spark for a rebuilding. Come to think of this: the Lakers were in the NBA playoffs for almost the entirety of the 60+ seasons. Sure, this year may be a losing streak for them.

But believe me: Tinseltown will be back out there soon just like the Showtime era in the 80s and the phenomenal run by Kobe himself and Shaquille O’Neal. For now, LeBron, Durant and Curry were running the head show.

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions