Prediction: Kawhi-less Spurs vs. the Defenseless Cavs

Two struggling teams both on the 3rd spot of both conferences. Who would win? Or who would fall first?

Yes, both squads aren’t standing as tough as they could but they are in different situations.

Cavs is in a conflict despite the team and its key players present all the time while San Antonio struggles without their key player Kawhi Leonard.

The Spurs is dealing with some mental or emotional hardship while the Cavs were really being rained down with embarrassing defeats.

So I guess, San Antonio’s not mentally conditioned while Cleveland couldn’t just give enough to win games.

After all, Cavs mental condition might’ve been affected after losing some must-win games especially the Warriors game followed by another unfortunate loss against OKC recently.

So what would be the story of this matchup?

Weak defense vs. Incomplete Offense

Cavs loss was due to their defensive issues like letting the opponent score too much than usual which is, of course, a result of a very loose wall defense. On the other hand, Spurs would play without Kawhi.

It would be a battle of singlehanded powerhouse teams that are now perhaps not at full power like they used to be.

The outcome would depend on how fast the score would rise. A low scoring ball game means that the Cavs are taking control, otherwise, it would be the Spurs walking with heads high even without Kawhi.

It would be an adjustment within the match. Whoever adopts first with their weaknesses to take advantage of the other side’s vulnerability would prevail.

Cavs way to win is to force Spurs to turnovers, make them miss a lot of shots and deliver empty possessions while the best way for Spurs is for someone off the bench to set up and fill in Kawhi’s void. 

Magic Passes: Westbrook’s 20 Assists Outwit Cavs Shaky Defense

The rare simultaneous burst of the triple threat Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook came into a supernova to destroy the Cavs for their 4th straight victory 148 – 124.

Melo hit his season high with 29 points, while George scored 36. But what’s even more jaw-dropping is Westbrook’s 23 points with 20 assists.

Westbrook’s magic passes are at it again. He tends to pass the ball a lot yet still scored more than enough to provide triumph for OKC. He was one board short of getting another astonishing triple-double.

Cleveland’s burden became heavier and heavier. It was a game of frustrations for Cavs. LeBron James was rooting to hit 30 000 career points but was pulled out with only 7 points remaining. Love played 3 minutes due to his sickness.

What’s most frustrating is that their defensive issues apparently are still left unsolved. They let OKC scored so high that they’ve lost with a huge gap. A team with a defensive strength normally does not allow their opponent to hit the century mark even in lost games.

Cleveland became too much of an offensive team yet they were almost outshone by OKC starters alone.

OKC totaled 121 points out of 148 with their 5 starters alone. 7 points behind and Thunder first five could have beaten Cavs’ whole team score.

Cavs just do not have enough force to push forward or pull OKC back in as they could not force a single digit deficit. They reached by as close as being 12 points behind but it turned out to be LBJ’s last hit of the night and OKC stretched once again by as much as 31 points.

Scores:

OKC 148 – George 36, Anthony 29, Adams 25, Westbrook 23, Roberson 8, Bench – 27

Cavs 124 – Thomas 24, James 18, Crowder 17, Smith 8, Love 0, Bench – 57

Balls-Eye: Would Spurs Slide Without Kawhi?

Let us reminisce the tragic injury moment of Kawhi Leonard during their series against the Golden State Warriors.

Without Kawhi, the Spurs rally way back that season ended in the hands of the defending champs.

How about this season?

The Spurs team announced Kawhi’s absence as indefinite. An extremely disastrous scenario for the Spurs as they would be severely downgraded on the fiery battle for the top spot. They are currently hanging on the top three and is going head to head against the Rockets and the Dubs.

Kawhi’s absence may affect the Spurs games both directly and indirectly. Of course, damage infliction is for certain once the ace has fallen. Directly in a sense that they have lost temporarily but lengthy a major scorer and offensive runner. Indirectly in a way that the whole team would probably be in despair as they would be reminded of their fall on the western finals against Warriors.

Nevertheless, regular season games are quite different as compared to playoff games particularly pressure and materiality of the game.

What they may be at risk right now is their chance of climbing up to the uppermost position in the western conference.

Yet unlike that season, it isn’t the end for Spurs. Not even close to the end of their season.

Their next opponent would be another team from the other end which is also trying to get to the top. The Toronto Raptors. It would be a great test of their readiness to fight without Kawhi once again.

This match would make us predetermine Spurs’ future performances without Kawhi if ever his absence would be extended or he’d be gone again at some point in time. 

Scrutinizing Dubs: KD Slowly Outshining Steph

Is Steph Curry still the leader of the reigning Golden State Warriors? Or is it the great Kevin Durant who lift them to their recent championships?

Stephen Curry is an original player of the Dubs and has been the core of the ever since. He plays offense well as well as leading and directing it. Steph is a full package point guard that boosted the team for a title over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But so as KD.

Kevin Durant is an offensive monster just like Steph. just juat differ in size but in production, there is an almost negligible difference between the two. Curry has 27.8 points a game while Durant has 26.3. They both do their jobs as aces of the team especially in clutch times. They deliver winning shots in the final seconds and all varieties of ways to let their team win.

Nevertheless, it seems like Durant’s light is getting even brighter and brighter that it eventually it would make Steph a little bit unnoticeable.

Why is that so?

We all know that KD played a single season with the Dubs and already had a title with the team. Most will view this phenomema in a way that it is Kevin Durant that led the Dubs to this championship. Why? Because he spells the difference from an old to the new Warriors.

