Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Off to the Western Conference Semis

The Spurs have won because Tony Parker is fast, and because Manu Ginobili is a magician, and because Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward in the history of the NBA. --Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News

The San Antonio Spurs has always been focused on defense. Thanks to the genius named Gregg Popovich. Few teams in the NBA followed the defensive principles of Pop to the Spurs. I am not a basketball guru but I can name a few of them, like the Detroit Pistons. Coming back to the topic. During a Spurs game, you will seldom experience flashy dunks and other flashy type of performance that will surely make it to the Top Play of the Week. Yeah, Spurs aren't flashy because their style of play is different from that of the Suns.

The Suns during the previous seasons are less focused on defense and are focused on playing better on the offensive end. But Steve Kerr, the Suns president and a former Spur, knew for certain that being good offensively can't carry a team to a championship. And so, the Suns gave up Shawn Marion and acquired Shaquille O'neal from the Miami Heat. Because of O'neal's bulky size, Kerr thought he would help heighten the presence of the Suns from the inside. However, the midseason acquisition backfired and resulted to the Suns' fourth elimination from the playoffs. And the culprit? Yes, the Spurs. "Every time we needed to close something out — a half or a game — they got the best of us," said Mike D'Antoni.

The Suns-Spurs series has been one of the most anticipated matchups this playoffs. One of the reasons is that both teams happened to have faced each other during last season's Western Conference semis. There were suspensions and calling of nonsensical names to other players that were done. And the Suns haven't forgotten any of those, which were [i think] made as excuses. But now, what excuse would the Suns make after the Spurs gave them their early vacation? Turnovers? Flopping? Well, whatever it is that made the Suns lose Game 5 to the Spurs, they're still one of the best NBA teams today and Steve Nash is one of the best point guards ever to play basketball. In the the series, the Spurs were simply better, maybe not in numbers but in staying calm in the face of adversity and on the intangible aspects of basketball.

After the Suns, the Spurs will head out Saturday in New Orleans and face Chris Paul & Co. The Hornets are younger than Suns, meaning more trouble for the Spurs. The big difference of the Hornets to the Suns is defense that is why they pose a bigger threat to the Spurs. Plus, they've got homecourt advantage and my goodness New Orleans is a lot louder than the Suns. More shouting, more boos... But despite all these, the Spurs will survive. =)

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Spurs Finish Off the Suns

The San Antonio Spurs are off to the Western Conference semi-finals and the Phoenix Suns playoffs race ends at the Alamo City. With all the emotions happening inside the Alamodome, Game 5 of the Suns-Spurs series felt like it was the NBA Finals. Tony Parker reacted very well against the Spurs pouring in 31 points, while Tim Duncan added 29 points and 17 boards. Manu Ginobili who only had 8 points but has made two of the most important foul shots of the game. It was a game truly deserved by the defending champions. The next game of the Spurs will be on Saturday against the New Orleans Hornets.

“I can’t believe that was a first-round matchup. I’m thrilled it’s over," said Gregg Popovich of Game 5. Yea, even I can't believe that was first-round matchup. The intensity of the Suns is just overwhelming sometimes that the Spurs need to match that same intensity on each and every game. But it is the fourth time the Suns are ousted by the Spurs from the playoffs. I know it will hurt them even more, but that's just the way a game goes, either you win or you lose. This time, the Suns lose again. The Dallas Mavericks are quite on the same page as the Suns, as they were ousted by the Hornets 4-1. So,the end is here for the Suns and Mavs who've made big acquisitions during the midseason. For the Suns it was Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for O'neal. And for the Mavs, it was Jason Kidd in exchange for Devin Harris and DeSagana Diop. As for the fate of the two coaches, Mike D'Antoni [Suns] and Avery Johnson [Suns], I really have no idea what will happen to them. The New York Knicks, however, are showing their interest on D'Antoni.

KB24 Brushes Off the Nuggets

Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and the rest of the Denver Nuggets are off to an early vacation after being swept by the LA Lakers 4-0. Even if the Nuggets lost 101-107, they've definitely put up a good fight against the Lakers. As usual, Kobe Bryant dominated the scoreboard with 31 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Lamar Odom finished with a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. And Pau Gasol helped by adding 21 points. For the Nuggets, it was the usual Allen Iverson-Carmelo Anthony combo. This combo didn't work with KB24, who is as determined as ever to take his team to the Finals. But this I'm sure of, the Nuggets didn't quit.

