2010-11 NBA Season: Lakers and Suns Preview

Kobe Bryant knows how to motivate the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers, but coach Phil Jackson still wants to see further improvement.

A visit to the struggling Phoenix Suns could help.

The Lakers look to build on one of their best performances in nearly three weeks when they face the Suns on Wednesday night.

Los Angeles (24-11) is trying to turn around a sluggish 3-4 stretch that has seen its losses come by an average of 17.3 points, including a stunning 104-85 home loss to Memphis on Sunday.

The Lakers bounced back in impressive fashion Tuesday, beating Detroit 108-83 after Bryant gave his teammates some advice in dealing with the growing criticisms of the two-time reigning NBA champions.

“I told the guys, ‘Listen to how everyone is talking about you. You have to use it as fuel for motivation,’” Bryant said. “It’s early, we just continue to play, take our time. The playoffs aren’t tomorrow.”

Jackson feels there’s still more work to do for Los Angeles to turn things around. However, the Lakers’ struggles haven’t done much damage to their lead atop the Pacific Division - 8 1/2 games ahead of second-place Phoenix (14-18).

“We have to really turn it around,” Jackson said. “One game is not the end of this situation.”

Continued success in the defensive end could go a long way in spurring Los Angeles. The team held the Pistons to 3 for 13 shooting from 3-point range while forcing 19 turnovers that led to 25 points - 17 more than Sunday.

Bryant is getting closer to another milestone after his 17 points Tuesday moved him past Dominique Wilkins into 10th on the NBA’s career scoring list with 26,671. The 12-time All-Star is 39 points shy of Oscar Robertson in ninth place.

Bryant has reached 40 points once this season, getting 41 in a loss to Indiana on Nov. 28. He topped that plateau eight times last season, including seven by this stage.

Bryant is averaging 29.9 points in his last seven meetings with Phoenix, and the Lakers have won 10 of the last 14 matchups.

They won 114-106 in their last visit to US Airways Center on Oct. 29 behind 25 points from Bryant.

The Suns have dropped nine of 12 while giving up an average of 105.2 points over that span. That’s actually an improvement from the 108.4 points per game they’re surrendering on the season.

Phoenix has been much better defensively over the last two games, allowing 40.6 percent shooting - 28.1 from 3-point range. However, the Suns have just one win to show for that improvement as they followed Friday’s 92-75 win over Detroit with a 94-89 loss at Sacramento on Sunday.

That defeat came despite a perfect shooting performance from Steve Nash, who was 8 of 8 from the field - including a pair of 3s. He also hit both free throws to finish with 20 points and 12 assists against the Kings.

Nash wasn’t close to being that productive in the most recent home meeting with the Lakers, making 3 of 9 shots for eight points while dishing out nine assists. He was much better at Los Angeles in a 121-116 win on Nov. 14, scoring 21 points with 13 assists.

Vince Carter is averaging 18.0 points over three games since being acquired from Orlando as part of a six-player deal last month. The swingman scored 25 points for the Magic in a win over the Lakers on March 7.

by Nicolino Dibenedetto

Phil on Suns

Now this is the kind of pair I'm looking forward to watch -- LA Lakers v Phoenix Suns. What makes it exciting for me? Firstly, there'll be NO more Amar'e Stoudemire, who's now in the New York Knicks. It's all on Steve Nash. But it's not like Nash is anywhere close to getting the championship ring but for sure getting rid of someone like Stoudemire in the team is better.

Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, wouldn't mind the changes. It was the Lakers anyway who got rid of the Suns during last season's playoffs. "The combination with Stoudemire and Nash has been great in the last few years, so that will need a little timing. But this will be a good team, Phoenix will still be a real good team," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

Tipoff Showdown: Heat v Celtics

And the so the season begins.

Interesting season opener between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. LeBron revisits the place where his dreams ended last season as a Cavalier. The 2-time season MVP makes his debut as a Heat, however, who by the way was stripped off by the Celtics during last season's first round.

Now, will James oust the reigning Eastern Conference champions? With the help of Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, they probably could. And there's also the solid performance the three All-Stars have showed during '08 Beijing Olympics. But will they be able to hold on to the dream of having a championship?