What makes his addition even more catchy is that he was crowned as the finals MVP last season. 

A clear and concrete evidence of him being the spear header of the title shot recently won.

Another thing is Durant was already a superstar way back the OKC days. He’s not just a typical player who got some skills to play. His name would echo in every corner there is in the world where basketball fans do exist. And besides, his game mixed quite well with the Warriors eversince he was added.

Would it be beneficial for the Dubs?

Regardless of whoever shines the brightest, what’a important is the team’s victory. Whether it is Curry or Durant or somebodyelse. Everyone exerts efforts just to win a single game, therefore it is not just KD or Steph. Warriors is Warriors, because of all of them. 

A Better Kyrie Without LeBron or a Better LeBron Without Kyrie?

Before this season commenced, the phenomenal duo of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lebron James and Kyrie Irving parted ways.

How are they doing separately so far?

Kyrie Irving with the Boston Celtics is already on fire or should I say, already set a fire. They ran a jaw-dropping 16 straight wins and is holding on the eastern top quite tight until the current time. They’re just so strong despite Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder’s departure to the Cavs. What’s even more amazing is they withstood an unfortunate scenario of Gordon Hayward being seriously injured.

It is Kyrie Irving who defines Celtics’ success this season so far.

On the other hand, Lebron and the Cavs have been in a swamp on the opening of their season. They stayed for a little bit of time on the lower part of the standings at the number but slowly found their way up to number 3 currently. They also lost to a Curryless Warriors. A very painful defeat tastes against their rivals.

Nevertheless, the Cavs beat Kyrie and the Celtics on their 1st game.

If we would judge LeBron and Kyrie in terms of their performance with their teams, the favor would obviously be on Irving’s side as the Celtics are sizzling hot on this phase.

But how about their performance in individual terms?

Based on my observations, it is and will be both beneficial for LeBron and Kyrie. Why? They are both offensive monsters and both score by themselves most of the time. Two players like this should not stay on one team as it would lead to lack of team play. Them being separated would lead to the maximization of their skills in isolation plays and clutch times. Anyone could score, but in terms of clutch times, it would take a Kyrie or a LeBron to take and make that winning basket.

But as of now, Kyrie with the Celtics is having a great season as compared to King James with the all-out Cavs. In fact, LeBron was deprived of the separation benefits mentioned above because the Cavs had a lot of players that mostly play and finish individually like Derick Rose and Dwyane Wade.

Individually the betterment is in equilibrium but the holistic improvement slid down to the Celtics land. 

4 Reasons Why Filipino Basketball Remains Standing in the Global Arena?

We Filipinos admit we aren’t the best in the basketball world but still, our game soars high and threatens any team we face. How do the Gilas Pilipinas Squad withstand all the hardships and challenges they encounter in their path?

Despite being an underdog in terms of global basketball, Gilas Pilipinas shone exceptionally even against the mightiest of the teams they’ve ever fought.

Here are some of Gilas’ characteristics every basketball fan would love if they happen to watch one Gilas game.

1. Small but terrible

If there’s one thing that makes as an extreme underdog, it would be our size of course. It is so ridiculous that some of the team’s point guards are as big as our forward players. I mean, how much more are the center players? It seems that when they play zone defense, it would be a lights out for the one who holds the ball. The vision is completely blocked.

But not really.

We may not beat them with size and strength but we could outwit them with quickness — a great weapon relative to guys bigger than you.

2. Asian Domination

In the biggest continent there is in the world, there lies a tiny country where we all reside. But who could ever imagine that this tiny country with tiny people could be the king of Asian basketball?

We can claim it, we are always on top whenever there are continental basketball events.

If not the champion, we would always stick on top with Iran and China. These two are the biggest of teams there is in Asia but they aren’t unbeatable because we have the quickness to make their super sizes work against them.

3. Asia’s best point guard in the house

We all know the blur Jayson Castro is the finest point guard in Asia. Having the top guard within the team is like having the best team because we have the greatest playmaker.

It’s not just playmaking but Castro could score humongous all by himself. Jayson Castro’s one of the main gunners of Gilas. He’s the core and people love him blur out with his extraordinary stopping and sudden accelerating pace.

4. Rising Superstar

Philippine Basketball was long lost on the global stage but it made a comeback a few years ago. As a result, it would be all eyes on them and Gilas would surely not be ashamed to show off before these eyes with numerous questions and expectations.

We’re long gone, we come back, and we are here for redemption and domination.

Balls-Eye: Who Could be Jayson Castro’s Successor?

The Blur’s getting old and surely, Gilas Pilipinas is trying to unleash a beast out of someone just before Castro’s final games with the national team.

Who may it be?

Before we answer that intriguing question. Of course we must know who to replace. He is Jayson ‘The Blur’ Castro a multi awarded athlete and known as the best point guard in Asia.

If he is the best, doesn’t that mean he is irreplaceable?

He is irreplaceable, we could not deny that he’s the best one in Filipino Basketball and perhaps even in Asia but Jayson’s getting old.

We would never find an exact copy of the Blur no matter how hard we search to and through the thousands of islands of our nation but we could find someone who may not be as best as Castro, but has an all new definition of ‘best’ within him.

If there would be anyone to take over the Gilas Pilipinas as the main point guard, it would be no other than Batang Pier’s pride, Terrence Romeo.

Romeo’s performance as a guard is on the highest level, in terms of scoring, hustling, pace and the overall game play.