Monday, April 28, 2008

I Have No Doubts

Fuel - it is what the San Antonio Spurs needed to win Game 5 and the Phoenix Suns gave it to them on Game 4. Of course, Steve Nash & Co. were embarrassed after the Game 3 loss to the Spurs, which was like a smack on the face. And so, retribution came upon the Suns' 105-86 win against the NBA defending champions yesterday. Sure, the Suns are pumped up in winning at the AT&T Center, but it was more than fuel that they gave to the Spurs. It is the feeling of wanting to take back what's been taken away. Sure, I saw Parker and Duncan smiling as the Orange Dome echoed with boos. They were just actually taking it all in. The Spurs aren't the type of team who drools over their failures, they accept it. They don't usually give up especially if they know, they still have a lot more to give. They accept each and every challenge given to them as a team. Pop does not need to tell or remind everyone on the team about what to do on Tuesday. The Spurs will win this series, I have no doubt about that.

“They had a great reaction. Now, it's time for our reaction,” said the Spurs' Frenchman, Tony Parker.

Boris Diaw outshined Shaquille O'neal during Game 4. But who would have thought, O'neal woke up at the right side of the bed and contribute 14 points and 12 boards to the Suns. He was great, I admit. But I'm not taking back what I said about him that he was a mistake. And oh by the way, I hope he always puts his feet on the ground.

Suns' Flame of Hope Still Alive

3-1? I knew it would happen. The Phoenix Suns are not the type of team who likes losing especially to the team that kept from getting the ring, they so wanted. They've had the biggest trade of season, replacing Shawn Marion for the Shaquille O'Neal. During Game 4, the Suns showed the Spurs who and where they're playing against. This time, the Suns were the ones who never trailed and the Spurs were locked down to just 82 points. Boris Diaw, a good friend of Spurs' Tony Parker, hit a lot of jumpers and were just plainly great right from the start of the game. “He was phenomenal,” D’Antoni said of Diaw's outstanding game 4 performance.

Game 4 was like the turnaround of game 3, this time the Suns owned the game. I guess, they learned from the past. “I was just embarrassed. I was really, really embarrassed at how I played and how my team played, and I couldn’t sleep,” Raja Bell said of the Suns embarassing loss to the Spurs on Game 3. Amidst all the boos from Planet Orange, the Spurs kept their cool and despite the loss, I still felt a tinge of confidence from them especially from the Big Three and Big Shot Rob. “I don’t mind being public enemy No. 1 here,” Robert Horry said. Now, the Spurs are going back to San Antonio and I bet the Alamodome is going to be as loud as ever. Go Spurs!.. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that the Spurs dominate game 5.

“If the Suns lose this series, D'Antoni is on the brink of termination as the Suns' coach

Sunday, April 27, 2008

The Suns Need a Miracle

The next theme: Win Sunday, and set ourselves up for a miracle. Give ourselves a chance. Why not?" -- Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns coach

I was definitely super happy yesterday because the San Antonio Spurs have taken a 3-0 lead against the Phoenix Suns after winning Game 3, 115-99. The Suns had homecourt advantage and my goodness, they really have a loud crowd!.. But they never took a lead during the game. They played great defense at the paint, but Tony Parker was just all over the place, hitting jumper after jumper. TP was simply flawless during Game 3 and made a career-high 41 points. Manu Ginobili, who was always "heavily-guarded" by Raja Bell, finished with 20 points. He actually scores 20+ points even with Bell hanging around with him. And the birthday boy, Tim Duncan chippped with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Everybody on the Spurs' lineup had their fair share of the victory. Fab Oberto, who came off the bench, had six points and a block. Kurt Thomas, a former Suns, scored nine points. Bruce Bowen did an amazing job of containing Steve Nash. Game 3 was simply a display of the Spurs' excellence, offensively and defensively.