Too early, I think to overrate the new and more powerful Heat lineup. But this I know, Kobe Bryant ain't backing down, now that the LA Lakers has a title to defend. Kevin Durant is not stopping, either.

So, game on!!

2010 NBA Playoffs: The Finals, a Retribution

I thought the Phoenix Suns had it, but soon fell short against the LA Lakers. And now, Kobe Bryant faces the one team that he probably wishes most to meet in the Finals - the Boston Celtics.

It has been two years, but the memory of the '08 NBA Finals is still clear. The Celtics won and Bryant was left wanting a championship without his chum, Shaquille O'Neal. Everybody was rooting for the Lakers but no one can deny that 2008 was a great year for Boston.

KB24's greatness couldn't be compared to the Big Three. The Celtics have Paul Pierce, with the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The Lakers only got Bryant and a team seemingly unreliable for a playoff showdown. And then last year, the Lakers won but it appears that there was no sense of fulfillment and left everybody thinking what if it was the Celtics?

The Finals. It's all about winning now. And with the Celtics standing in the way, Bryant is sure to find retribution from the team who's beaten them two years ago.

2010 NBA Playoffs: Injury Over Underdogs

I can’t imagine a NBA Playoffs without the LA Lakers playing. They’re simply good or should I say, Kobe Bryant is just so good at playing basketball. This 2010 NBA Playoffs matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder creates a stir among critics as to whether the Lakers can make it to the championship – again.

Let’s see, Kobe’s not 100% healthy.

But hey, it’s Kobe we’re talking about. He never stops shooting. But his injuries will definitely affect maybe and hopefully a fraction of his usual game style. So, does this mean the Thunder is ruined? I don’t think so. With the excellent shooting skills of Kevin Durant and the rest of the team providing 2nd chance baskets and good defense, the young guns aren’t very short of power showdown.

The tempo will be up with the Thunder’s offensive knack but with the Lakers’ defense, the game will be more interesting to watch. Injuries could blight the Lakers eye for the win but they will eventually move through the first round in 5.

2010 NBA Playoffs: Game On!

Here are the list of schedules for the upcoming 2010 NBA Playoffs. Most have really exciting matchups.

Western Conference

Eastern Conference

Source/s:
http://www.nba.com/playoffs2010/series/index.html?ls=nbaplayoffsTab?ls=iref:nbahpt1

2010 NBA Playoffs: Is it his time?

Firstly, I can't believe I missed a lot of details in this season's NBA playoffs. Guess my friend was right, I've been too busy with some other stuff. But going back to the topic, the season is officially done and the playoffs is almost there - April 17, 2010. Here are the matchups, got it from Wiki:


I know, the fonts are too small -- just click on the image. I'm pretty much confused on who to root for this coming playoffs season. Of course, I'll always be rooting for my San Antonio Spurs but I know it's anybody's game right now. Remember last season? Everybody's all over Lebron James winning the playoffs but after all that's been said, Kobe and the LA Lakers won.

So, is it his season? Who knows.

Can They Stick With It?

Too bad the Author missed the first set of season opener games. Anyways, back to back to business. The NBA season was officially opened at the Rose Garden with Boston Celtics winning 90-85 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The highlight of the game was Banner #17, which marked the 17th championship of the Celts. Apart from the Celts-Cavs game, the season openers also included a tough battle in the West between Greg Oden's Portland Trailblazers and Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers. The Lakers routed Blazers 96-76 with Bryant leading the scoreboards with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Back to East, the games continued between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won 108-95 over the Bucks. Luol Deng had 21 points. The excitement continues from there on.

The following day set a more exciting feeling in the air with the Phoenix Suns facing the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamo City. The Suns was offense-driven last season under Mike D'Antoni's mustache. But with defense-oriented, Terry Porter, coaching Steve Nash & Co., the Suns are in good shape right on the defensive end. And the first time they're going to display their new-found strategy is at the Alamo City, home of the Spurs. The Suns succeeded though in outplaying the Spurs and winning, 103-98.