He could also be the nearest one to match what Castro’s known for — speed and agility. Castro was called the blur for that reason. Romeo may not be as fast as Jayson apparently but he has a better handle than Castro which would make him as effective. The downgraded pace was covered up with extraordinary ball handling skills — a talent only a few Filipino players possess.

Romeo already marked his name in the heart of the international basketball especially when he did fancy basketball against the gigantic players of China. Romeo turned into a crowd favorite due to his entertaining way of finishing plays. He also once become a 2nd unit to replace Castro in international games so there is no doubt that he is the nearest one in terms of Castro’s potential. 

Balls-Eye: The Extremely Frustrated Russell Westbrook

How would it feel like gearing up the team for dominance yet ended up as a bulldozer running out of gas every single time?

If there’d be a superstar in despair right now this season, it is definitely Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Imagine teaming up with another two bigtime players and ended up being not so explosive so far.

OKC is only plus 3 in terms of win-loss record and is swamped several times. Running losing streaks and just popped arbitrary victories which aren’t that soundly for threat to ignite. In fact, they are in a 0 – 2 loss recently against Phoenix Suns followed by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Of the three (George, Melo and Westbrook) Why is Westbrook the most frustrated?

Of course he still has grudges way back when Kevin Durant left him behind to join the rising Warriors and earned his 1st championship. Westbrook knows he could not vanquish the Warriors alone but when Melo and George were traded, he somehow see a ray of hope, but turned out to be a false hope instead.

Melo’s getting old while George of course isn’t like as he was before after recovery from a nasty leg injury. Maybe Westbrook expected too much from this guys but it turned out that two heads aren’t better than one at least at this case. KD couldn’t be replaced even by two skilled players.

It’s just disappointing for Westbrook for he sacrifices some playing time and possessions for these guys to shine and lift the team but it turned out to be inefficient. Westbrook could not get the results he wanted at least for now.

His extreme frustration was most noticeable after the Blazers game when he directly went to the dug out without a word.

But so far, Melo and George are scoring well. Meli had 19 and George had 22 against the Blazers. It is the other guys of OKC who fails to produce brought by the presence of two big star addition.

That is the their difference as compared to the Warriors. The sparks were completely extinguished with the addition of two new power sources for OKC while with the Dubs, the newly burning fire even hastened the ignitions of the small ones surrounding it. KD’s departure left OKC in a huge shadow with not enough light for them to find their way back just yet.

Scrutinizing Dubs: Draymond Green is Warriors’ Trump Card

With all sorts of power held tightly within the Warriors team, a question would arise. Are all cards revealed already or is there still a concealed one being unfolded from time to time?

Curry, Thompson, Durant saturated the Dubs in terms of big names in the league. Some say that their triple threat chemistry is just too much to handle for any other team that exists currently. They are looking to become even harder to stop as time passes. These three are the Dubs’ core. The heart of the plays.

But a basketball team could not be complete with only 3 guys no matter what their capabilities are. As the Dubs say, they have the strength in numbers.

There are all sorts of players that can be found in the Warriors pool but for today, setting aside their three main roleplayers, let us talk about another lethal weapon present in the superteam, Draymond Green.

What’s with Draymond?

Green is a beast inside. He may not play as consistent as other players but his stepping up his level in a certain game seemingly guarantees Warriors’ Victory.

By stepping up, I mean, Draymond Green finishing triple-double.

Was it just a coincidence or is it a concealed power?

Green had 21 triple doubles for the Dubs and never tasted defeat in all 21 matches where he performed big time.

If it only happened for a couple of times, we may say that the phenomenon is circumstantial. But 21 straight? It is far from just being a coincidental event.

So, how does Draymond Green Carry the Warriors to Victory?

As I have said, Draymond does not always play with such intensity but still, if he goes all out, he is just as effective as the other superstars within the team.

What’s even more interesting is when Klay, Steph or KD seemed to be running out of gas is the moment when Green plays big time. Just how strong it is that it results in victory?

Green possesses the capability to suffice three of their key players’ absence. He is a forward player that could play well inside of course but his secret weapon is his outside shooting. At times, he could connect from beyond the arc, which is a great way to cover up Klay or Curry or KD struggling from their comfort zones.

Green being a beast when the rest of the team were tamed just makes the Dubs even more unstoppable than ever. He keeps loopholes covered, flaws unseen and intensity stable.

The Peak Spot War: Hardenless Rockets vs. Raging Warriors

After a very sorrowful week for the Houston Rockets, they’ll now face the team they’ve been rooting to overthrow right from the start, the team which also happened to kick them out of the no. 1 spot in the West. Will they be able to do it without Harden’s beard?

Warriors are looking for a way to completely achieve dominance. For that to happen, they must defeat the Houston Rockets and take advantage of this short-handed squad.

The good and bad side of Harden’s absence

James Harden being missing in action may both have beneficial and harmful effects on the upcoming game.

Harden would not be able to play against Steph Curry. This could’ve been a great matchup, or a face-off perhaps. It could’ve been a fierce battle between two MVP potential guards.

He’s also Rockets main outside gunner and an all-around offensive trigger. Without him, the pace would be affected significantly.

So what’s the good thing about Harden’s absence?

The Rockets still has Chris Paul on the roster which also helped hugely to defeat Lakers in a breathtaking 2-overtime brawl.

Besides, James Harden wasn’t doing well in the past games. His extreme scoring led to the teamplay stagnancy which led the Rockets 5 straight losses, 2 of which he scored over 50 points.

Maybe Rockets would improve and step right back up on its feet without the beard. They’ll find team rhythm once again and unleash winning streaks this time.

