The Giants: The Eastern Conference Finals Preview

Indiana Pacers (1) vs. Miami Heat (2)

Top Performers: 
Paul George (IND): 19.7ppg, 6.3apg, 2.8apg (vs. WAS)
Lebron James (MIA): 30.0ppg, 6.4rpg, 3.6apg (vs. BKN)

The Pacers In: 
[vs.WAS]
89.0 points scored
86.8 points against

It was about time that the public got too used with how the Pacers played sloppily even after the first round, and expectations were quite lowered. However, it seems that Frank Vogel has quite figured it out by Game 3 of the team's playoff series against the Wizards. Indeed, Game 5 counted as a disappointment, but the Pacers were able to put the finishing touches on the semifinals quite impressively. Now, after 13 games trying to figure things out, they finally meet the team that they are built against, which, since day one of this season they have been waiting for. And it's up to Paul George and Roy Hibbert, who surprisingly performed well against Washington, to fulfill their destiny.

The Heat In:
[vs. BKN]
97.8 points scored
92.4 points against

For the Heat, the semifinals weren't the perfect series that they expected. They scored considerably low than before, indicating that at one point or another they feared that the Nets might take them out of their game. This might not be the case, however, for Lebron James, who just continued his rampage in the playoffs. But more than that, credit goes to playoff veterans Ray Allen and, yes, Chris Bosh, for hitting the shots that mattered the most. It seems that the end is near for Miami, and the celebration can continue in South Beach, but what the Heat need to do as a team is to overcome the last great challenge that lie ahead of them in the East, a Pacers team that can run them down to the ground, and this is not the same script that ran last season.

What could be: With the way Indiana's playing lately, it seems that a fourth straight Finals appearance for Miami is about to happen. Heat in seven.

The Clash: The Western Conference Finals Preview

The Playoffs in the West Coast is down to the two best teams, with one displaying efficiency and the other showing skill.

San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)

Top Performers: 
Tony Parker (SAS): 18.4ppg, 5.2apg, .429 3P%(vs. POR)
Kevin Durant (OKC): 33.2ppg, 9.5rpg, 5.3apg (vs. LAC)

The Spurs In: 
[vs.POR]
108.8 points scored
74.8 points against

In five games, the Spurs have already released a statement that did not sound so obvious in the first round: the inexperienced have no place in the NBA playoffs. The Blazers entered the second round white hot, with Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge riding the waves. The Spurs, however, were unmoved, and doused cold water upon them in more ways than one: they protected Aldridge's midrange territory, matched up against Portland's role players (Wesley Matthews and Nic Batum most especially), and schooled, through Tony Parker, Lillard in offense. Once again, the Spurs defied the challenges of Father Time, and are now ready to face their biggest challenge: a healthy Thunder team that can run like crazy. In the end, it's a question of who can set the pace.

The Thunder In:
[vs. LAC]
107.2 points scored
106.3 points against

You can't blame Kevin Durant for ruining Doc Rivers' first year as the Clippers coach. While the Clippers were fully armed with Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Jordan, they do not have any wingman to properly guard Durant and prevent him from hitting thirty in every game. Add to that the fact that Russell Westbrook has outwitted all of Los Angeles' Guards, who couldn't put themselves together again. This time, they are going to enter the Western Conference Finals with Westbrook and an awful game 5 decision at their backs. And perhaps it's not a question of putting themselves together but making it work against a more experienced team whom Coach Scott Brooks know have tricks hidden in their black and silver sleeves. In other words, more is expected from Durant not merely as a scorer but a leader of a competitive team.

What could be: It's the promise of gaining their first ever crown that might lead the Thunder out of an experienced Spurs Team. OKC in seven.

Gaining Momentum: The Eastern Conference Semifinals Preview

Indiana Pacers (1) vs. Washington Wizards (5)
Quarterfinals Top Performers:
Paul George (IND): 23.1ppg, 10.1rpg, 4.6apg (in 8 playoff games)
John Wall (WAS): 17.8ppg, 7.0apg, 2.0spg (in 6 playoff games)

The Pacers In: It's quite a miracle that the Indiana Hawks have survived a resilient Atlanta Hawks team that has nothing on the Pacers except their midrange big men (against which all-star center Roy Hibbert are ineffective against). Coach Frank Vogel owes a lot to Paul George for willing the whole team back into competitive mode following a 3-2 series lead by the Hawks. Now that they are facing another team that perhaps delivers a stronger firepower than the Hawks, the question heading into the second round is how they are going to make adjustments that will guarantee them the win. Perhaps that includes providing a different role for Lance Stephenson and giving way for other bigs such as David West and Luis Scola on the defensive end.

The Wizards In: John Wall and Bradley Beal have already proven their point, and now they can stroll around saying that they are playoff winners in their first appearance ever. For these two, nothing has changed, for they just played their roles quite well during their stretch against the Chicago Bulls. The real surprise comes with frontcourt members Nene and Marcin Gortat, who took their offense on the outside while sealing the paint on the D. They keep this up, and they are headed for another upset.

What could be: If Indiana gets their momentum back, then Washington ought to be afraid of what a number one team can do. Pacers in 6.
[as of press time, the Wizards took Game 1 of the series with a 102-96 win]

Miami Heat (2) vs. Brooklyn Nets (6)
Quarterfinals Top Performers
LeBron James (MIA): 30.0ppg, 8.0rpg, 11.0ftapg
Paul Pierce (BKN): 13.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 0.465fg%

The Heat In: Technically, the Heat got a free pass into the semifinals. The Charlotte Bobcats, in their last season, had most of their players entering the playoffs for the first time, had their best player at forty percent and hobbling, and as a consequence blew three out of their four playoff games. What Coach Erik Spoelstra has to be concerned with is how Miami can get back into their championship groove, without taking the next opponent lightly, and he can start motivating by displaying LeBron as an example.

The Nets In: One big psychological advantage that the Nets have over the Heat is the fact that they swept all their regular season games against the Heat. This is not a big thing, but it presents a real possibility that they can take the series. But more than just that, their actual advantage comes in the Boston migrants, specifically Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. All the while, these two provided the veteran support needed to keep the Nets afloat, leaving space for Joe Johnson and Deron Williams to do what they're used to. In fact, one can say that with the way the Nets are brightly decorated with stars as the Miami Heat, they really can pull off an upset. It's just a matter of timing and execution.

What could be: Brooklyn might have all the weapons, but Miami still has the time and experience to go back to their playoff ways just in case they have lagged behind. Heat in 7.

No Excuses: The 2014 Western Conference Semifinals Preview

Four teams out, and another four to compete after a tiring first round series. Who's going to survive and who's going home?

San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Portland Trailblazers (5)

Quarterfinals top performers:
Tim Duncan (SAS): 17.3ppg, 8.4rpg, 1.9bpg
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR): 26.1ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.3bpg

The Spurs In: Just when everyone predicted that the slightly younger Mavericks team--composed of Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, and newcomer Monta Ellis--can steal the show against the 2013 first runners-up, the "old" Spurs went on a rampage. They left Dallas with a major frustration over Game 6, thanks to Ellis' last minute heroics, and channeled all of the bad vibes on Game 7 with humongous runs that left the Mavs astounded. As they enter the next round of the playoffs, they have one thing that the present Blazers do not have: experience, not to mention that age won't be a big problem considering that there are longer gaps in between. For this series, expect the Spurs to do the same: dump the ball to Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan, and trust that the role players--Kawhi Leonard, Marco Bellinelli, and Boris Diaw among others--can contribute in more ways than one, especially filling in during dire situations.

The Blazers In: There's nothing sweeter than concluding a 14-year hiatus from the second round with a superb last minute shot by Big Game Dame. However, the one who really sent the Rockets home packing after the first round was LaMarcus Aldridge, who went out in all six games with guns firing from the high post. He executed his fade aways and elbow jumpers to perfection, rendering the defense of Dwight Howard and Omer Asik useless in almost the Blazers' games against the Rockets. But with Duncan defending him, it might be nigh time for Damian Lillard to contribute more on both ends (especially on defense!), as well as Nic Batum to step up and revive his inside game. Unless these things happen, things are going to be difficult for Rip City.