The question is... Will the Suns outlast the best teams in the West? There are considerations to make. First, it's too early to think that the Suns will be as competitive as they are during the past seasons. A lot of things can happen as the season goes. Second is that they are very new to this playing style. Can they handle the sudden change? And lastly, the West is as crowded as ever with teams that play good defense. So, can they stick to their style up to the very end?

Up and Coming Season

Can you smell it? [inhale] Christmas is in the air but I'm not talking about it! I'm talking about the approaching NBA season. Can't wait to see the changes in the lineup of the San Antonio Spurs and the other teams. Actually, I'm looking forward to the Phoenix Suns without their former coach Mike D'Antoni, who's now the Knicks head coach. What's clearly new this season is the Oklahoma City Thunder that's wearing few new faces since it almost consist of the previous lineup of the outmoded Seattle SuperSonics. But before I go any further, here are some of the previews I got from the NBA. Starting from the defending NBA champions, Boston Celtics and the Western Conference champions, LA Lakers.

Boston Celtics: When you win 66 games and an NBA title, there's not much room for improvement. You might say that the only direction to go is down. And in the NBA, no team has repeated as champions since the 2002 Lakers. It's undeniable, the Celtics' defense was the best last season. The 66 games they've won meant the team was serious about getting to the top. But there's something a bit wrong with the Celts threesome and that could prevent them from defending their title this season. I still can't figure out what that wrong is, though.

LA Lakers: One thing is for sure, if the Lakers are going to defend their place as the Western Conference representative in The Finals, it’s going to come down to defense. Yeah, it's probably time to tweak a bit of the Lakers' ball game particularly on the defensive end. No problem with the offense because they still have Kobe Bryant, the nonstop shooting machine. There's Pau Gasol ready for the rebounds and Lamar Odom, who I expect to play better.

..It's going to be a lot different season. The Celtics are in good shape and the Lakers, I mean KB24, is determined to stay on top of the Western conference. The San Antonio Spurs, on the other hand, will have to play Manu-less until mid-December and Gregg Popovich made some huge changes in the lineup. But will it help the Spurs? Let's see.

Everyone's been talking about the Celts and the Lakers and how good they were during the regular season. And it seems like everyone's forgotten about the Phoenix Suns, who are still keeping quiet, counting out the time when D'Antoni decided to go with the Knicks. There's definitely "a lot" of talent in the Suns lineup, they were simply mishandled by D'Antoni. It's definitely a good thing that he's left the Suns and no one's going to baby Amare Stoudemire anymore. =p

It's exciting to write some more but I'm desperate for some sleep, so, that's all for now. Ciao! =)

Euroleague in NBA?

Now that the Beijing Olympic is over, the entries on this blog will be sluggish. But Halley will do her best to give you the juiciest news about the National Basketball Association and other interesting basketball leagues.

And yes, the author has found the juiciest news in the league which is the collaboration of the NBA with Euroleague. You heard the lady right. The Euroleague will set foot in America to play in the preseason games. The Lietuvos Rytas [Lithuania], FC Barcelona [Spain] and CSKA Moscow [Russia] could play against the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers.

"We value the chance to partner with NBA teams in their own arenas. There are basketball fans of all types in North America whom we plan to entertain with our own distinct playing style. We are sure they will appreciate again that the international game has a lot to offer our sport," said Jordi Bertomeu, the Euroleague Basketball CEO.

It'll definitely be a blast! Can't wait for the next season. =)

Celtics Win the Finals

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for winning the series against the LA Lakers in six games. Celts won 131-92 against the Lakers, who were outscored during the second quarter. "I took a deep breath, looked up and said 'Hey, it finally happened, man. So many things were running though our heads on the sidelines. We were just in awe over there, can't believe what was going on. I still can't believe right now that I've got a championship under my belt," said Paul Pierce of the Celtics. This is the Celtics 17th championship but for Kevin Garnett it's a first that he surely won't forget. [clap clap clap] Cheers to KG! At last, he got what he's always longed for and he's not a T-Wolf anymore, he's a Celtic! =) Pierce is MVP?