Warriors would look to dominate through outside shooting

As obvious as it may appear, of course, Warriors would even take more advantage of the splash brothers especially now that Rockets are short handed to outside gunners. They’ll root for Curry and Klay to connect swiftly from the outside while KD and Green would take care of the paint.

In fact, Draymond can also drill the hoop from beyond the arc especially during the Dallas game. Outside shooting became very vital and every miss were fatal. The game was as close as it could get until Steph dropped the three-point bomb to break away from the 122 deadlock. Green’s jolting threes were of big help and may be as dangerous as the Splash Brothers because of its unpredictability.

Rockets on Paul’s shoulders

With the beard gone, Paul’s going to suffice Harden’s productivity at the highest level he could reach. Capela and Harden didn’t work out too well recently. It’s time for him to try and find a way to awaken their sleeping beast inside.

Conclusion

If the Rockets would fall on the hands of the Warriors, their race to the top spot is over and Warriors would tighten its grip with the San Antonio Spurs left to take down.

The Boston Revenge: 3 Reasons Behind Cavs Defeat Against Celtics

After the Boston Celtics’ season opener defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they finally got the chance to strike them back. Celtics redemption thwarted the Cavs 102 – 88.

Kyrie only scored 11 points but still, Celtics destroyed the Cavs completely.

What could be the reasons behind this overwhelming Celtics win over Cavs?

1. A not so dominant LeBron

Surprisingly, in games wherein most expected that he’ll go all out, LeBron scored only 19 points. Though he was the top scorer for the Cavs, still it is unusual for him to play so small. He even missed all his attempts from beyond the arc.

2. Rozier’s big play off the bench

While everyone was expecting and focused on two guys — Irving and James, Terry Rozier came off the bench very efficiently. Rozier rocked the arena with 20 points off the bench within 20 minutes of playing time. While Kyrie Irving struggled from the rainbow country, delivering nothing out of his 5 attempts, Rozier’s just at ease to hit 4 out of 6 long balls.

It was a great trump card that a player off the bench played bigger than the superstars on the floor. Nobody or at least a few anticipated that the biggest point contribution would come from a man who hasn’t played even half of the whole 48 minutes.

3. Disabled I.T.

Isaiah Thomas could’ve been Cavs best card to play against Boston but unfortunately, he is at rest and has just recovered from injury. I.T knows even the bench players of Boston. He could’ve been the key to cease Rozier’s explosion earlier. He could’ve forced to sit out Terry and let the worst shooting Kyrie longer.

Overall, Boston played a not so big game but unfortunately, the Cavs were at their worst form in any aspect.

Kyle Korver delivered well on his task — shooting threes yet he’s alone. As mentioned above, LeBron hit nothing but the steel rim. Same as Kevin Love, a dangerous towering outside shooter was a dormant at the game both inside, perimeter and beyond the arc. Love hit 1 out of his 11 attempts on the field and nothing of 4 outside attempts.

Celtics win over Cavs can be considered as a lucky victory. Nothing turned out to be huge and explosive. It is the other way around instead. Most of their key players were missing in action. It was great for Boston facing the worst Cavs and having a Rozier ready to go to aid the empty-handed Kyrie.

Standhardinger: A Rookie that Possesses a Veteran’s Presence

How could a rookie even before playing a single game in the league become a massive threat to teams racing for the title?

Christian Standhardinger just got the ultimate aura to put everyone in shock even before playing at least a single tournament. So to answer the question raised above, we must get to know this season’s rookie who apparently is a huge threat to the league’s powerhouses.

Despite being a rookie relative to the PBA, Christian already has the experience particularly internationally. He is a Filipino-German player who has played for some other foreign teams like Nebraska and Hawaii.

He used to play in other lands were much larger guys exist. What made his presence even more alarming is when he joined the Team Gilas Pilipinas and contributed a lot to the team with his iron inside mechanism. Christian’s like the Mini Andrei Blatche for Gilas. He could lead the offense despite not being the point guard.

Was it just Standhardinger alone who established this threat?

Well, Standhardinger undeniably has the substance of being a monster player sooner or later in the league but the tension he has unleashed within and beyond the league was practically not by him alone.

His team, the San Miguel Beermen’s name plays a relevant role in this shock. We know that the San Miguel Beermen is undefeated in the Philippine Cup. They have the 4-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, a huge guy wherein as time passes, seems that he becomes more and more unstoppable. Even Greg Slaughter, the one who can match the Kraken’s size could not get the job done.

With Standhardinger entering a very strong team, which he’s not an infamous player with, his intensity fluctuated upward. The title ‘twin towers’ became more sounding due to matchup against last cup’s champion Brgy. Ginebra which is expected to be their toughest opponent.

Standhardinger stunned the league with his presence alone already. We are all waiting for him to unleash his full potential and mix his skills to produce an even stronger and solid SMB Squad.

Balls-Eye: Rockets Out of the Pit after Beating Lakers?

Winning over the Los Angeles Lakers, the struggling Houston Rockets somehow found relief and comfort after losing 5 in a row and falling off the top spot.

But would it be enough reason to celebrate?

Yes, the Rockets have won the game technically but when talking about their drive to achieve redemption, this victory obviously did not satisfy their goal after their tragic 5 straight losses. The game was a near defeat, talking about a double-overtime game which we do not see every day.

If anyone would want redemption, of course, there is a need to seek and achieve full dominance. Meaning, even before the game ended, the winner’ an already decided. And it is obviously the other way around of what happened in Rockets-Lakers game. The game turned out to be so unpredictable that it took two extensions to decide who’ll take the game.