What Could Be: Things are exciting for Rip City in the coming days, but don't expect Tim Duncan and his team would allow it to last long. Spurs in 6.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2) vs. L.A. Clippers (3)
Quarterfinals top performers:
Kevin Durant (OKC): 29.9ppg, 9.6rpg, 3.4apg
Blake Griffin (LAC): 23.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 3.6apg

The Thunder In: If there is anything we learned in the past two weeks, it's the fact that the Grizzlies exposed and exploited the Thunder's weaknesses. Tony Allen properly checked and limited Kevin Durant in all those wins by the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies defense forced Russell Westbrook to take over the game, forcing him to run the offense on his own terms. Zach Randolph showed how ineffective Kendrick Perkins really is. And at the end, the Thunder have nothing but Serge Ibaka and Reggie Jackson, who were both inconsistent in the series, as well as Caron Butler and Derek Fisher, who were reliable guys had they been ten years younger. In fact, the Thunder were fortunate enough that Memphis lost Randolph in the final game, showing how they can dominate when one of the shackles were put loose. This was Memphis, and the Clippers play a different kind of game, relying not on defensive prowess but their ability to run their offense quickly, and this is precisely the perfect match up for Scott Brooks' design.

The Clippers In: Fans of the NBA should be thankful that the Clippers survived the white-hot shooting of Stephen Curry in all those seven games, for this allows them to see a very exciting semifinal matchup. Despite the Donald Sterling scandal, the Clips (save Chris Paul, who was at the most 50 percent effective minus the flopping) have been doing well: Blake Griffin showed how much he improved, DeAndre Jordan making his FTs for every Hack-A-DJ, Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes doing much of the point job in Paul's absence, and JJ Redick hitting threes like he was in Orlando. If they keep this up, everyone will be led to believe that they can actually beat a team with 2 of the best scorers in the league. Legitimately.

What Could Be: As far as we know, Kevin Durant gets better and better as the Thunder go deep into the playoffs, and he can be at a point where no one can stop him, not even an improved Blake Griffin. Thunder in 7.

A Case of Weeding Out: The 2014 Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

Unlike the Western Conference, the first eight teams of the East are considered a surprise, since there is a huge gap between each other in terms of games behind. But this does not mean that things are not going to get excited, because with the East, one ought to be ready for surprises.

(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks

The Pacers In: Coach Frank Vogel and the rest of the Pacers should be able to breathe a sigh of relief after having reached number 1 despite a late season slump. But despite this decline, it still doesn't change the fact that they are one of the teams with the best personnel. They have quality post presence in Roy Hibbert and David West, a formidable playmaking/scoring combo in Paul George and Lance Stephenson, and reliable role players in Evan Turner (although one could put a huge question mark on him) and George Hill. The bottom line here is that we should not even be debating whether the Pacers are going past the first and second rounds. The more important question here is: can they build enough confidence to beat Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals?

The Hawks In: Another season passes for the Hawks, another disappearance for center Al Horford. It's a good thing, though, that for this season, the Hawks are prepared by having former Utah Jazz Paul Millsap at their side. However, despite this, Coach Mike Budenholzer still prefers work from the outside, that is, rely heavily on three-point specialist Kyle Korver to bomb opponents and Jeff Teague to slide in and out. But would this work against a playoff powerhouse that can cover all bases? This perhaps is Budenholzer's moment, as we see how he adjust against an elite team.

What could be: There's even no question here, and there should not be. Pacers in 5.

(4) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Washington Wizards

The Bulls In: It must have been difficult for the Bulls to move on without Derrick Rose for the second straight season, and Coach Tom Thibodeau deserves another round of praise and applause for making plan B work. As of now, the Bulls heavily rely on Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. Oh, and did we mention that Luol Deng is out of the team? The Bulls settled for Jimmy Butler and Mike Dunleavy, and miraculously, they managed to survive. Hopefully, this set up won't be here for the next playoff series, but at least Bulls fans can bank on the confidence of their players and Thib's strategy. But the question here is, up to when will this last?

The Wizards In: Gilbert Arenas. As far as everyone can remember, he is the team's star when the Wizards last entered the playoffs. Thanks to a few maneuvres here and there (which, by the way, doesn't guarantee something any better in the near future), the Wizards are now in the playoffs courtesy of Nene, Marcin Gortat, Martell Webster, and of course John Wall. Certainly, it was Wall who made it possible with his all-star performance, and at least for this season, he got the help that he needed in these three, plus a few contributions here and there by Trevor Ariza (who seems to be back in his old form after having avoided injuries), and young gun Bradley Beal (now in the process of showing that he's not just for show). However, despite this upgrade, it will be difficult to duplicate the success of Arenas' squad before, and its success depends on Wall playing better than what everyone sees right now

What could be: In a loose sense, both of these are recovery projects. However, only one of them can succeed, and the Bulls can nail this one in six games.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats

The Heat In: My, my, Miami. At the beginning of the season, the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, are ready for title defense. Unfortunately, due to the rise of the teams who are out to get their backs, as well as a few injuries at some points in the season, they suffered a little setback. This playoffs is a first in their title defense, as it is expected that they lose their homecourt advantage by the Eastern Conference Finals, and it does not sound so good because they will be doing so only against the Indiana Pacers, with whom they needed a game seven to advance to the Finals. Perhaps coming at this point, one thing that the Heat can do is relax and prepare themselves for whatever comes in the playoffs, for, having a bigger target at them, teams can pull outrageous but surprising tricks that could leave them packing for good.

The 'Cats In: Isn't it fitting for the last season of the Bobcats to at least have a playoff spot, considering that they were denied countless times, with the last time being Gerald Wallace's own work? Now, it seems that Al Jefferson's transfer to the Bobcats had its effects. For the first time in Bobcats history since Emeka Okafor, the team had a legitimate post presence that makes it easier for the offense to slide smooth and tougher for the defense. But will this be effective against the Miami Heat when, besides this, all it has is lots of skill coupled with inexperience in Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller. Let's hope that Gerald Henderson, together with Jefferson, can hold this team up.

What could be: A legitimate question with a legitimate answer: the Heat is going to sweep this one.

(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets

The Raptors In: Another celebration ought to be in place for the Raptors, who for the first time secured a legitimate playoff spot since the departure of one Chris Bosh. However, one should note that this isn't a powerhouse team that promises to go deep into the playoffs. If the Raptors have a big problem, it is something that definitely concerns efficiency. DeMar DeRozan isn't exactly the efficient kind, taking 20 or more shots and making only less than half of them. Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson aren't the types to bang bodies with in the course of the seven games. Perhaps the only bright light in this team is Kyle Lowry, who has fully flourished from becoming a backup role to a star point guard for a team that has flashes of brilliance despite being a subpar division leader. Does this mean that they don't deserve the playoff spot, given that the curve of wins in the East is just very low? Let them play and prove something that they have not reached so far.

The Nets In: After acquiring Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry, as well as hiring Jason Kidd as a coach, the Nets have become a running joke from the first part of the season. Fortunately, they were able to turn the tables, transforming themselves into an underrated playoff team, ending up at sixth and probably without any home court advantages to enjoy. But who needs these, when everyone's clicking? Paul Pierce is back in his old Celtics form, and so is Garnett despite age. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are hitting it. The reserves are playing well (case in point, Plums). Everyone makes Jason Kidd look good. And most of all, they have the bragging rights against the defending champions. It's fun to watch the Nets these times, eh?

What could be: Let's not kid(d) ourselves here. Brooklyn can take this in 5 games.

As Close as It Gets: The 2014 Western Conference Playoffs Preview

After a tight regular season in the West, here are the first four playoff series that we have to deal with in the following couple of weeks.

(1) San Antonio Spurs [62-20] vs. (8) Dallas Mavericks [49-33]

The Spurs In: The moment that Coach Gregg Popovich started limiting the starters' playing time in every game is the time when the Spurs overachieved. Up until now, the question still remains as to how long they are going to stay this way, or if ever they can still win the NBA championship given that Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are already beyond the peak of their careers; however, this concern is set aside for the moment, especially when they got that precious 19-win streak. Yes, the Spurs still have the juice to play in the playoffs, and with a schedule that gives much time for breathers, rest periods, and practice, expect them once again to go deep. And as for the Finals? Let's just pray that they can at least get the Larry O'Brien trophy one more time.

The Mavericks In: If you were in the position of the Mavs' head honcho Mark Cuban, would you be satisfied with eighth seed? This is good enough considering that the Mavericks didn't get any of their targets during free agent signing. They had Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon, but they were not enough to power the team past the top 4. This does not mean, however, that being at the bottom of the list makes them the kind that gets to go home quickly. Remember that they still have Nowitzki up and running for this season, as well as holdovers Vince Carter and Shawn Marion, three stars who have so much playoff experience.

What could be: This veteran edition of the Texas showdown is going to be tight, but expect the Spurs to come out in 6.

