Fantasy NBA: Players of the Week 5

So what happens when I praise a player for his stellar play, the dude goes down... Kevin Martin, CP3 and most recently, Elton Brand. Dammit! Haha

For the fist time this season though, I was able to post 3 wins of 5-3-1, 6-3 and 7-2. Looks like either my fantasy teams are getting healthy and hot or my opponents have all been hit by the injury bug as well. At the rate the NBA is going though, it's more likely that it's the injuries. I think every NBA team has had a decent fantasy-relevant player miss games this year. I'll look into this in a related post.

Now, the players of the week...

The Director
Steve Nash (PHX) - 1.3 3FGM, 13.3 PPG, 14.3 APG 1.0 SPG [2]

It's been frustrating how the Suns have actually been blowing people out of the water as Nash is getting less minutes to pile on the stats. But even with the decreased minutes, the assists have actually stayed the same. It's just that the points and 3's have gone down. Any week that Nash posts a steal per game, that's a bonus.

The Skywalker
Kobe Bryant (LAL) - 2.3 3FGM, 28.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.3 SPG [2]

Kobe also shows up on this list for the second time because of his consistent play. Known to have a groin injury, he can actually play consistently since he does not have to carry the team every game. Thus, the numbers keep on coming. 3.3 SPG isn't a bad help either.

The Triggerman
Kevin Durant (OKC) - 28.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 1.3 BPG [1]

Finally! I've been waiting for 4 weeks to finally have this guy perform well enough to be on the list. The scoring and the rebounds are very much expected of him in the team. It's his high potential for D that finally puts him up here. 3.3 combined Steals and Blocks per game is great from the offensive machine.

Captain Lionheart
Gerald Wallace (CHA) - 25.3 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG [1]

Crash seems t be the only one among the Bobcats who ha remained unaffected by the Capt. Jack trade from Golden State. Aside from him, the rest of the Bobcats fantasy value has tanked - Felton, Diaw, Augustin, etc. Damn you Larry Brown!

Tower of Power
Marcus Camby (LAC) - 12.0 PPG, 15.5 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG [1]

The resurrection! Camby again proves that WHEN HEALTHY, he is one of the biggest stats stuffers there is. Defense is what Camby is known for and he did it for 4 games this week. I just wonder how this will figure in when Griffin returns.


Here's a list of who's been able to appear multiple times on the list this year:
3 - LeBron James
2 - Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh

Tainted Basketball - Is the PBA Really Behind Smart Gilas?

Basketball in the Philippines, as much as we hate to admit it, isn't pure. Just by the sheer number of people carrying interest in it, it would not be surprising that some would try to capitalize on the sport. There's game-fixing, commercialization, governing-body politics, spurned egos and much excess baggage that's tainting the "love for the game" which is so great when one is young.

What drove me to write this is actually something that I had just chanced upon in doing research for another post that I was about to write. I was supposed to write something about how the recent Smart Gilas success comes strangely at a time when they are dealing with a number of things on their plate. Not to take away anything from them, but it seems to be more than just a coincidence.

Here's an outtake from what I was intending to write:


Honestly, as a kid, what made me love Philippine basketball was the PBA, more specifically the San Miguel franchise. I was born in 1986, coincidentally the year San Miguel won the Grand Slam. Growing up, I idolized the man whom the Chinese called was "walking on air" - Samboy Lim. There was something about the athleticism and skill of the guy, the high socks and the brush of the hair before taking a free throw that was just mythical for a kid. I grew up idolozing the guy, wanting to wear the number 9 and wishing that I too could be a skywalker.

Sorry, to the Star Wars geeks out there, but Samboy was way cooler than Luke.

The San Miguel franchise was just awesome to me, and it saddened me that they sold out in their game against Smart Gilas. Not to take anything away from Gilas who played a great game, but I think SMB sold out by protecting their corporate interests over national ones. Somebody please explain to me how, 8 points down and 6 minutes to go, Eman and Calaguio are in the game's final minutes instead of Santos, Hontiveros, Miranda or Pena. The game was still win-able for San Miguel, but the starters were pulled out and Gilas was not tested. They weren't tested by the pro team who could have placed them in a very unique situation - late in the 4th and with the lead, but without your import and against a hot, veteran team pushing and pressing you, hoping that you quit.

That should be a very important scenario to the national program when we have to face off against Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Korea and other Asian powers - all winning, veteran teams who will push, pressure and are relentless. It could have been a real learning experience, but it wasn't.