On the gloomy side of the Suns, Amare Stoudemire stood out with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Next to him was Leandro Barbosa finishing Game 3 with 20 points. Nash wasn't his usually sunny self with only seven points and nine assists. The Suns have fallen way behind the Spurs. They're on the brink of elimination and this is definitely not what Suns fans want especially after the Shawn Marion-Shaquille O'neal trade. I honestly think that O'neal isn't doing what he has to be doing. If Marion was still playing for the Suns, the team wouldn't have a huge whole on their defense. And I've read an article where O'neal mentioned that defense wins games. What is he talking about?! It sounded like he lost his confidence to his teammates. My apologies, but Steve Kerr made the wrong choice with regards to O'neal. He was a huge mistake, period. If the Suns win Sunday, they'll need to win two more to even out the series.

Now, all the Suns need is a miracle to happen this Sunday, just like what Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said to his team, "'Win Sunday. Set ourselves up for a miracle.'"

>>The Spurs are beating Phoenix in the way Phoenix used to win. by J.A. Adande

“I don’t know much about baseball. But I know that story,” said Ginobili after thinking about the historic 2004 Boston Red Sox' victory over the New York Yankees.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Pistons Even Out the Series to 1-1

The bad boys of Motown tied the series against the Philadelphia 76ers 1-1. Rip Hamilton got most of the baskets with 20 points. Antonio McDyess was the king of the boards having 12 rebounds and sharing the same number of baskets with Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, all with 16 points. Louis Williams took me by surprise with his 17 points while Andre Igoudala getting a single field goal. That I think was made possible by the Pistons tight defense. The Pistons will leave The Palace and head out to the Wachovia Center, where it was once dominated by Allen Iverson come playoffs time. Speaking of Iverson, the Denver Nuggets are 0-2 against KB24 & Allies. The Nuggets lost Game 2 to the Lakers, 107-122.

The hottest news I've got with regards to the Sixers is that Larry Brown wants out as the Sixers' executive Vice President. He wants to coach again!.. He could be back to coaching on either the NBA or college basketball. Mr. Browni is a true genius when it comes to coaching. He has the heart and passion not just for the game but also for his players. He just loves the game so much. So, I salute him for deciding on continuing his coaching career, it doesn't matter if it'll be in the NBA or not. For sure, he'll do good. "He's one of the best in the business and should be coaching. I think he's got a lot more to offer as a coach. I think it'll be on the pro level," said Sixers President Billy King.

>> ON THE Suns-Spurs MATCHUP >>

"We are trying to put different people on Steve so he doesn't get used to (the same person) guarding him. I feel we did as well as any human being could do to just hang with him," said Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich.














“I don’t think our defense is causing us to lose right now. It’s our offense. We need to up the production.” - Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Spurs Take a 2-0 Lead

The San Antonio Spurs lead the series 2-0 by defeating the Phoenix Suns 104-96. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were both superb during with 32 points and 29 points, respectively. Tim Duncan, on the other hand, was a bit silent with 18 points and a staggering 17 boards. As for the Suns, it was Amare Stoudemire who stood out scoring 33 points and Steve Nash adding 23 points and 10 assists. The Spurs stayed in one piece after games 1 & 2 with the Suns leading during the first halves. Defense was the key to this win. It wasn't as hard as Game 1 but the Spurs fought hard for this victory. "We just tried to stay in the game. It was a little like Game 1. We just fought through it," said Parker. The Spurs simply owned the game even though they trailed durin the first half. Now, it is the turn for the Suns to shine at the US Airways Center but will they?

"We just kind of panicked. I don't know what happened there," Nash said. "We lost our spacing; we lost our composure. We lost what was successful. We had one bad quarter, and that happens. Unfortunately it came right on the heels of that game Saturday where we had it in our hands. That's what makes tonight harder to deal with," said Nash after the Game 2 loss to the Spurs.