(4) Houston Rockets [54-28] vs. (5) Portland Trailblazers [54-28]

The Rockets In: It is pretty surprising that the Rockets, with a trio of James Harden, Dwight Howard, and Chandler Parsons, would make it only at fourth place, when they have the potential of grabbing a higher position. For some reason, Dwight Howard deserves both praise and blame for what happened to the Rockets this season. They improved their record thanks to Howard, but at the expense of falling into short slumps this season, leading to where they are right now. Like last year, this series is decided by the way James Harden takes the lead for this team. But this time, they have the upper hand, and with Howard as a significant addition, no excuses are acceptable this time.

The Blazers In: There is no doubt here that Portland is a very talented bunch. They have a young star in Damian Lillard, a quality small forward in Nic Batum, and a multi-talented big man in LaMarcus Aldridge (does Robin Lopez deserve a mention here? Well, maybe he should). This team, however, is on and off: started by winning 24 of their first 29 games, fell after the All-Star break, and rose again in the last few games of the regular season to finally (and luckily) secure the fifth seed. Now that they are in the playoffs, everything and everyone has a fresh start, and they better not mess up and go back to their winning ways. As far as we remember, the Blazers broke team and player records this season, and this is the kind of Portland team that should appear in the playoffs

What could be: The fourth and fifth seed is always a tough battle, especially now that both the Rockets and the Blazers have gone through the same stuff with the same issues and same challenges. However, a seven-game showdown could have the Rockets emerging and entering the second round.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder [59-23] vs. (7) Memphis Grizzlies [50-32]

The Thunder In: Sure, the Oklahoma City Thunder already have some rights to brag, especially with Kevin Durant breaking Michael Jordan's streak by scoring 25 or more points for more or less 41 games. However, that still does not let them get over their playoff woes during the past few years, starting with their defeat in the NBA Finals against the current champions the Miami Heat. With basically the same squad but with a better KD and Westbrook, the big hurdle that the team must face is getting over their misgivings and failures in the past years, especially including those against possible playoff opponents: the Spurs, who beat them last year, and the Heat, who want to keep their championship streak going. But first, a hungry Memphis Grizzlies team.

The Grizzlies In: Perhaps this team has been the most inconsistent of all throughout the season. Marc Gasol's long absence from the team kept their playoff hopes low. But thanks to Zach Randolph and Mike Conley, Jr., they have kept themselves afloat. However, even these two stars have yet to be consistent, and they have to find their game in the midst of this seven-game grind. The team, though, as a whole, still has to hold on to the fact that they are a difficult playoff team to beat in the last few years, and with almost the same people running the show in Tennesse, there is no reason for them to just go easy on this series.

What could be: Despite the strength and the unpredictability of the Grizzlies, KD can still turn the tables in favor of OKC, and can even finish this in six games.

(3) Los Angeles Clippers [57-25] vs. (6) Golden State Warriors [51-31]

The Clippers In: After a long long time, the city of angels will get to watch games without the purple and gold, but instead with the red, blue, and white, and certainly, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will not waste the opportunity to go beyond the first round and actually increase their hopes of entering the Finals. Griffin had 82 games to establish himself as one of the best power forwards in the league this season, showing that he is not only a dunking machine, but one who can work in the post and score off baseline jumpers, not to mention that he can now manhandle the paint alongside DeAndre Jordan. In a nutshell, with lots of former and present stars at the Clippers' disposal, there really are prepared to go deep into the playoffs.

The Warriors In: Everybody enjoyed the Splash Brothers show; however, a lot of things have gone their way which led them to this woeful sixth place, considering the potential that they both have. Having Andre Iguodala around certainly helped them a lot, but the recent loss of Andrew Bogut is going to make things difficult for the Warriors. If they want to go beyond the first round, then they need to make those outside shots, for without a formidable big man in Bogut, it's going to be quite difficult for them to take it inside.

What could be: Athleticism, finesse, and good defense. The Clippers have it, but it's going to take them seven games to send the Warriors back home.

'13-'14 P&G Game 6: vs. Houston Rockets

After getting creamed by the Dallas Mavericks on the road, the Lakers found themselves facing a familiar face in a familiar foe: Dwight Howard wearing the red and white of Houston. Luckily, the purple and gold jumped to an early lead, which was vanquished after several Houston runs in the second quarter. Fortunately, a last-minute play that ended with a swished triple by Steve Blake gave them their third win of the season, 99-98.

Yay of the Game:

11 of the 14 triples in the first half went in for the Lakers, giving them a 14-point lead entering the second half. Unfortunately, the Lakers ended the game with only 16 of 35 triples made total, which means that they only made 5 out of 21 in the second half (the biggest of them all was Blake's triple). Jodie Meeks and Blake shot the lights out as they ended with a combined 9 of 13 triples; Wesley Johnson, however, only went 3 of 8.

Nay of the Game: 

36-17 was the number of fouls between the Lakers and the Rockets respectively. The referees had their whistles locked on the Lakers, as they called even on touch fouls. While the Lakers had a decent 11 of 15 clip from the charity stripe, the Rockets had 52 free throw attempts, and James Harden who ended up with 35 big points, got 14 of his 16. However, the Hack-A-Dwight strategy worked as Howard only got 5 of his 16 charities.

Play of the Game:

Blake Mamba came just in time to make that triple, giving the Lakers the win. It's actually a good play considering that Gasol is ready for the rebound in case the shot misses.




The Lakers are now at...

3-3 (3rd Pacific, 8th West). After this, they have a chance to go above .500 for the second time this season as they face the New Orleans Pelicans, who are hungry for a home win against the Lakers.

Highlights:

'13-'14 P&G Game 4: vs. Atlanta Hawks

After two consecutive losses, the Lakers came back with a 105-103 win against the Atlanta Hawks; however, it was a game that was nearly lost after the Lakers blew a 21-point lead in the second half.

Yay of the Game:

13-4-4 was Nick "Swaggy P" Young's statline of the game after coming off from the bench for the first time this season (Wesley Johnson starts for the first time. In 21 minutes of play, he made 5 of 9 field goal attempts, with one of four triples. It seems that it would be more beneficial for the Lakers to relegate him as an energy provider, although it would

Nay of the Game:

100% of Atlanta G Kyle Korver's triples splashed into the net, which allowed the Hawks to bounce back in the fourth quarter and almost had the chance to snag the win away from the Lakers. Judging from the four games that the Purple & Gold has played, it is obvious that they still can't properly close games out and play tough defense. This is something that Coach... oh wait, it's Mike _'Antoni out there who's handling the reins. Somebody page the assistant coach for defense.

Play of the Game:

Here's Pau Gasol showing for the nth time that his critics were wrong in labeling him as soft.


The Lakers are now at:

2-2, coming off from last season's attempt at just being at .500. This might change when they hit the road and face Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, and the Dallas Mavericks.

Highlights:

'13-'14 P&G Game 3: vs. San Antonio Spurs

Despite building a huge lead in the first half, the Lakers realized that it's all about sustaining the lead as they failed to do so against the San Antonio Spurs, as the purple and gold suffered a measly 85-91 loss against the 2013 Finals runners-up.

Yay of the Game:

26 combined points for bench hitters Wesley Johnson and Jodie Meeks, who kept the ball rolling in terms of scoring despite this second straight loss. The difficulty that the Lakers have to face is not a matter of sustaining scoring streaks among individuals, but making sure that everyone gets at their right spots and enjoys scoring sprees. They have done that during the first half, but it seems that most of them have lost steam and gave up on defending the ball once the Spurs had the advantage.

Nay of the Game: 

8-27 from triples. This is not really the bad point against the Lakers this day (the Spurs had a late 9-1 run that put them up big in the waning minutes of the game); however, it's worth looking at the way they execute offensively, especially in terms of choosing their shots from beyond the arc. Considering that the first two games, they reached 40%, this isn't a good day for the Lakers offense. Again, consistency on the O is a must for everything to fit, especially now that without Kobe, the team is more oriented and set to work well on offense before defense.

Play of the Game:
Check out the huge Jodie Meeks slam that kept the Lakers up by 13 in the first half.



The Lakers are now at:

1-2 (5th Pacific, 12th West), and up next is an Atlanta Hawks team trying to build itself up after the departure of Josh Smith, trusting solely on Al Horford and Paul Millsap.

Highlights:



Credits to Yahoo! Sports and YouTube for the pics and videos respectively.

'13-'14 P&G Game 2: vs. Golden State Warriors

During the second day of the Lakers' back-to-back games, reality hit them as a torching hot Golden State held them down on the ropes, handing the Purple and Gold a 125-94 loss.