The Road to the Finals

The road to the Finals for the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons is over. Yesterday, the LA Lakers [4-1] won 100-92 over the defending champs that only took five games and today the Boston Celtics [4-2] took over The Palace of Auburn Hills with an 89-81 victory, the Eastern series only went up to six games. And so, it was over for the previous defending champs to return to the road where they once battled each other out that was year 2005. They were the better team during that time but this season was different. The Lakers and the Celtics were simply the better teams.

What went wrong with the Spurs? The defending champs simply didn't have the consistency on the offensive end. During the first round against the Phoenix Suns, the Spurs didn't have that much troubl with regards to their shooting. But every game against the Suns was a hard-fought battle for the Spurs. Their offensive problems showed during their series against the New Orleans Hornets, which went up to seven games. And when the series against the Lakers began, the Spurs just hung in the balance because of their poor shooting and the supporting casts' lack of contribution on the offense. I know the Spurs played against the Lakers the best they could but they just weren't strong enough to go along with KB24 and the rest of the Lakers.

As for the Pistons, the Celtics outplayed them in four games and that was all. For the postseason record of the Bad Boys, they played neck-and-neck against an underdog named Anrei Iguodala and the Philadelphia 76ers. The way the Sixers played against the Pistons really shocked me but in the end it was the Sheed's company who won and advanced to the semis to face the Orlando Magic. I thought it was going to be another neck-and-neck battle but I was wrong. The Pistons prevailed after finishing Superman and his allies in five games. And off they went to the conference finals where the legendary Celtics await them. The series was then tied to 2-2, Ray Allen even said that the series felt like it was back to zero. Then after Game 5, the Celtics had the 3-2 lead. But the Bad Boys of Motown weren't the type who's going to lose their cool just because their behind. What's good news for the Pistons was that they were playing at The Palace - their home. But I guess being at home doesn't really assure you a win. The Pistons eventually lost to the Celtics and KG advances to meet KB24 in the Finals.

I don't really know where to go from here. Two of my favorite teams have been eliminated by the teams that are going to the Finals. Honestly, I want the Lakers to win because I want the loss of the Spurs to be worth it. So, I'll be rooting for the Lakers in the Finals. Why I don't like the Celtics? The answer is wearing the #20 green jersey. =p

Spurs in BIG Trouble

Try to imagine someone writing from a computer with keys almost popping out from the keyboard. That's definitely how I'm typing as I write this entry. I'm disappointed, sad, frustrated, and everything negative that a fan could feel whenever his/her favorite team loses. Good news to all Lakers fans though, Kobe and his squad just crushed the Spurs to a 93-91 win at the Alamodome, getting the lead to 3-1. Kobe Bryant finished the game with 28 points and 10 boards. Lamar Odom sits next to KB24 as the second best scorer of the game adding 16 points and nine rebounds. Pau Gasol, who came to the Lakers to seek for a championship, contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Good job for the Lakers.

The series was almost done for the Spurs as the last seconds winded down during the fourth quarter of Game 4. The Spurs have done their best and I know that they're feeling more frustrated and pressured more than ever. Imagine trying to win three straight games and two of those has to come from the Staples Center. Tim Duncan with 29 points also had 17 rebounds, while Tony Parker and Brent Barry added 23 points each. Barry's 3-point shot could've made the difference but the shot didn't came and the buzzer sounded and Game 4 was over for the Spurs. Manu Ginobili clearly wasn't himself with seven points and six assists. The Spurs are now down to 1-3 against the Lakers. The Spurs are on the verge of extinction, which slowly takes all the hope in me. I wonder how the Staples Center would look like in Game 5. What I do know right now is that the Spurs are in BIG trouble when they visit Hollywood.

How Good is He?

How good is KB24 in playing basketball? If only I have a measuring device to determine how good he is, I wouldn't have a hard time figuring it out. But What I do know is Kobe is so good that basketball becomes so easy when he's playing. I am definitely not a fan of Kobe Bryant, I just can't help but be amazed with the way he's played basketball and I think he's changed a lot. He's not the Kobe that has a glue on hand, where the ball just sticks with him throughout the game and him scoring more than half of his team's score. It simply seemed to me that the Kobe who won MVP this regular season was the one I've always wanted to watch. I hate saying this, but I'm starting to like the way he's carried his team and the way his teammates have improved despite his persistence of having a trade earlier this season.