1. In fact, it can only be considered as a revenge over Lakers. Rockets also lost to Lakers on their last 5 downfalls.

2. Despite the victory, it was unfortunate for the Rockets to have James Harden injured. Luckily they still won for if not, Rockets would fall even deeper into despair.

3. Rockets lack main men production. It can be foreseen by simply looking at one player’s numbers. For example, James Harden. We already knew that the Rockets lost with James Harden scoring 51 points twice. Let us now go to their game against Lakers. Harden scored 40 points. A huge contribution from a single man. But still, the game extended up to two overtimes. If there is enough main line up production, an overtime would have not been necessary. Same as them losing 5 in a row.

Conclusion

James Harden may shoot worst in terms of percentage. He’s not a machine with absolute calibration yet he still scores big all the time for the Rockets regardless of being the winner or the loser. It is up to the other 4 starters to make the difference for the Rockets.

This victory is no time to celebrate. In fact, it may make the Rockets worry even more for they have an injured Harden and it was a game that almost went out of hand.

Sleeping Monster: Rockets’ Center Capela Ineffective Lately

Clint Capela’s absence once brought a problem to the Houston Rockets. But his presence wasn’t the solution though.

Without Capela, Rockets totally lost control of their rebounds in their games that resulted in a loss. Not having their main center made their team weak and scrawny. What’s even worst is that it was coupled with Harden’s worst shooting nights. The past few games turned out to be an absolute apocalypse of Rocket’s grip on the top spot.

Warriors have gained the crown in the west and they lost 5 straight. Nothing could ever get even worst than what Houston has been in.

Luckily, they have won their recent match against Lakers in a nail-biting double overtime ball game. But one thing’s still the problem.

Is Clint Capela Sleeping?

It may not have extended two times if Rockets were able to control the shaded area. Lakers got the advantage on rebounds 69 – 58 and completely dominated production underneath the rim.

Lakers scored a massive 82 points from the paint while Rockets only have a puny 58 point production. What’s even shocking is that Capela only scored 7 points with his long 32 minutes of play. He also barely touched the ball, making only 3 of the 8 attempts.

We thought that his absence made Rockets an underdog in terms of interior basketball, but if that’s so, why did his presence didn’t make any significant difference but still they end up losing so badly inside the shaded area?

Is Capela ineffective or his Rockets are running the game plan without him?

It may be both. Capela’s presence really is ineffective not just with the points but with rebounds. On the other hand, Rockets also do not involve him much in the offense. Most of Rockets’ points are coming from Chris Paul and James Harden.

Conclusion

He failed to play in some of their games so it might be a good idea to push him to make up for his absence. Make him touch the leather frequently and move Rockets’ offense from the small gunners to the huge inside monster.

Balls-Eye: Baracael, Yeo Must be Back to Barangay Ginebra

Gin Kings offense could not rely solely on the twin towers anymore. One season is enough for the big men to carry the whole team to a championship.

San Miguel Beermen possesses a huge threat and is looking to unleash a 5-peat Philippine Cup Reign. Ginebra needs a pack of outside gunners to match SMB’s current form.

Seasons ago, Ginebra had Mac Baracael and Joseph Yeo. Two guys that can smoothly deliver outside. But they didn’t win a title with these two. Now is the time for them to go back to the Never Say Die Barangay and help them overthrow the undisputed all Filipino Champs San Miguel Beermen.

Of All People, Why Yeo and Baracael?

1. Gameplan Familiarity

They’d played for Ginebra before, Ginebra has no time for adjustments so they need players who already know how or is familiar with their team play.

2. SMB’s Shooter Neutralizer

SMB’s got some best clutch shooters like Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross. Ginebra needs to have some source that can be of the same level with these guys to keep up. Remember, the fire in the shaded area is so huge. The twin towers’ stamina would deplete twice as fast when against each other. Outside gunners shall provide a huge extra boost for the team.

3. Improved Slasher Gunner Combination and Rotation

The only guy who can cut as fast as Chris Ross currently is Sol Mercado while Ginebra’s main three-pointer is Kevin Ferrer. With the addition of Baracael and Yeo, the rotation would increase efficiency as the bench’s usefulness deepens.

Conclusion

When there are too much pressure and difficulty to manipulate inside, another key is to attack from the outside. Baracael hits threes especially the corner ones at high percentage and Yeo, on the other hand could match Ross’ speed and agility. Thus, these two coming back could give Ginebra the dagger needed to slay the reigning SMB.

Mac Baracael Highlights

Balls-Eye: Cavs Could’ve Been Better if Only Wade Was the New Guy

They’ve done it before. They could’ve done it again.

The supposed to be spectacular blast of supernova due to merge of superstars turned out to be a tiny spark with a lot of smoke. Its a foggy path for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Losing Kyrie Irving gave the Cavs the need for LeBron to find another partner. One person would suffice. And if there would be anyone who’d perfectly fit the puzzle, it would be Dwyane Wade of course. They have proven their effectiveness way back when they played together for the Heat.

It would have turned out way better if a team has only one main focus.

1. Derrick Rose

Most of the time, Rose’s plays are isolations wherein he would score the basket himself through a lightning fast cut through to the unprotected rim. We know that LeBron provides this kind of offense already. The one man team style of play. If there’ll be two guys like this on the floor, in times of crisis, teamplay would be as good as dead. Another thing is that two players with this kind of mindset won’t be able to work together. Well, given that they tend to score baskets all by themselves.

2. Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas

These two great players came from the same team — the Boston Celtics and it happened when they were key players of that squad. Meaning, they already have the chemistry and sense of team play inherent between them. As a result, in most of the plays wherein I.T sets up, most probably Crowder would be its focal point.

Conclusion

Cavs maybe very strong as it appears because there are teams within the team. But that’s also what made them weak. They aren’t as compact as one when they play.

If Dwyane Wade would be the only one to be added, despite coming from the Bulls, he’ll had no one with inherent relationship except for former partner LeBron James.

Cavs do not need extra power. They just need to empower their usual source. And this would be done through Dwyane Wade behind LeBron James. 

Balls-Eye: 5 Best Power Forwards in the PBA

The guys with the perfect balance will always be the powerforwards. In all aspects they come in midway of Centers and Guards. But what makes some of them standout?

We’ll find out as we run down the 5 best power forwards we have in the Filipino Basketball.

1. Ranidel De Ocampo

A.K.A RDO, he is one of the finest forwards any team would want to have. Ranidel’s got the size to match even with centers in rebounding and post up plays. What makes him special? With his size, he could impeccably deliver from beyond the arc. A dangerous weapon for guys with the size advantage. R.D.O can take all sorts of shots depending on his defender.

2. Marc Pingris

Of course the Pinoy Sakuragi would never go out of sight when talking about some of the best power forwards. Despite having a relatively small size, he is a huge defensive obstacle. It is proven. Even the mighty Japeth Aguilar gets blocked and is having a hard time during post up matches.

3. Calvin Abueva

The beast would be considered the player with an extra impact on the floor. He’s got the intensity. He even gained prominence with the ‘Calvin Crush’ wherein he goes full speed against any defender and bangs it with his full body strength, not caring whoit is in front whether a center or a guard. He just hustles on both ends.

Another good thing about Calvin is his presence which irritates opponents and somehow gets them out of focus.

4. Japeth Aguilar

A 6 foot 9 inch gut with incredible jumping power? It is non other than Japeth Aguilar. Japeth’s got the length and the strength to go all out.

Another good thing in Japeth is that his size does not hinder his speed. He frequently finishes fast break attacks in a spectacular alley oop jams. An excellent finisher and hype provider for the team and for audiences of course.

5. Rafi Reavis

Reavis could match Aguilar’s length but he is an even better player when talking about the battle under the rim. Aguilar could shoot from the perimeter but Reavis is more efficient when cleaning up missed shots and scoring in the shaded area. Reavis is a perfect match against this era’s twin towers.

Highlights of the number one forward on our list ( Ranidel De Ocampo)

Malfunctioning Rockets: Why is the Former No. 1 Team on their 5th Straight Loss?

Already out of gas? Houston Rockets, the used to be threatening team on the early phase of the season is now down in the pit with 5 straight losses. Is it already over for the Houston Rockets?

If things get even worse, they might not last long in the playoffs or worst, they might not even make it.

It seldom happens for a team like this, especially when with James Harden. Now, we are all interested of the possible reasons that started this catastrophe onto them.

1. Harden’s Worst Shooting

James Harden never fails to score high but is frequently unsuccessful of minimizing missed shots especially when Capela was unable to play and no one was there to give a higher probability of getting the rebounds.

2. Everyone but Harden Slacked Off

Staying at the top for a relatively long period of time, the team felt a little bit more comfortable and slacked off except for Harden of course which scored 51 points twice in their 5 straight losses.

3. No Rockets Under the Rim?

They never got an edge on rebounding.

A ton of missed shots from key players plus uncontrolled rebounding equals a terrible defeat which was exactly what happened with the Rockets.

4. Crucial Incorrect Officiating Against Celtics

One call could not have spelled a game but not when a call is not made in a ‘winning’ shot? Marcus Smart traveled before hitting the shot that cost the game for Rockets. Not missing the call still may not guarantee Rockets’ victory yet the ball would be on their side and the odds are in their favor.

Conclusion

The simultaneous weak rebounding and worst shooting is the main problem. Either one of the two shall be fixed so that the Rockets may have the chance to get out from the deep pit. 

Scrutinizing Dubs: Warriors Strengthens Grip on Western Top Spot

The Dubs proved it all wrong. A huge missing link in the name of their ace point guard Stephen Curry won’t be a hindrance for their domination.

Kevin Durant has been leading the team well especially in scoring ever since Steph was unable to play. The recent finals MVP really got it all if there is an urgent need for a man to step up.

They only lost once in the last 10 games without Steph and managed to climb up to the top spot as they run streaks behind the struggling Rockets.

Why does Steph’s absence turn out to be beneficial for the team?

With Steph, the Warriors is an ultimate shooting squad led by him. Without him, yes the outside domination is still present but his absence gave way for offense to flow inside, led of course by KD.

Another good thing about Steph being unable to play is that it gave time for Warriors’ unnoticed guards to make baskets for the team. In their recent victory against the Utah Jazz, two guards off the bench finished with double figures. Nick Young and Patrick McCaw got significant minutes and scored 15 and 18 points respectively. These two guards were very efficient and productive. Warriors found a saving trump card in some games that Steph may experience foul troubles.

Conclusion

Steph’s absence seemed to go drastic at first but in the long run, it acted as an opportunity in disguise to dig deeper through the bench and let others become the offensive focus.

Kevin Durant’s been leading the offense. Not just leading but balancing it as well. Warriors aren’t just about shooting long buckets. They’ve got big men who can go head to head against stonewall defenses.