Yay of the Game:

8 out of 18 triples kept the Lakers at bay, and it could have gotten worse if they did not shoot their triples. Ironically, the best shooter of the day was Wesley "Mr. One of Eleven" Johnson, who sank 3 of his 6 three-point attempts

Nay of the Game:

-16 was the difference between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in terms of assists. Clearly, the Lakers had problems as well with handling the ball and finding the right guy to take the shot (the Lakers also had 16 turnovers, 8 of them coming from steals). Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar shot at a combined 8 of 26 from the clip, and most of those shots could have been given to Pau Gasol (5 of 10) and Chris Kaman (5 of 9)

Play of the Game:

There's virtually nothing worth seeing here, except Klay Thompson hammering the Lakers down with 38 points.


The Lakers are now at:
1-1, tied with the Clippers and the Warriors. Up next is the San Antonio Spurs, who is a relatively old team that has not lost much but gained a few pieces like Jeff Ayres and Marco Bellinelli. Hopefully the Lakers bounce back from this win and realize that even when the odds are against them, they can still snag a few wins.
Highlights:

'13-'14 P&G Game 1: vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Considering the major overhaul the Lakers undertook in the post-Dwight era and the absence of Kobe Bryant, this game stands perhaps as the most shocking opener, as the Lakers beat the Clippers, 116-103, in their shared turf.

Yay of the Game:

76 bench points served as the key to beating the Clippers in the fourth quarter, thanks to the efforts of Xavier Henry (22 points, 3 of 4 triples), Jordan Farmar (16 pts, 4rebs, and 6asst), Jodie Meeks (13 points), Jordan Hill (12 points, 8 rebs), and Chris Kaman (10 points, 8 rebs). Lakers fans might not get the same thing from them in the coming games, but as long as they can hold the fort in Bryant's absence, then the team should be fine entering the first half of the season.


Nay of the Game:

3 points of the Lakers' 116 belonged to Shawne Williams. So much for starting the game, huh.


Play of the Game:

They say Xavier Henry wouldn't do much... that is, until he delivered a fastbreak jam.



The Lakers are now at:

1-0, which is an achievement considering that in the past two years, the Lakers lost in their respective season-openers. Up next is the Golden State Warriors, who seem to possess the same offensive firepower as the Purple and Gold. Different team, same challenge: to keep the team up in the absence of the Black Mamba.

Highlights:

Six Figures That Mattered During the UAAP Season 76 Finals

The men's basketball tournament of the 76th Season of the UAAP ended perfectly with the DLSU Green Archers bagging the championship at the expense of the UST Growling Tigers, who have fought hard from below by defeating Ateneo for the fourth seed, NU twice for the Final Four slot, and finally sealing Game 1 of the Finals, only to falter for two straight games. But what factors played a big role in this thrilling championship series that everyone wished for? Here are some figures that could give us a picture of what occurred in the last three games:

• 58% was Finals MVP Jeron Teng's free throw shooting percentage, which is a far cry from his first five games of Season 76 and has played a big role in the Finals, especially due to the fact that a lot of fouls were called in the Green Archers' favor. This perhaps is one reason as to why the younger Teng deserves to grab the Finals MVP plum. Sure, it's not much, but this is a huge improvement, considering that most of the free throws he made came in clutch time. P.S. his true shooting percentage stood at about 45%, which is not really bad considering that he takes a considerable volume of shots
• 69 was the total number of points that the older Teng scored for the UST Growling Tigers during the whole stretch of the Finals, accounting for 31.3% of his team's total points (Karim Abdul, on the other hand, had 26.4%, and combined with Teng, accounts for more than half of the team's total points scored). Teng shot 44.1% from the field (26 of 59, and 9 of 21 from beyond the arc), and hit 8 out of 11 free throws. This three-game series showed how he is more of a volume scorer that can put up points when necessary, and thanks to his performance, he grabbed enough attention for him to be considered as a first-round pick in the upcoming 2013 PBA draft.
• 66-39 are the number of offensive boards for DLSU and UST, respectively. These second chance opportunities largely defined the Finals victories, and it is clear that in this aspect, the Green Archers have the upper hand because of their frontcourt trifecta composed of Jason Perkins, Arnold Van Opstal, and Norbert Torres. The total rebounds that DLSU and UST garnered respectively was 155-124, which means that 45% of DLSU's total rebounds led to second chance opportunities, compared to UST's 31%. Really shows height is might, doesn't it?
• 4.67 points per game was senior forward Aljon Mariano's points per game during the 3 Finals games, which for most has been his most disappointing moment of the season. He only shot 17.9% from the field (and none from beyond the arc), and grabbed 7.7 rebounds a game, quite distant from his 8.5 average during the eliminations. However, it must be noted that Mariano was playing with a serious ankle injury for the rest of the season. With one more year to boot, can he carry the Growling Tigers to another championship stint?
• 47 was the total number of points that guard Almond Vosotros had in the Finals, two of them being the biggest, which comes from his sideline jumper that sealed the game for the Green Archers during Game 3. Vosotros made up for his awful 6 of 38 clip prior to the Finals and scored most of the big baskets in the games that mattered the most (he shot 19 of 55 in the 3 games). 
• 9.67 was Karim Abdul's rebounds per game in the Finals, the most among all the Growling Tigers. While Teng takes care of the outside, it was Abdul who manned the paint and provided the anchor for UST on both sides. Abdul's disappearance due to foul trouble during Game 2 really turned the tables against the Growling Tigers, and had it not happened, things could have gone differently.

TAKE NOTE: The Green Archers bagged their 8th championship in the UAAP (with 13 championships overall), while it was the Growling Tigers' 3rd Finals appearance in the span of 10 years (with 6 Final Four appearances), and a record of 3-5 in Finals Games under Coach Pido Jarencio.

Credits to pba-online.net for the statistics and GMA Network Online for the pic.

Season 76 Finals Preview: DLSU vs. UST

De La Salle Green Archers (10-4, #2) vs. UST Growling Tigers (8-6, #4)

Let's admit it, all the hype behind the DLSU-UST Finals is mostly the match-up between the Teng brothers. But then, it's more than that.

Season 76 Matches

Round 1: UST def. DLSU, 63-58 (OT)

• Jeric Teng (UST): 23 pts (10/24 FG, 0/5 3FG), 2rebs, 3 assts
• Jason Perkins (DLSU): 13 pts (5/11 FG, 0/1 3FG), 9 rebs (4 ORebs), 2 assts
• Rebounding difference: +8 DLSU (52-44, 17-9 Orebs)
• Free throws: DLSU 9/19 (47%), UST 17/23 (74%), Jeron Teng fouled out in OT
• DLSU went on a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 51, only to falter at the final minutes, with UST finishing the last five minutes with a 12-7 run

Round 2: DLSU def. UST, 69-64

• Jeron Teng (DLSU): 19 pts (6/14 FG, 1/2 3FG, 6/7 FTA), 11rebs (5 ORebs), 2assts, 1stl, 1blk
• Karim Abdul (UST): 18 pts (4/12 FG, 10/14 FTA), 12 rebs, 1stl
• Green Archers snapped the Growling Tigers' 3-game winning streak, sweeps the second round of the eliminations
• Rebounding difference: +12 DLSU (53-41, 19-9 ORebs)
• Free throws: DLSU 13/17, UST 23/30

Five Factors

1. Backcourt

DLSU

LA Revilla - 6.2 ppg, 3.3rpg, 2.5apg, 0.9spg, 0bpg

Almond Vosotros - 13.0ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.9apg, 0.2bpg

UST

Jam Sheriff - 2.8ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.9apg, 0.4spg, 0bpg

Jeric Teng - 12.4ppg, 4.5rpg, 1.9apg, 0.6spg, 0bpg

Coach Pido Jarencio took the risk of fielding in Sheriff instead of Ed Daquioag, and in the Final Four bout against the NU Bulldogs, having a pure point guard who is going to run and merely set up passes proved to be effective. Given that Sheriff had to battle it out with Gelo Alolino and Robin Rono, both scoring point guards of their own right, handling LA Revilla might not be that difficult for him. However, one has to take note that Revilla is a more potent and able scorer than Alolino or Rono, and can go on a scoring frenzy especially now that he has the height advantage.

The Green Archers, however, have to hope as well that Almond Vosotros' shooting touch would return just in time to save the team. Since his 6 of 16 performance against the UE Red Warriors, he's gone 6 of 38 in the next four games (UE, UST, and twice against FEU), making only 1 out of 29 triples. The swashbuckling, pistol-wielding Jeric Teng, meanwhile, is back to his old form as a volume scorer, with mastery on the high and mid-post on the left baseline that makes up for the fact that all season long, he has just shot barely 18% of his triples. What can only be DLSU's hope in placing Vosotros against Teng is the former's resilience and determination in defending and containing Teng, keeping him out of his comfort zones, forcing threes out of him instead of letting him post up and position himself for a bank shot.

Advantage: 60-40 UST. Jeric Teng's consistency carried them to the Finals. If DLSU wants to catch up, they are going to need Vosotros and Revilla together to work.