KB24 has definitely matured and that has driven him and the rest of the LA Lakers to be better. Look where they are now. They are in the Conference Finals and battling it out against the defending champions, the San Antonio Spurs. The series is going to be more exciting with Manu Ginobili back on top form and Kobe just thrilled watching someone who showed as much determination as he does when playing basketball. As for the question about how good Kobe is? No one can really tell exactly how good he is. Kobe is simply good.

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“He hit a lot of big shots, he hit one shot that just made me laugh. It was right in Sasha’s face. It was just great defense,” said Kobe on Manu's face off against Lakers' Sasha Vujacic.

Spurs, Manu Helps Win Over the Lakers

The San Antonio Spurs were down 0-2 against the LA Lakers. But with their playoff routine, the Spurs bounced back with a 103-84 against the Lakers on Game 3. But hey that was just Game 3 and the Lakers still lead the series to 2-1. So, I guess I really shouldn't be overconfident about the Spurs. But who wouldn't be very confident if the Manu Ginobili that we've always known has just returned to the AT&T Center and buried 30 points for the Spurs? After two games of poor shooting, Ginobili was back and hitting every crucial shot for his team. Tim Duncan finished with another double-double with 22 points and 21 rebounds. Tony Parker also had an outstanding Game 3 performance and added 20 points. The rest of the Spurs played well but they have to step up their games more and with much pressure at hand because I'm pretty sure Kobe Bryant and the entire squad of Phil Jackson will recover from that loss and will be determined to try win at the AT&T Center.

Speaking of the Lakers, Kobe topped their scoreboards with 30 points and was followed by his mate Pau Gasol with 15 points. Lamar Odom wasn't quite himself with only seven points and 11 boards. I've got to put that behind me and get ready for the next one," Odom said.
What's the one thing the Spurs are trying to avoid when playing against KB24? The answer is to prevent him from getting to the freethrow line, which he loved doing during the Lakers' second round series against the Utah Jazz. "It's something we try to do. Sometimes, you just can't, but if you give Kobe -- besides all those shots that he takes -- 20 free-throw opportunities, then it becomes really difficult," said Spurs G Ginobili. And indeed, Kobe only only had one freethrow and missed it. The Lakers' defense were also stretched with the presence of Robert Horry But PJ will certainly make some adjustments with Gregg Popovich's strategy during the previous game and we'll definitely see those changes on Game 4.

Lakers Victorious Over the Spurs

The LA Lakers dominated in the Staples Center with a 101-71 victory against the San Antonio Spurs. "The building was electric and we just kept it going,” said Jordan Farmar. Kobe Bryant was definitely himself with 22 points. Lamar Odom, who said he didn't played well in Game 1, had a superb game finished with 20 points and 12 boards. "I just try to fit a role and find my niche and find my lane," said Odom. The Lakers' bench were productive, too, with Farmar contributing 14 points along with Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton with seven points apiece. "The past, maybe, week and a half, I've been feeling really good about my game," said Farmar.

On the Spurs' side, well, no one was actually feeling Game 2. Tony Parker had 13 points, Tim Duncan with 12 points, and Manu Ginobili [back to being the 6th Man] only scored seven points. Honestly, I really have no idea what happened to my Spurs. They were literally outscored by the Lakers in three quarters and again they were in the exact spot they were in during the series against the Hornets, which is to be down by 0-2. “We are going to go home and one of two things are going to happen. We are either going to make this a series, or not,” said Duncan.

“I think they might have had some tired legs,” said Lakers' coach Phil Jackson. They probably had tired legs but they can't make any excuses now, it's the conference finals. “We knew (fatigue) would catch up this game, not last game. We thought our last game was our best shot to get something here, to just dig down and go after it. Obviously, we didn't get that done,” said Popovich.