Celtics back on its Feet for Rockets, Beats Hornets 102 -91

Aside from winning another game, Celtics’ win over Hornets is a huge stepping stone before facing the Houston Rockets in a 3 in a row losing streak.

If consecutive losses will be the Rocket’s drive to take on Celtics, it is the other way around for the green guys. They must step in front of Rockets as strong-looking as they could.

Irving scored 21 points to hold off Hornets but only hit 8 of his 19 shots. It is actually Al Horford who carried Celtics to victory with his efficient 20 points, 11 rebounds double-double performance, hitting 8 of 11 shots from the field including 4 out of 6 from beyond the arc.

On the other hand, Kemba Walker outshone Kyrie in the point guard matchup with 24 points but was seemingly alone during the game in terms of hustle.

Celtics beat the Hornets in three-point shooting, hitting 15 treys while letting Hornets only 7.

It was a good thing that the shaded area wasn’t dominated by Hornets but still, Celtics’ center Aron Baynes is missing in action. Baynes was thwarted by Dwight Howard with 17 rebounds, leaving him only with 9.

Celtics sizzled early to take over the 1st bout. Horford awakened the scoreboard with a trey followed by Baynes’ bank shot both made possible by an assisting Kyrie Irving. The green guys opened a 12 point lead at the end of the opening quarter, 28 – 16.

2nd quarter commenced and the Hornets are trying to sprout mini runs to somehow close the gap but was erased by Celtics effective three-point shooting.

Kemba Walker rained down threes in the 3rd and the Hornets came back within one point to enter the final 12 minutes but it was the trio of Jayson Tatum, Horford and Irving to cease their comeback.

Going back to the upcoming Celtics Rockets game. Will Horford be able to suffice the needed inside control which Baynes lacks? Or would the mighty Clint Capela and James Harden finally recover from their losing streak?

Scrutinizing Cavs: The Chances of Snatching the Eastern Top Spot

The Cavs has been doing well at this stage of the season despite losing against rival Golden State Warriors recently. The big question is, are they doing enough to boost up from number 3 all the way to the top spot?

Cavaliers run a 12th straight home win when they beat the Chicago Bulls short handed without point guard Isaiah Thomas.

LeBron James is as dominant as ever, averaging 28.1 PPG plus a 9.1 APG almost let his season performance be a double double.

It is a good thing that LeBron James stayed as threatening as he is given that Cavs are saturated with superstars from different teams before. But is it only LeBron doing well for the Cavs?

We could not deny the fact that the Cavs weren’t as explosive as expected. Almost everybody expect them to stay undefeated for a relatively long period of time but that’s not what happened obviously. Cavs experience terrible losses and downfalls against various teams like the Rockets and Warriors.

One good thing the Cavs has done to give them hope to earn the top spot is they have beaten the Boston Celtics in the season opener. It was a really good start that they’ve beaten the currently reigning team.

What does this mean?

It may make or break the Boston Celtics. It may make them extremely hungry for redemption or may scare them if they face Cavs once again anytime soon. Well, in fact Celtics has done well after opening the season with two straight losses against Cavs and Bucks. It was really breath-taking when they unleashed a 16 – 0 win streak.

On the other hand, the Cavs didn’t do well early, but sizzled in the mid phase of the season climbing from number 8 to number 2 and now in number 3.

Would Cavs have a chance to snatch the top spot?

We could not know for certain but if they would win in a match over the Raptors at some point, Celtics would surely be under ultimate pressure. It’s the Cavs, Raptors and Celtics now trying to snatch the top spot.

On what Cavs is currently doing, they’ll have a great chance of being the number one team. Their superstar chemistry is starting to work and be maximized. Point contribution is spreading and a single lose to Warriors is not the end for LeBron and the Cavs.

Crucial Powerhouse Encounter: Who Will Remain Standing in Rockets Celtics Clash?

Houston Rockets slide down to number 2 spot after three consecutive awful defeats. On the other hand, the Celtics is trying to keep a hold on East’s top spot. What could be even better if these two teams face each other? And much more importantly, who would be victorious after 48 minutes of action?

Okay, folks let us start with the Houston Rockets.

James Harden scored 51 points twice and lost both games. Facing the thunder, he was outshone by Russell Westbrook. He scored relatively high but misses a lot of shots. James Harden is in his worst shooting form.

Rockets losing in the 1st two games were without Clint Capela. It was thought to be the reason until he came back, and lose against OKC.

How about Celtics?

They aren’t on a losing streak currently but still, one thing is their problem. The unproductive Aron Baynes. Kyrie Irving, being the top scorer for Boston against the Washington Wizards didn’t shoot well. With these scenarios, a strong center is needed, which Celtics does not have.

The solution would be its either Irving must shoot efficiently or Baynes’ effective rebounding.

Who would win the game?

Weighing in all the facts, Rockets have a bigger problem than Celtics. We can notice that if Irving is playing well, most of the time Celtics win. On the other hand, Harden playing extremely well isn’t enough to take the Rockets pass the opponent.

Expect a head to head isolation plays between Harden and Irving.

On the other hand, in terms of the shaded area, Rockets has the advantage with Clint Capela.

If Irving won’t deliver from the outside well, Rockets would win.

If, Harden would hold the ball most of the time, Celtics would win due to lack of team play.

Guard Showdown: Lee, Yap: Who Would Lead His Team to Greatness?

Ever since the trade between Paul Lee and James Yap happened, comparisons arise from time to time. 