2.Frontcourt

DLSU

Jeron Teng - 14.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.0apg, 0.8spg, 0.5bpg

Jason Perkins - 12.5ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.7apg, 0.3spg, 0.6bpg

Arnold Van Opstal - 8.9ppg, 6.3rpg, 0.9apg, 0spg, 0.9bpg

UST

Aljon Mariano - 12.7ppg, 8.9rpg, 2.3apg, 0.5spg, 0.2bpg 

Kevin Ferrer - 12.4ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.9apg, 0.7spg, 0.9bpg

Karim Abdul - 15.1ppg, 11.4rpg, 1.1apg, 0.9spg, 2.0bpg

The Green Archers play defense, and it's anchored on their frontcourt. In their second round sweep, it was mostly the different combinations on the four and five spots that Coach Juno Sauler played that carried the whole team. Perhaps it's Arnold Van Opstal's huge improvement from Season 75 as well as the overall play of the Hefty Lefty that has made the difference so far in this elimination rounds. Van Opstal can pretty much manage the post and dominate whoever going against him, while Perkins set the perfect picks for Teng and Revilla to cut through and make outside shooters more available once the defense collapses on the paint.

The same can be said of UST, but with an asterisk: Karim Abdul's performance. The third year center has it all on both sides of the court: speed, ability to cut, the post, midrange shooting, manning the paint, and the list even goes on (his Final Four averages, on both games against NU, shot to 13-13, close to his elimination figures). There are times, however, that he just settles to pull up rather than bully his defender in or get past him after a hard pick. If the Growling Tigers want to win this championship after a rather dramatic Season 75 loss against the Blue Eagles, then it will all be up to Abdul to carry them.

Advantage: 80-20 DLSU. Not that UST's frontcourt game isn't good, but they can't have two Karim Abduls to match up against the Twin Towers.

3.Bench

DLSU

Norbert Torres - 7.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 0.8apg, 0.1spg, 0.6bpg, 23.3mpg
Thomas Torres - 5.8ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.6apg, 0.6spg, 0.2bpg, 20.8mpg

UST

Ed Daquioag - 8.0ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.4apg, 0.6spg, 0.2bpg, 23.3mpg
Clark Bautista - 8.4ppg, 3.7rpg, 1.6apg, 0.4spg, 0bpg, 27.2mpg

Both teams have players that can produce nearly as good as starting lineups, and with defined roles to boot. Thomas Torres has been playing great basketball in the second round, lowering his turnovers and becoming more efficient in scoring, despite the fact that he does not play the role of court general as good as Revilla. Norbert Torres can be paired up with either Perkins or Van Opstal, and there seems to be no decrease in the backcourt performance. As for the Growling Tigers, both Clark Bautista and Ed Daquioag can be relied for quick points, especially when the team has to either catch up or secure the lead. Daquioag's ability to get past slower defenders and even play against point guards (remember that he took the one spot early in the season before Coach Pido inserted Sheriff late in the season) makes him a fastbreak threat, while Bautista remains to be a threat from beyond the arc coming off pops or when standing by and waiting for a catch-and-shoot (23 of 79 triples at 29%, which is not really a bad thing considering his reputation as a "hit-or-miss" gunslinger). However, the scales tip on the Green Archers primarily because no one among the frontcourt guys from the bench can equal his performance (Paulo Pe obviously isn't anywhere near him). If DLSU can force Abdul to sit on the bench due to foul trouble, then the game's as good as done.

Advantage: 80-20 DLSU. Twin Towers. That is all that we need to remember.

4.Offense

If at all, the Growling Tigers have become consistent with their offense, starting with their match against the Blue Eagles. Jeric Teng is back to his former self, which relieves much of the pressure that Aljon Mariano and Kevin Ferrer has carried all season long. It seems that the Growling Tigers know at the back of their heads the offense that Coach Pido wanted for them since Season 75. The Green Archers, however, lived on adjustments all season long, and if it only comes down to responding to each other's shots, DLSU could have their own way not by responding to threes (unless Vosotros brings his A-game back) but to fish fouls and score on the posts or from pick-and-roll plays. If all goes well, expect a slugfest to happen.

Advantage: 60-40 UST. *makes the Jeric Teng gunslinging gesture*. Consistency has been the name of the game for the Tigers, and with Teng, Mariano, and Abdul becoming creative and selective in terms of their shots, whether inside or outside, the DLSU offense has to find their own way of responding to UST's.

5.Defense

This is what would decide everything, given that the Finals is about the top two defensive teams in the league. DLSU has the clear advantage on the paint, but they must hold the fort on the outside and not succumb to the temptation to stretch the defense too far to excessively cover UST's shooters. The second round matchup has shown how Coach Juno Sauler responds to UST's red-hot shooting and has his own ways of dousing it with cold water, and it should work given that the Growling Tigers have largely lived and died with the three-point shot.

Advantage: 70-30 DLSU. Again, UST's lack of (flexible) big men would make things more difficult for them on the defensive end. And if UST intimidated NU with their physical play, the same cannot be said of the Green Archers.

The Verdict:

DLSU in 3 games.

Season 76 Senior Salute

The Blue Eagles' tough season ended with an 82-74 loss against the UST Growling Tigers last 18 September, which booted them out of the Final Four after 14 years, ending as well that magnificent five-year championship run in the men's basketball division. However, this big loss (the biggest even) that the Blue Eagles had would not be the final word for the team's graduating seniors, who have contributed a lot to Blue Eagles basketball in their own way. If not for them, the five straight championships in these past seasons might not have been possible.

So without further ado, the graduating class of Season 76.

Frank Golla

Season 76 statline: 4.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 0.3apg, 0.3spg, 0.1bpg, 23.2mpg

Let's admit it, Golla isn't one of those who were admired by the team, and most of the time he was on the receiving end of criticism, especially now that he serves as the anchor of the Blue Eagles in the paint after the departure of Justin Chua, Greg Slaughter, and Nico Salva. But after Season 76, what matters is that Golla stayed for one more year, and took up the difficult task that was expected of him. He showed that he can contribute to this team not only inside the paint, but even six or seven feet outside of it, knocking down jumpers every now and then. He also surprised some Blue Eagles fans by finishing some good plays set up by Kiefer Ravena or Ryan Buenafe to him, being on the receiving end of crazy passes on the inside. In the end, the Blue Eagles can only be thankful that in a year wherein the team is searching for a big man, at least they found one in Golla.

JP Erram

Season 76 statline: 4.8ppg, 5.2rpg, 0.4apg, 0.1spg, 1.0bpg, 13.9mpg

During the Finals of Season 76, then-Coach Norman Black took the risk of fielding a rookie to man the fort. Blue Eagle fans have seen him as the second coming of Nonoy Baclao during the preseason, but no one expected him to log minutes on a playoff game. Fortunately, the risk paid off, as the Blue Eagles have found a secret weapon in Erram, as a go-to guy when the team needs to have a big man stretch defenses on the offensive end while preventing point in the paint on the defensive end.

Erram's career was already on track to replace Greg Slaughter in the five spot, but was sidetracked when his ACL was injured last Season 75. Since then, the former volleyball player from Ateneo de Cagayan was relegated to s bench role, replacing Golla. But despite being in such position, he did not fail to deliver when logging minutes, as he was remembered to be on the receiving end of junior Blue Eagle Von Pessumal's passes from the inside, as well as shooting midrange jumpers. The Blue Eagles could have gotten more from him had he not gotten injured, but his effort has been more than enough and commendable in his four years of stay in the team.

Juami Tiongson

Season 76 statline: 10.9ppg, 3.0rpg, 2.2apg, 0.7spg, 0.1bpg, 26.7mpg

Before entering the college ranks, Tiongson was one of the Blue Eagles' prolific scorers, being a three point specialist who can also penetrate and score off ceiling-high floaters. However, in the seniors'division, he had to wait for a few more years before he can show the Blue Eagles just exactly what he can do.

Tiongson started out in Season 74, relieving for point guard Emman Monfort as court general (or sometimes on the two spot as replacement for Kiefer Ravena), and he did not disappoint, showing his skills more on the offensive end. Season 75, however, was his baptism of fire, as he started alongside Ravena on the backcourt. And during that season, he showed that his stint as a Blue Eaglet star is not just about him scoring, but also taking the helm as a court general.

Ryan Buenafe

Season 76 statline: 11.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.4spg, 0.7bpg, 29.9mpg

Once in a while, the Blue Eagles had players that make a big difference in the game and have become signposts of success. During the early 2000's there was Larry Fonacier, who shot triple after triple after triple en route to big victories. A little further on, we have L.A. Tenorio, the ferocious court general who not only leads offensive assaults with crazy dribbles and passes, but also with surprise triples and drives. This generation of the Blue Eagles has another one of those icons, which came in the person of Ryan Buenafe.