After losing two straight games to the Lakers, the Spurs are heading back to AlamoCity to try and win Games 3 & 4, which I really hope they get. Again, Games 3 & 4 are make-or-break games.

Spurs' 0-2 Deficit Repeat

Do we [Spurs' fans] have to endure that same feeling when the New Orleans Hornets buried the San Antonio Spurs to a 0-2 deficit again? I understand if the Spurs are still weary after that strenuous job of eliminating the Hornets. But it's the conference finals and it's the Lakers that they're battling against. Okay, inhale-exhale. Breathe Halley, just relax.

Tell me, is there any reason for the Spurs to panic? Definitely. In fact, the Spurs have all the reasons to panic. The Game 1 loss was a bit easier to take in because they had a superb 1st half. But then again, it was the Lakers who won and showing the Spurs who rules in the Staples Center. And then came Game 2. Without any practice the Spurs allowed Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers to finish them off with a 30-point lead. The Lakers won 101-71 against the weary defending champs and getting a 2-0 lead in the series. I am not feeling good about this series but I won't falter, I'm still going for the Spurs no matter what. Cheer up my fellow Spurs fans!.. =)

Game 1 Goes to the Lakers

Yes, I know the LA Lakers won 89-85 against the San Antonio Spurs. And I also know that KB24 is this season's MVP, so, I'm don't wonder why he got 27 points and nine assists for the Game 1 win. "I knew I could make a push and once I made that push, it felt like it energized us a little bit, get the game back under control, get it under 10 where we knew we could be in striking distance," said Lakers' G Bryant. Next to Kobe Bryant on scoring is Pau Gasol with 19 points and seven boards. Derek Fisher only had four points and was cursed with five personal fouls, the reason for his 29-minute playing time. On the side of the silver and black jersey, it was Tim Duncan who dominated the scoreboards with 30 points and 18 rebounds. Tony Parker who only had 18 points had 10 rebounds to pull it off for his team. But I think it wasn't enough to steal one game from the Staples Center. Manu Ginobili, obviously, wasn't in perfect rhythm scoring only 10 points and four turnovers. Was he one of the Spurs who slept on the plane? The Spurs lost but I'm sure they'll definitely get back in Game 2. “We had a great opportunity and didn’t take advantage of it,” Gregg Popovich said. Game 1 was close and it will get even closer as the series continues.

The road to the Western Conference finals for the Lakers was easy. First, Kobe has to eliminate the combo named Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. The series was way to easy for the Lakers, imagine sweeping the Denver Nuggets 4-0. It wasn't really a shocker. Round 2, KB24 faced a more challenging opponent - the Utah Jazz. But even with the combination Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Mehmet Okur, the Jazz fell short against the Lakers. This win gave the Lakers the ticket to the Western Conference finals. But during that time, the Spurs were still battling a make-or-break series against the stinging New Orleans Hornets. In the end, it was the pride of AlamoCity who ended up victorious.

If the Lakers had the easiest road to the Western Conference finals, for the Spurs it was the opposite. First round and the Spurs have to eliminate one of their toughest rivals, the Phoenix Suns. We all what happened to these two teams last seasons. And I think up to now, the Suns' fans aren't over yet with Robert Horry's hipcheck on Steve Nash. But the series was tougher for the Suns after being ousted by the Spurs to 4-1. Then, on the second round the problem for the Spurs continued with CP3 and the Hornets very eager to get into the Finals. It was definitely one of the toughest series I've watched which went to a grueling Game 7. Despite the homecourt advantage of the Hornets on Game 7, the Spurs still won 91-82. And what awaits the Spurs in the conference finals is another trouble with a leader named MVP this season.

Game 1 was a proof on how exciting the Lakers-Spurs series is going to be. The game was pretty close and it's going to continue that way until Game 7. Go Spurs!

Spurs Advances to the Western Conference Finals

I told myself yesterday thay before I write something about Game 7 of the San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Hornets series, I am going to watch it. And yes, I've watched the game and again it was an outstanding performance from the Spurs' 6th Man extraordinaire Manu Ginobili. Ginobili led the Spurs to a 91-82 win against the crowd favorites the Hornets. The Argentinean poured in 26 points for the win, along with the 17 points and 16 points from Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, respectively. Fab Oberto also played brilliantly with four points and nine critical rebounds. Everybody from the Spurs simply played their part, even the bench players played a vital part for the victorious Game 7 win. “I’m sure glad that’s over," said Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich.