"We looked like we panicked," D'Antoni said after Game 2. I really don't think Nash is to blame for this loss and it's a 7-game series. There are still a lot of games to go. But I'll definitely root for the Spurs, no doubt about that!.. =)

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The Dramatic Victory of the Spurs

Before I tell you what I really wanted to say, I wanna say my cheers to Manu Ginobili in achieving the 6th Man Award this season. There's no doubt that he's going to take that award. "I really don't feel there is a lot of difference between a sixth man and a starter. It depends on the situation. It depends on what the coach wants at that part of the season. So I just consider myself a player; a team player. This year, it was more important for me to come from the bench, so I try to do it the best I can. At this time, I guess it works. I got an award, and the team is doing good. That is the importance of the whole thing," said Ginobili. That statement was deep and I'm diggin' it!.. Vamos Manu!


Okay, I missed a lot of action during the start of playoffs because I was away for a week. But I didn't dare miss Game 1 of the Phoenix Suns-San Antonio Spurs series. Yes, I've watched that game and I've seen that nerve-wracking 3 pointer from Tim Duncan and the game-winning shot from Manu. And yes, I was very happy they won. But even though the Spurs won, I knew that the Spurs had a real hard time keeping up with the Suns lead. And I do agree with Duncan saying that the Game 1 of the Suns-Spurs series felt like the Finals. I know they [Spurs] have homecourt advantage, but I also know that the Suns are "hungrier" for that ring. It's what drives Nash & Co. to do their best. The Spurs can't afford to slumber anymore during the first half. I hope they show that same intensity during the two overtimes during Game 1. Today, the Suns visit the AT&T Center again and hopefully the Spurs get past them. [crossed-fingers]

For the Detroit Pistons who just lost Game 1 to the Philadelphia 76ers, I know and I am sure that they'll win that series. =)

"They looked at film, we looked at film, everybody goes and looks at film. You just try to get it as perfect as you can be, I guess," said coach Gregg Popovich of the Suns-Spurs 7-game series.

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Steve Nash is probably one of the best point guards in the NBA, ever. He has superb vision and his passing skills are terrific. And his always giving it all on each and every game. I mean, the guy just don't get tired of running. But does everything he gives enough to keep the Suns alive to get the Phoenix Suns to the Finals?

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Shaq's Found His Twin?

The Suns defeated the Spurs 96-79 yesterday. I think Shaq is slowly shaping up to style of the Suns and he's done a great job in helping Amare Stoudemire. Yesterday, Stoudemire finished with 21 points and Shaq helping out by adding 16 points and 9 rebounds. And here's what Shaq has to say to his twin, "I got the greatest power forward in the game playing with me. It's my job to take him to the next level." Spurs' Tim Duncan got the flying colors with 23 points and Tony Parker adding up his 20 points. I was disturbed by the loss of the Spurs because they need to win games now more than ever. What was even more disturbing for me was the Manu Ginobili's groin injury. "I don't know how long he will be out. But he definitely will be out tomorrow [Friday]," said Spurs' coach Pop after practice sessions. The Spurs' have 4 games to go and each of those games are critical in putting them to spot where they could get homecourt advantage. Manu's injury really showed in the numbers he had during the Suns-Spurs game. Duncan, Parker, and the rest of the Spurs have to step up their game now or they'll lose the 2nd seed to the Lakers or the Rockets.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Suns Visit the Alamodome

The San Antonio Spurs is about to face one of their toughest rivals in the Western Conference, the Phoenix. Before Kurt Thomas was traded to the Spurs, he was a Sun. He played solid defense against Tim Duncan, making a certified pain-in-the-ass for coach Popovich. But now that he's a Spur, Pop has less to worry about, and it's more on the defensive strategy of the team against a team that is a certified offensive bomb.

For the past seasons, the Suns have been known for their fast-paced style of play. Their defense? Put it this way, their defensive strategy is to actually make their opponents play their style. I actually heard this notion from a sports commentator during a Suns game. And indeed, that's what their defense usually do. But with Shaq, their defensive edge wasn't the same as before. Shaq is getting old and he's body tells him that. He needs to stay healthy because how will he be able to help Nash & Co. to survive the playoffs with all the elite teams on board?

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"We wanted to win it from the inside, and, without Shaq, we were undermanned in the interior. I just tried to attack in many ways. Just try to keep them off-balance a little bit," said Stoudemire.

>>Time is the missing piece for the Phoenix Suns<<

>>The Battle For 8th Place<<

>>Playoff roulette @ the MySanAntonio.com

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The Regular Season is Coming To an End

>>I love this photo! loL!!