If "clutch" couldn't appropriately describe Buenafe in his past five years of playing for the Blue Eagles (Seasons 71-73, 75 and 76), maybe this video will:


Buenafe was one of the rookies that the Blue Eagle fans of Season 70 have been waiting for, as early as the time when the team lost to the Green Archers during their Final Four semifinal match. And when Season 71 began, he did not disappoint. Every chance for him to score or assist is always a thing of beauty, for he finishes either with a crazy pass to a cutting teammate, a wild kick-out to a sure triple, or an acrobatic layup that frequently leads to an and-one. His biggest moment came in Season 73, when in the dying minutes of the second Finals match against FEU, he sank an elbow triple, one of his few successful attempts, that sealed not only the victory against the Tamaraws, but also the pivotal third straight championship.

But besides that, he was everything but an efficient scorer. He does not post wild statistical figures (the best for this season being his near triple-double against the Adamson Falcons in Round 1), but everything he does on the court matter a lot, from those crucial passes and attempts at fadeaway jumpers to the gestures or short verbal jabs that he makes against his opponents. That is why those who root for other teams in the UAAP hate his antics so much inasmuch as those in blue loves the way he slings them (which had some followers of the league saying, Ok naman ang Ateneo, si Buenafe lang talaga eh).

In a league that has gone to be friendlier, with rivalries gone softer (with how stars Kiefer Ravena, Jeron Teng, and Kevin Ferrer talk to each other on Twitter), the whole Blue Eagles team remained to play a "gentlemanly" kind of basketball... well, except maybe for Buenafe. This guy knows how to mess with the opponents' psyche (ask the Tengs, or Kevin Ferrer, or Almond Vosotros), but more than that, he has gestures that pump up the Sixth Man. It could have started with Season 73, when he raised his jersey up high to show the whole Araneta Coliseum who rightfully owns the UAAP championship. After his Season 74 break, he went back with his antics, even sporting some hair day while putting a gesture after sinking a three. And in Season 76, he remains the hope for the Blue and White, as he also makes a weird sign of the cross gesture, but this time with three fingers out and ending with what resembles to be a throat-slash.

All of these is what made Ryan Buenafe what he is, and Ateneo basketball will have to wait for a few more years, decades even, to have someone like him to don the blue and white.

Pics from Fabilioh.com Facebook page, Stats from pba-online.net.

6 Points: AdMU vs. UST (Round 2)

Ateneo 74, Sto. Tomas 82
Growling Tigers eliminate the Blue Eagles out of Final Four Contention

The fourteen year streak has ended. In a nearly dominating fashion, the Growling Tigers have finally put away all hopes for the Blue Eagles to get six straight championships for the men's basketball tournament in the UAAP. It was at least their own version of getting revenge against the Blue Eagles, who have deprived them of a championship last Season 75, even sealing another victory during this season's first round. They have mounted a lead as large as 18, and despite the Blue Eagles threatening to snag the win, Jeric Teng and Tata Bautista have held the fort and built another huge lead in the fourth which, unfortunately for the fans in blue, was never overcome. And with the Blue Eagles out of the Final Four, this is the first time in fourteen years that they have not entered the postseason, which is the longest run during the past two decades.

Players to mark: Chris Newsome and Juami Tiongson. Newsome's three fouls early in the first quarted limited him to only 21 minutes of play, making life difficult for the Blue Eagles to defend the paint and thus fall down into a double-digit hole during the first half. But with the way he played in the second half (not only in the big Blue Eagle run that had the Blue Eagles hold on to the lead for at least five minutes, but also in the final minutes of catch-up basketball), it would be safe to assume that the game could have gone otherwise had he not been limited by his fouls. In this game, he had 13 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, a block, and a turnover, all in just 21 minutes. What is amazing is that Newsome averages 30 minutes a game, and he pretty much reached his game averages (13.1ppg, 8.6rpg, 2.6apg, 0.6spg, 0.5bpg, 2.6TOpg). Moreover, his presence on the court makes life difficult for the UST's frontcourt guys.

But one major disappointment at this game would be Juami Tiongson, who fell flat compared to his season averages. During the last 13 games, Tiongson was the Blue Eagles' fourth best scorer with 10.9ppg, making at least 3 triples a game. However, during the most important moment of his career, he was not able to duplicate his previous performances as he ended up with just 2 points, 3 rebounds, a dime and a swipe, coupled with two turnovers. Tiongson became the missing link in this game in the absence of Newsome, as he was not able to make the shots that he normally takes, especially those corner and elbow threes that could have made a big difference.

Some final remarks on Kiefer Ravena and the Last Buenagame. The Phenom ended his third year of college basketball, perhaps his worst so far since he started to play for the Blue and White, with 20 big points, leading the Blue Eagles in this game. However, despite being Ateneo's top scorer in this game, he was not able to (virtually) single-handedly lead the Blue Eagles to win in their most important game. Not only did he miss crucial free throws in the final minutes (both attempts at the charity stripe that could have trimmed further the six-point lead that the Growling Tigers have during the last few minutes of the game), but he also served as the tail-end of bad miscues. This last game he had might have been a salvation of sorts, as he ended up with only 3 points and out of the game (ejected with five fouls) in the Blue Eagles' bout against NU; but then, however good this game could be for him, it did not translate into win.

And regarding Ravena's over-all performance this season, two things can be brought up. First, his ankle injury cost him a lot, not only in terms of missing three crucial games during the beginning of the eliminations, but also in terms of his overall performance. Ravena was not his own, dominating self during this season, as he posed different highs (in scoring and rebounding) and lows (free throw shooting) this season. And related to this is the second, the fact that he did not live up that much to the expectations that he can carry this team (at least for this season), having Newsome and Ryan Buenafe on his side. One could justify that the lack of big men also hindered Ravena's output this season, but even with that fact, it should not have decline not that much. But then, expect Ravena to come back hungrier and stronger next season as he enters his final two playing years.

And Ryan Buenafe? The whole UAAP will miss him so much; however, his game did not turn out that big during his last game, with little results yielded by maximum effort. Those 9 points and 7 rebounds (3 of 13 from the field) were undoubtedly big, but he could have done definitely more, despite the fact that it's not far from his 11-point, 8-rebound average. However, this does not discount the fact that he's the best clutch player that the Blue Eagles have seen during the past few years, and he has it all to make it big in the PBA, moreso if he continues to improve his versatile game.

Karim-ed Down. Two statlines to show how Karim Abdul became a big factor in the Growling Tigers' win:

A: 25 pts, 11/18 FG, 9 rebs
B: 17 pts, 7/25 FG, 11 rebs

Statline A is Karim Abdul's, which shows that Pido Jarencio's plan in the first half to dump the ball on him on the low post pretty much worked against the Blue Eagles. This is perhaps Abdul's biggest game in the eliminations, affirming the fact that he is the fulcrum of the Growling Tigers' offense, because without him, Jeric Teng or Clark Bautista or even Kevin Ferrer can't even get to their sweet spots.

And Statline B? That was Frank Golla, JP Erram, and Buenafe's statline. Without Newsome, the Blue Eagles' frontcourt could not do anything against Abdul, either giving up duty fouls or just letting him score from the inside. What happened in this game is nothing but a summary of the Blue Eagles' defense without a big man to anchor and hold the fort down. Yes, it is true that they were able to somehow contain a lot of big men in the league this season (Charles Mammie, Anthony Hargrove, and all the towering combinations that DLSU gave them); however, this did not happen tonight. If the Blue Eagles would want to get that crown back in the next season, they have to get themselves a big man. News is the team already chose to ride the waves, getting and training an African center to do the dirty job alongside transferee Ponso Gotladera. If that is the case, then things are going to be interesting insofar as Season 77 is concerned.

The game of triples. What I'm talking about is not the total triples that both teams make (Ateneo made 7 of their 22 attempts, while UST had 4 of 19), but it is the three triples early in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the Growling Tigers. Clark Bautista made two corner threes without a man to defend him, and Jeric Teng, in his best game since returning from his shoulder injury (17 markers and 9 boards), got one via a stop-and-pop move. Had the Blue Eagles stopped at least one of those triples, then it might still be possible to salvage the game and snag that last Final Four slot. Again, it's brought about by the difficulty of not having a big man, as they put too much pressure on Abdul but giving up opportunities from the outside. Credit, though, goes to the Growing Tigers for having taken advantage of this the whole game long.