For CP3 & Co. I definitely applaud them for being a good sport. The Spurs played better this time and they [Hornets] were simply not making shots especially on the third quarter. David West, as expected, was great with 20 points and nine rebounds. Chris Paul scored 18 points and provided his team with 14 assists and Tyson Chandler, who guarded Duncan the entire series, added 13 points and 15 rebounds. The Hornets really caused a lot of trouble for the Spurs, offensively and defensively. The few days of rest, I guess helped the Spurs recover and mull over about how to win against these Hornets in their home, where the Spurs lost with double-digit margins.

Popovich isn't the type of coach, who causes hype because he's is not very pleased with the way his players played. He talks little but with a lot of sense and humor that is why he is considered to be one of best coaches in the association today. He made good decisions in the past and is now reaping the end result. Take a look at Parker. When Parker joined the Spurs in 2001, he was this stubborn teenager with little idea on how to satisfy Pop. They've probably had arguments but that paidoff with Parker as one of the best point guards of today. What's nice about the relationship between these two is that Pop trusts Parker. During a timeout in the first quarter, instead of Pop holding the magic board for some coaching I saw TP holding it and instructing something to Duncan, who simply nodded and nodded. And when Pop went to their side, the game was about to start again. It was just amazing how Pop trusts his players. TP isn't the only one whom Pop trusts and is confident about. I'm talking about Ginobili. Just putting Manu as the 6th man and hearing nothing from him, made Pop to put a lot of trust to his Argentinean player. Of all the Spurs, Manu is the one who showed a lot patience. He just doesn't stop shooting and when he gets his rhythm the game is truly on for the Spurs. With the win against the Hornets, the Spurs are off to Hollywood to face KB24 and the rest of the LA Lakers. What I know is that this series is going to be a lot more exciting than the one with the Hornets and the Phoenix Suns. I wish to write more, but I still have work to do. So, I guess that's all for now. Have a great day!.. =)

The Semis is Almost Over

The end of the conference is near and eight teams are still vying for spots in the Conference Finals. Okay, I mean there are only seven teams vying for the Conference Finals because the Detroit Pistons already had a spot after winning the series 4-1 against the Orlando Magic. The other Eastern Conference series is still on going with the Boston Celtics leading 3-2 against King James and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers. You know what I think? I think the Celtics will win this series, KG is very determined to win the ring and he knows that Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and everyone wearing the green jersey, shares that same attitude. King James is young with a lot more to learn. But I don't he has the perfect combination of Knights to help him earn the sweetest victory a NBA player could achieve.

Let's go to the toughest Western Conference semis I've seen. The LA Lakers are a game away from achieving a spot in the conference finals with a 3-2 lead. But I don't think the Utah Jazz is ready to give up. I think anyone who's watched the Jazz play last year during the conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs can really tell that the team has improved a lot - particularly Mehmet Okur. Yes, Okur was pretttty boring last season but now?? He's playing great and I can't put into words what I feel whenever I see him make shot after shot. It's still very unbelievable for me. [with sarcasm] KB24 isn't feeling 100 percent okay, but I don't think it'll stop him from reaching his goal and that is to win the NBA Finals. As for the Spurs-New Orleans Hornets series, which is now tied to 3-3, there were no excuses made and both teams have played their hearts out. But definitely, I'm going for the Spurs. I know some might think that they're old and they can't win against the young and stingy Hornets. I really don't care. I love the Spurs. And I know they enjoy playing against the Hornets despite the sleepless nights of coach Popovich and Manu Ginobili's incredible willpower after each loss. [Go Argentina!! << for the Beijing Olympics] I also salute the Hornets for playing outstanding basketball! David West really caught my attention and I kinda like him because at a young age, he's become a very versatile player just like his idol David Robinson, which ironically is a former Spur and who also played with Tim Duncan.