This season, let us try to extract possible outcomes for this two superstar guards with their respective teams.

The question is who would succeed this season?

It is obvious that the two guards light became dim at the time they’ve been traded. It is because they’ve lost the built chemistry with the former team. Star Hotshots, Now the Magnolia Hotshots is a defensive team, while Rain or Shine is a run and gun type. An offensive and defensive team is very much different with all aspects especially game pace which when he used to a specific one, will take a significant amount of a time to adapt to a new one.

The variety of their teams explained their dormancy this past season. The gameplay is so new to Lee and Yap that they’re being veteran in the league seemed to shrink to a negligible, insignificant amount.

I have mentioned earlier about the ‘built chemistry’ of Paul Lee with the Elasto Painters and James Yap with the former Star Hotshots. From the term itself ‘built’, chemistry is not an inherent character of a team, it is a substance built through experience. Assuming that one season is a relatively sufficient amount of time for the chemistry to be established with their new teams, how and what will be their role and whose team would be greater?

1. The Elasto Painters with James Yap

Almost everybody in ROS can deliver from beyond the arc. In fact, even the biggest man there is like Beau Belga could easily drill threes. With the addition of James Yap in their pool, they could even empower the run and gun style of ROS by significantly increasing outside efficiency with Yap. A more accurate and efficient three-point shooting would be ROS’ main card.

2. Hotshots with the Leethal Weapon

Paul Lee is known to be one of the players with the best handle in the league. The Filipino basketball lacks that and that makes Paul Lee an exceptional guard. He could play in all kinds of situation and make baskets for himself or for his teammates with his fancy dribbling skills. With Paul Lee in a defensive team like Magnolia, their defensive stops being converted to points probability would increase. A point guard which can cross over and cut through the defense without using screens much would be very great because the original positions of the play would not be disrupted during set up of play. All Paul Lee needs is isolation.

Who would be a better team?

Prediction

With the ROS, it is only an empowered outside shooting. They just have an improved old style. But with the Hotshots, Paul Lee’s skills would make the whole team look and play different especially offensively. It would be the Magnolia over ROS this season.

Scrutinizing Dubs: 3 Reasons Why Curryless Warriors Beat Cavs

Kevin Love’s double-double of 31 points and 18 rebounds ended in a pit after losing against a Curry-less Warriors.

It would indeed hurt a lot for the Cavs to be beaten by their rival in the last Finals in three years. What made this defeat more painful is the fact that Steph Curry was unable to play. They were beaten despite the Warriors being handicapped.

What could’ve happened in the match that the Cavs weren’t able to capitalize on a short handed Warriors?

1. Worst Shooting Night for Both Squads, But Warriors did a little bit better.

Imagine two of the best teams in the league shooting so bad. That explains the low scoring ball game relatively speaking to both squads considering they are both offensive.

Cavs made 28 out of 88 (31.8 %) while Warriors were 38 out of 82 (46.3) from the field. It is not usual for these squads to miss a lot. 60 shots missed by Cavs. Their offense were way too inefficient.

2. LeBron wasn’t the offensive focus

Kevin Love became the main man of the Cavs when it should’ve been a great chance for James to go all out.

3. No Pachulia for Warriors, Better Inside Production and Faster Pace in Transition

Warriors without a center severely outscored Cavs inside, 44 – 20 in terms of points in the paint. Not just that but also in terms of defense, Warriors blocked Cavs 8 times while Cleveland? Not even once.

Cleveland may have not let the Warriors win the rebounds but still Warriors had the control.

Another thing is that Warriors dominate the transition game, scoring 33 fast break points but Cavs with only 9.

Conclusion

It is worse for the Warriors but way even more for Cavs. They failed to take advantage of Curry’s absence. Set up a wrong offensive focus and became inefficient on the field.

Twin Tower Era: Who’s Magnolia Hotshots’ Trump Card?

Despite Magnolia’s loss on Christmas Classico, it turned out to be a healthy one. They seem to have drawn a trump card concealed inside their deep deck. A duo who could stop and counter the force of the threatening era of the twin towers of San Miguel and of course their recent opponent, Brgy Ginebra.

Facing the Brgy Ginebra squad is and will always be an ultimate test of character. Talking about Greg and Japeth combination, the shaded area seems to be preoccupied all the time due to this enormous beasts.

However, the Hotshots somehow kept up with the very dense Ginebra interior. The wall-like defense of the twin towers became the key for Hotshots to unlock their hidden weapon that could match the towers.

Smaller but still with power

Who can be able to stop the Pinoy Sakuragi Marc Pingris whenever he post-ups. He’s a great match against Japeth Aguilar despite the height disadvantage. Ping just outwits size with strength and agility. Another good thing about Pingris is that he could deliver one-handed floaters — a great way to shoot over huge players.

How about Gregzilla?

Slaughter might be the biggest player but still, he’s not the only big man existing in the league. Magnolia’s roster has a smaller but way faster and athletic player. Ian Sangalang hustled in their recent game both offensively and defensively.

What’s Sangalang’s advantage over Slaughter?

If Slaughter’s advantage were size, Sangalang’s got the speed. He could run in transition and finish fast breaks. In addition, fast breaks are twin towers’ weakness due to the high pace of the transition which they commonly could not keep up. Therefore, Sangalang can be considered the biggest man in terms of transition baskets.

Conclusion

You may never win in a head to head battle against players way bigger than you are but there is always some weak points that when taken advantage of, will be very effective and fatal. The key to outplaying the twin towers is through individual agility and team’s high offensive pace.