Endgame remarks. In all struggles and defeats, new things are learned. I cannot but stress the fact that the Blue Eagles have to get a big man quick, especially now that, alongside Tiongson and Buenafe, Golla and Erram would be leaving the Blue and White as well. But besides the point, a lot of players have improved by necessity, especially Nico Elorde who has stepped up in the last three games of the Blue Eagles with his shooting (of all things) and gutsy rebounding. We also have seen what Vince Tolentino as a stretch four can do, and perhaps we'll see better things once legitimate big men will run alongside him. We have not yet seen how Anton Asistio and Earl Murphy can fully do, but there is hope for these men. With this, the Blue Eagles do not have anything to do but look forward to the next season.

The Scores:

Ateneo 74 - Ravena 20, Newsome 13, Elorde 12, Buenafe 9, Pessumal 8, Golla 4, Erram 4, Tolentino 2, Tiongson 2, Capacio 0

UST 82 - Abdul 25, Teng 17, Daquioag 13, Ferrer 10, Mariano 7, Bautista 6, Sheriff 4, Pe 0, Lo 0, Lao 0

Quarter scores: 14-25, 26-39, 51-52, 74-82

Credits to PBA-online.com for the statistics, Fabilioh for the picture, and GMA Online for the box.

The Race To The Final Four: 12 (Plus 4) Possible Scenarios

Last Sunday, the Blue Eagles defeated the Red Warriors, 77-72, to increase their chances entering the Final Four, all at the expense of eliminating the Red Warriors from the race to the men's basketball championship. With five teams up against each other's necks in vouching not just for the Final Four slot but also for the twice-to-beat advantage that the top two teams enjoy after eliminations, it's time to find out where the Blue Eagles will find themselves into. This might be something new for recent Blue Eagles fans (maybe since Season 73), because this is only one of the rare moments since Season 66 that the team has been hanging on to the top four spot and not sitting pretty on top of the standings, but this is something that's important to consider because it will show how far can the team go, not only in terms of this season, but in their whole championship run that started in Season 71.

But first a few preliminary considerations.

• The Blue Eagles have only two games left, namely against the NU Bulldogs on the 11th of September and against the UST Growling Tigers, and there are only 4 possibilities that are left insofar as the team is concerned, which will be the bulk of discussion below. But because the focus of this discussion is to see where the Blue Eagles will be in the Final Four, one possibility will have to be ruled out, which would be to suffer two straight losses that will immediately boot them out of contention. However, I will also include them in the final part.
• Two games left should also be considered, namely the one between the DLSU Green Archers and the UST Growling Tigers, and one between the FEU Tamaraws and the UP Fighting Maroons. While the first game's winner could just be anyone, given their chances of winning against each other, the second game will be of less concern, because we know how UP and FEU respectively have played this season (duh moment there, right?). But nevertheless, I will include them should the slim chance of the Fighting Maroons defeating the Tamaraws would happen.
• Finally, because rankings are of utmost concern here, we will also consider the quotient system, which I have put here as the cumulative margins of victory between two, three, or four teams. We will also consider the usual league rules that apply when two or more teams share the same ranking. These rules might seem outdated (or I can be mistaken altogether), but from experience, here is how they go: (a) in case of same ranking in the first to third spot of the Final Four, seeding will be determined by the quotients of teams with whom they share the same ranking (e.g. if Team A, B, and C have a record of 10-4, their quotients will be added up, and the highest quotient will determine the highest spot), (b) If there are more than two teams with the same margin of victory, and two teams share the same quotient, the one with the greatest quotient between the two alone will get the higher spot (e.g. if Team A, B, and C are tied, and teams B and C have the same quotient, the higher seeded team will be the one who has the higher quotient between B and C alone), if it's still tied, then it will be necessary to look at the team's overall quotient (against all teams) by the end of eliminations, (c) if the fourth and fifth seed will have the same ranking, they can either be decided by quotient or by a playoff game.

Having those laid down, then I guess it's time to lay down the three possibilities wherein the Blue Eagles will garner at least the fourth spot in the Final Four.

1.If the Blue Eagles win against NU and UST.
Seems to be something that's doable but highly improbable, considering the level of difficulty when facing against the Bulldogs. Nevertheless, let's see what could happen.

1.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4
FEU 10-4
NU 9-5*
AdMU 9-5*

DLSU and FEU get the twice-to-beat advantage, respectively. While NU and Ateneo will be at the the 3 and 4 spot.

*If the Blue Eagles win with a margin of 11 points or more, then they can take the 3 spot and face FEU (which I think will be easier than being in number four).

1.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
FEU 10-4
NU 10-4
DLSU 9-5
AdMU 9-5

Nothing much here, everything's somehow sealed quotient's clear so far regarding this.

1.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
DLSU 10-4
NU 9-5*
AdMU 9-5*
FEU 9-5*

By quotient system between NU (+7), Ateneo (+5), and FEU (-20), the Bulldogs will get the twice-to-beat advantage, while FEU and Ateneo will settle for third and fourth place. However, if Ateneo wins by 2 points or more against NU, the it could raise Ateneo to 2 and NU to 3 (quotient will be as follows: Ateneo with +7, NU with +5, and FEU with -20).

1.4. If UST wins and UP wins
NU 9-5*
DLSU 9-5*
AdMU 9-5*
FEU 9-5*

These rankings are determined by quotient as of press time (NU with +12, DLSU with +11, AdMU with -6, and FEU with -7). This means that the margin of victory between NU and Ateneo has not been factored in yet given that they still have to face each other. Perhaps what could significantly change this is when the Blue Eagles will win against the Bulldogs with a margin of 2 points or more, which in that case would put DLSU on top while NU will slide at number two.

2.If the Blue Eagles lose against NU but win against UST
Highly probable, I should say.

2.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4*
NU 10-4*
FEU 10-4*
AdMU 8-6

This, I think, is most likely to happen. Quotient between La Salle, NU and FEU are +2, 0, and -2 respectively.

2.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
NU 10-4
FEU 10-4
DLSU 9-5
AdMU 8-6

By quotient against FEU, the Bulldogs will take the top spot.

2.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
NU 10-4
DLSU 10-4
FEU 9-5
AdMU 8-6

Quotient determines FEU's win.

2.4 If UST wins and UP wins
NU 10-4
DLSU 9-5
FEU 9-5
AdMU 8-6*

By the quotient system, the fourth spot is for the Blue Eagles to take; however, it is possible that because it is a crucial spot, the UAAP might just decide a playoff even though the Blue Eagles have a positive quotient against UST.

3. If the Blue Eagles win against NU, but lose against UST
This can happen, and this is the most dangerous situation because there are still two instances wherein the Blue Eagles can get booted out of the Final Four.

3.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4
FEU 10-4
NU 9-5
AdMU 8-6

Nothing needed to explain here, except the fact that UST will end up with a 7-7 record and will be eliminated finally.

3.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
FEU 10-4
NU 9-5
DLSU 9-5
UST 9-5

Pray that this doesn't happen.

3.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
DLSU 10-4
NU 9-5
FEU 9-5
AdMU 8-6*
(UST 8-6)*

As long as the Blue Eagles do not lose the game by 3 points or more, they are guaranteed the fourth spot, again UNLESS a playoff will be decided. Otherwise, when the quotient between these two teams get to 0 (the four-point Blue Eagles win in the first round is negated by the four-point Growling Tigers win in the second round), another alternative besides the playoff would be their total quotient, which, as it stands is +40 for the Blue Eagles and +36 for the Growling Tigers. At least at this point, the Blue Eagles have the upper hand, and it will depend on their remaining games if the figures will rise or drop.

3.4 If UST wins and UP wins
NU 9-5*
FEU 9-5*
DLSU 9-5*
UST 9-5*

Rankings determined by current quotient (not including the matches between AdMU v UST and DLSU v UST), which are at +20, +7, -5, and -22 respectively. Also, pray that this doesn't happen.

So here are the situations so far for the Blue Eagles if they want to enter into the Final Four. Anything between those 10 (except 3.2 and 3.4, and maybe 3.3 to be safe) would be good enough for the Blue Eagles, and then things can begin again from there.

But you ask, what happens when we lose both games? Good thing you asked.

4. If the Blue Eagles lose against NU and UST.

4.1 If DLSU wins and FEU wins
DLSU 10-4*
NU 10-4*
FEU 10-4*
UST 8-6

Ranking is determined by quotient.

4.2 If UST wins and FEU wins
NU 10-4*
FEU 10-4*
DLSU 9-5**
UST 9-5**

Both sets' rankings are determined by quotient.