The playoffs is a few days away and the crowded West is teeming with great teams. Among the teams that'll surely make it to the playoffs are the New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, LA Lakers, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, and the Phoenix Suns. The Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors are still vying for the 7th and 8th seed on the Western Conference.

Of all the teams I've mentioned, the Spurs is closest to my heart. [ain't it obvious?] Some people don't understand the Spurs and they call them dirrty players, which I don't they are and all Spurs fans would definitely agree with me. Of course, I'm a fan. I defend the Spurs whenever their haters keep hatin' on them. But hey, a fan is not just a f-a-n. A fan is someone who shares the same passion with the team he roots for. Whether you're a Spurs fan, a Suns fan, or whatever type of fan, you'll definitely say that "hey, I love my team and win or lose i'll back them up!" So, as much as possible I try to respect other people's opinion about their teams. But sometimes, there are fans that are fond of the blame-it-on-them type of mindset, which I don't really understand. I'm pin-pointing other team fans here. What I'm saying is true because fans of different teams often exchange hurtful words. Very childish. I admit, I was once this childish fan. But not anymore. I do write about KB24 and telling you, my readers, that I don't like him. But that's about it. It stops right there. Are you digesting what I'm saying? Well, anyways, that's all I want to talk about right now.

The playoffs is about to start soon. The teams are slowing gearing up for the real battle. On the crowded Western Conference, expect that the 1st round will seem like the Finals. Hopefully, the San Antonio Spurs make it on the way to the Finals despite the hurdles posed by their rivals.

>>>POWER RANKINGS

Here are some of the NBA photos that I really like. >> Since when did Dirk learn to ballet???





Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Nuggets Move to the 8th Spot

Good news Denver Nuggets fans, the team has moved to the eighth spot, which I'm sure rattled the beard of Baron Davis. The reason for the team's advance to the eighth spot was the win against the blazing Phoenix Suns. They're hard work paid off and the Suns could no longer recover. Allen Iverson finished with 31 points and Carmelo Anthony adding 25 points. On the Suns' part, it was Leandro Barbosa who had the lead the team in points with 27. Steve Nash has been sharing the ball well with 18 assists and 17 points. Shaquille O'neal and Amare Stoudemire has a sum of 23 rebounds. Not bad for Shaq, but I still think he's not playing his role that well. What he gives to the Suns is still not enough.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Awards

Got an award from a good friend! Thank you very much, Lala.





I pass this awards to: Melai, Ruth, ate Nayz, Owen, & Lani.

Warriors Still Looking for Wins

The San Antonio Spurs earned their 8th consecutive victory 116-92 against the so-called Mavs slayers, the Golden State Warriors. Tony Parker finished off with 26 points, with Tim Duncan finishing with 17 points, 12 boards, and 3 blocks. Fab Oberto also helped by adding 8 points and 10 rebounds. What about Manu Ginobili? Well, he's played less minutes but still able to get double-digits with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen had 13 and 12 points, respectively, to securea win against the Warriors. To the Warriors side, it was Baron Davis who dominated giving up 19 points and 6 rebounds. Andris Biedrins gave all he can for his teammates with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and a block. But all the effort from the Warriors weren't enough to stop the Spurs. "The defense was outstanding for 48 minutes. I thought that's what fueled us to get the win against a really good team," said Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich. The Spurs D has put the field-goal percentage of the Warriors to just 37.5%. I guess the game weren't really meant for the Warriors, who hasn't won at the AT&T Center since February 14, 2007.

The Warriors may have "slayed" the Mavs several times, but that doesn't really count now if they don't make it to the playoffs.

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"He's a quick healer, and he's always found a way to get back on the floor and have incredible games when he's not 100 percent," said former Mavs coach Don Nelson about Dirk Nowitzki.

“I think when I fall. I think maybe I hit his knee. He thought maybe it was hurt, and he got really scared. That's what he told me. I really didn't realize I landed on him like that. It's kind of hard to control when you have a big body. Things just happen in the game,” said Oberto regarding the tangle with the Warrior's Davis.

"I've got toothpaste guys calling me. I said, 'After the season,'" said the grinning Ginobili.

My First Post In April

The Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Cleveland Cavaliers have secured their places for the upcoming playoffs. The remaining Eastern teams that are still competiting for playoff spots are the Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Atlanta Hawks. The former NBA champs, Miami Heat, dropped off from the playoff contenders this season. Lucky for Shaq, the Heat allowed him to be traded to a more competent team in the West.


As for the jampacked Western Conference, there is not a single team that has a secured spot in the playoffs. There are actually nine teams vying for 8 spots. These teams are the New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, LA Lakers, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, and Denver Nuggets. Normally, at the beginning of April, the star players of each team are taking less minutes to rest for the upcoming playoffs. But since the difference between teams are 1-6 games, this makes the competition in the West stiffer.

You've probably noticed the not-so-familiar pack of contenders in the West and that there's a single newbie - the New Orleans Hornets. It's still very surprising that they're on top of the list despite the greatness of other Western teams. Their disadvantage though is their inexperience in the playoffs, but overall their good. "I don't know if many people expected us to be where we are. We feel good about it but we're not settling for just 50. We're trying to win the West, trying to seal up the Southwest division. We're going to have to continue to play at a high level," said David West on tying with the defending champs.

The San Antonio Spurs, the defending NBA champions, are slowly gearing up for the playoffs. Pop has made his final touches on the rotation and defense still plays a big role in the team. And Manu Ginobili will definitely get the award as the 6th Man of the Year.

The LA Lakers? Well, as long as KB24 stays healthy, running, and shooting, which he usually does, nothing can stop the Lakers from earning a decent spot in the playoffs.

It's actually the Utah Jazz that has surprised me the most since they were ousted by the Spurs during last year's conference finals. Because they were plain "boring" back then. But now, they scare me. I just hope they don't meet the Spurs at the 1st round. [fingers crossing] "It was a good victory for us," said Deron Williams.

Nash & the rest of the Phoenix Suns were the toughest team to beat in the West. But they've lost a lot of their intensity with the loss of Shawn Marion. They're still in the state of adjusment mainly because of the HUGE change in their lineup since the acquisition of Shaquille O'neal. But don't worry Suns fans, Steve Nash is as determined as ever. "We dug in in the second half," said Amare Stoudemire after the winning against the Nuggets.

Whether Yao is playing or not, the Houston Rockets can still win and they've proven it. What they really need now is a healthy T-Mac and that's all. (O.O) "When you're going up and down and you don't know the players and you haven't been around them that long, you don't want to get buried, especially in the West. You wonder, 'Maybe we should be doing something different,'" said Rockets coach Rick Adelman.

I'm actually troubled about the Dallas Mavericks right now. I've never seen them this unprepared for playoffs. The news say that Dirk Nowitzki is coming back from an injury, which doesn't really guarantee his 100% performance. And Jason Kidd doesn't seem to help the team when Dirk's out. Wake up Mavs!! This isn't the time to doze off. [wins to losing teams were not counted] "With Dirk or without Dirk, it's going to be tough," said Jason Kidd.

Small don't win. And that should stick to the beard of Baron Davis. But "I Believe" that they'll make it to the playoffs. I just hope it's the Lakers that finishes them off on the 1st round. =p Defense rests on Andris on the Spurs-Warriors game

Looks like the Denver Nuggets are having a hard time getting into the playoffs. They've been on the 9th spot for ages. The Nuggets have it all, the offensive and defensive edge, but they lack the most important aspect in playing - consistency. "We had a total meltdown," said Iverson after losing 117-132 against the Suns.

...that's all for now. I hope you liked my short reviews on the nine Western Conference teams. What about the Eastern Conference teams? Soon, maybe. =)

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As I was reading this article with letters from the mailbag of the writer, this letter really caught my attention:

"Okay, I want to know exactly what Ginobili eats, what he drinks, how many hours he sleeps, how he practices his shooting, how he prays, what brand of socks he wears, what kind of car he drives... EVERYTHING!!! MANU is the man."
-- Jared, San Francisco

The writer's answer >> Attention, Manu: If you happen to catch a guy rifling through your garbage, it’s probably this guy.

..It's very funny because I've never really read something from that website as desperate as this one. Hahaha!..