4.3 If DLSU wins and UP wins
NU 10-4*
DLSU 10-4*
FEU 9-5**
UST 9-5**

Same as 4.2

4.4 If UST wins and UP wins
NU 10-4
FEU 9-5*
DLSU 9-5*
UST 9-5*

Quotient between the three determines rankings (+4, 0, and -4 respectively)

The possibilities are there, but which of these situations will be actualized? We get to see this as the games will be played in the next few days.

6 Points: AdMU vs. DLSU (Round 2)

Ateneo 64, De La Salle 66

Sweeps have the same situations. Remember the first round battle against the Green Archers? The Blue Eagles had a big lead in the middle of the third quarter, when the Green Archers had a big run before its end, only to have the Blue Eagles scampering for a decent basket in the fourth quarter. This time, while the Blue Eagles nursed a 1-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter, Almond Vosotros hit an elbow three and then went for a fastbreak layup after an Arnold Van Opstal swat. This happened in the last three minutes, and since then, the Blue Eagles struggled to tie the game and once more bring the lead back to the blue side. It was a lucky moment as the Blue Eagles went on a late 6-1 run to tie the game at 64 apiece, but then it was Jeron Teng and thus the Green Archers who had the last laugh as he hit the go-ahead jumper over Chris Newsome with just a few seconds remaining.

Jeron Teng and Kiefer Ravena. To raise my point, I'm going to go Bill Simmons on this one. Look at these endgame stats from two players:

Player A: 34 minutes, 12 pts (4/13 FG, 1/6 3FG, 3/8 FT), 2 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl, 5 TOs, 2PF
Player B: 21 minutes, 8 pts (2/5 FG, 0/1 3FG, 4/9 FT), 1 reb, 1 blk, 2 TOs, 4PF

Obviously, Player A has been on the court for about 80% of the whole game (in fact that is more or less his average usage rate), while Player B has been hounded by foul trouble. However, both of these players have practically the same statistics, and I could go so far as to conclude that player B is some kind of energy backup just in case shots weren't falling for those whom he should substitute with. While Player A? That was a really really bad game.

Unfortunately, Player A's statline was Kiefer Ravena's. Fans in blue expected him to make the difference this time, being absent from the Blue Eagles' first round match against the Green Archers. However, nothing went really well from him, especially in the fourth quarter. Sure, he hit a shot clock beating triple (more out of luck than skill, I suppose), but he did commit a multitude of mistakes that he could have easily avoided. For one, there is his dismal free throw, that's even worse than his average (37.5% compared to his 52% average). He airballed some threes, most of them shot clock beaters (why were we even forced there in the first place?), and made 2 turnovers that were big for DLSU: the first one happened at the end of the first quarter, when he cost the Blue Eagles a turnover, leading to a Vosotros triple (lemme call that by its name, Vosotres) that trimmed the lead down to two, while the second one led to another Vosotres that gave the Green Archers the lead for good early in the fourth quarter. Simply put, the Phenom is not himself in this game, save for that game tying jumper that went before that Teng clutch basket.

And speaking of Jeron Teng, he came out glorious by the end of the buzzer as he sinks his usual jumper over Chris Newsome, keeping his team practically safe at the number three spot. Prior to that, he splits his FTs that made it a one-possession game, and in that short stretch the game was all his. This is not to say that Teng is now as good as Ravena (at least at this point in their college careers); however, it would seem more that Ravena went down to Teng's level (case in point: Ravena's true shooting for this game was at just 36.3%, while Teng has 44.6%). Fans in green have jeered at Teng all season long because of his bad decisions on the court especially during isolation plays as well as his awful free throw shooting, while Ravena was hailed by the fans in blue for his impact on the court. But guess what, things have come down to the same level, or even turned around at least just this once. While Ravena has been slumping in this game, Teng came out as the eventual hero who saved DLSU and granted them the sweep.

Nico Elorde's wasted effort. Nico Elorde brought out his best game today against his former school, and boy, did he really turn out to be efficient in this game. The former Green Archer tallied 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting, with 3 out of 5 triples to boot, together with 4 boards, 3 dimes, and 1 steal. Elorde came up big in the first half as he makes one triple after another, not to mention his gutsy layups, stills, and offensive rebounds spread all over. Sadly, it wasn't enough as the Blue Eagles lost, but it could easily have been Elorde who was there during the rest of the fourth quarter to replace the slumping Ravena.



The things that the Blue Eagles missed. So what did the Blue Eagles forget in this game? Here are a few points:

• They forgot the fact that what will decide this game are eventually the big men... and their performance on both ends of the floor. Frank Golla, JP Erram, Vince Tolentino, and Ivan Enriquez gave up 23 points to the DLSU big men Arnold van Opstal (4), Norbert Torres (6), and most especially Jason Perkins (13), while only scoring 4 points (a basket apiece from Golla and Erram). One could readily forgive those backcourt points scored considering that the offense have been coming from the small forwards forced to play big (Buenafe and Newsome had 8 and 9, respectively); however, too much offensive pressure from the DLSU bigs (together with the non-calls, which will come later) allowed LA Revilla and Teng to slash their way inside (Revilla was 4 of 7 inside and ended up with 11 points). 
• They forgot that they cannot just run fastbreak sets, and half court plays are of utmost necessity against DLSU. Notice that when the Blue Eagles go for a rebound, the Green Archers would rather give it up and run to set their defense. If that is the case, then they should have more half court sets that have Ravena, Buenafe, and Nesome scoring on the inside, while Tiongson or Elorde would be responsible in receiving kickouts. Instead, we got pretty bad perimeter shots from Ravena and Buenafe, more like failed desperation attempts to score. I'm not saying that this has always been the case, because we have seen flashes of brilliance on the offense, lots of it even; however, they could have run different sets with same finishes (obviously, because the Blue Eagles are running Hawks and Horns sets that have the same initial moves) in those last five minutes.
• They forgot that despite not having Ravena, they could have just used Chris Newsome as the primary shot creator. The second round Newsome was far from the 27-point bomb that struck fear in the hearts of Lasallians during the first round. Instead, what we got is still a decent 8-point, 8-rebound forward who settled well with setting up plays for the guards. Had Newsome been activated as the first option in the last few minutes, then I think this game could have been saved.

If the Blue Eagles would want to win the next 3 games, make it into the Final Four, and get four more without losing one in the semifinals, then they have to relish this moment and learn a lot from this loss. It is unfortunate that they do not have big men strong and skillful enough to counter DLSU's (the past two years, we had Slaughter, the year before that Justin Chua, and Rabeh Al-Hussaini as well as Nonoy Baclao for Seasons 71 and 72), but more is expected from their Big Three plus one of Ravena, Newsome, Buenafe, and Tiongson. And the team needs them more than ever if they still consider winning a sixth straight championship a real possibility.

That Bo Perasol Technical. Let's review the sequence that led to that foul called on Coach Bo Perasol:

• Ryan Buenafe drove to the basket and was pushed and elbow on his way. No foul called.
• Jason Perkins scrambles for the rebound and was supposedly fouled as he got the board.
• As the referee whistled, Perkins elbowed someone from behind him.

Whether it's the non-call or the second motion that has been the reason, one can see why Coach Perasol has the right to be furious; however, it just happened that the referees deemed it as crossing the line and therefore the T. Would it be rightfully so? You be the judge, but insofar as these events happened, it might be even more proper to call an additional unsportsmanlike foul on Perkins on that sequence, and then grant the possession to DLSU because of the foul in the rebound.

What It Means to the Final Four campaign. This definitely makes everything more difficult, now that the Blue Eagles slide to 6-5, tied with UST and half a game behind UE (who will play DLSU on the 4 September without Charles Mammie and Ralf Olivares). Given that, these are the things that the Blue Eagles should do:

• First off, they have to eliminate those with whom they are tied up against, namely UST and (possibly) UE (but with a margin greater than or equal to four points). Doing so would secure them the four-spot despite having the same standings at the end of eliminations.
• It would even be helpful if DLSU sweeps the second round, because it would give extra losses to UE, UST, and possibly NU.
• One more imperative: BEAT NU. The Blue Eagles cannot afford another loss (unless UST and UE will be handed other losses). Once this is done, the fourth spot is for the Blue Eagles, and they might face either NU or DLSU.

The Scores:

La Salle 66 - Vosotros 19, Perkins 13, Revilla 11, Teng 8, Torres 6, Van Opstal 4, Montalbo 3, Salem 2, Tapus 0, Reyes 0, Dela Paz 0, Bolick 0

Ateneo 64 - Tiongson 14, Elorde 13, Ravena 12, Buenafe 9, Newsome , Pessumal 4, Golla 2, Erram 2, Tolentino 0, Enriquez 0, Capacio 0


Quarter scoring: 13-16, 31-33, 46-49, 66-64

Credits to the Fabilioh Facebook page for the photo and GMA Online for the box