I was supposed to write the peace above in greater detail, present some numbers that would help me drive my point. During the TV coverage, they kept on harping about how impressive Chris Tiu's game was. He supposedly scored 24 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and had 11 assists. Now, I know all the Tiu fans are going to hate me, but Chris isn't that good yet, especially playing against Hontiveros, Cortez, Racela, Tugade, Santos, et al. He shouldn't be able to put those numbers up, and I checked the PBA's official website to get the real statistics from the game. But lo and behold, they weren't there. I checked the other Gilas games since the decision to render the games as "no bearing" and no stats either. This seemed a bit off to me, especially since 3 of those 4 games have been Gilas wins.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, I just thought that maybe it was the National Program's way of keeping the Gilas team a secret to surprise other countries. (Something completely irrational since other countries will scout us wherever the hell we may try to hide.) So, I checked the rest of the PBA's site, and there is very little mention of Gilas, except for results, the schedule and some photos. For me, there just seems to be something very wrong about that.

If the PBA, as it says, is completely behind the National program, shouldn't it help in helping them improve basketball-wise and making people believe in the Gilas Team?

Gilas entered into the PBA tourney to get better on-court and get more people's attention to support and drum up some excitement about the team. The team was supposed to grow up in front of our eyes like some telenovela and then lay it all out in battle during international competitions. However, I honestly believe now that the PBA (no longer just individual teams) as a whole is protecting it's interest as a professional league more than the national purpose. Sad to say it, but as I mentioned at the beginning. tainted basketball isn't surprising in the Philippines/

I think that the following pieces of evidence lead me to believe that PBA support to Gilas is half-assed:

1) The PBA nullifies all games played by Gilas.
2) They protect Arboleda roughing up Gilas, which eventually led to the mayhem with the fan. (Not to mention, Arboleda was only penalized was attacking the fan, but never his on-court actions more than 2 unsportmanlike fouls).
3) They chose not to control their teams, and allowed their teams to waive the white flag early to protect their players.
4) They do not make the public aware of the Gilas team's achievements since it comes at their expense. by news and statistics.
5) They continue to separate themselves from the concerted effort by focusing more on the entertainment rather than the basketball.

It seems to be that the PBA is becoming selfish with their resources. They have the best competition the country can supposedly offer, and yet they do not provide it to the team every night. They are trying to protect the brand from being upstaged by Gilas just because "they're the pros." In short, they really aren't fully behind Gilas after all.

To quote some lines from the Panatang Makabayan, hindi ba dapat

Ako'y kanyang kinukupkop at tinutulungan upang maging malakas, maliaya ay kapaki-pakinabang...

Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin bilang mamamayan...

Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan nang walang pag-iimbot at buong katapatan...

Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Pilipino sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa...

PCCL Day 2: CSJL vs DLSU & ADMU vs. Lyceum

I finally was able to catch the PCCL games today and it's time for some thoughts on the games:

Letran vs La Salle

> Both teams played with about just 70% of their mother league line-ups. Letran was missing Jazul, Guevarra and Dela Paz, while La Salle didn't have Mangahas, Malabes and Co. (Not that La Salle was actually going to use this guys ever anyway.

> I was hoping that Franz would put the 4 RP Youth Boys (Tolentino, Marata, Banal & Andrada) some decent burn together and probably put them in with Bringas so we could see what DLSU has in store for the future. But it didn't happen...

> Somehow, Franz looked a bit disinterested in coaching what they were hyping to be his "last game." One of the commentators slipped too when he said that Franz would come back after the elections. We all know he's coming back anyway. If he weren't, DLSU would be in some deep trouble because they wouldn't be able to recruit.

> Belencion hits 10 threes. Damn!

> I don't know if anybody noticed but Jameson Cortez seemed to be wearing a different color uniform because his seemed a darker shade of red than everybody else... It's either a different colored uniform or the dude just really sweats a lot!

> New PCCL Champion!


Ateneo vs Lyceum

> I was expecting that Ateneo would actually not play Baclao since he's on duty with the Philippine Patriots, but they didn't have Al-Hussaini instead. For some reason, I was hoping that the Gilas boys would actually be present during games. Hopefully, they had practice or something, and that's why they missed attending the game.

> It was funny how Norman Black was put into a tight spot by Job De Leon. He was revealed to have not prepared at all for Lyceum. I bet he even forgot that they played them in last year's PCCL in the same game.

> As expected, Ateneo dominated the game, and was a bit careless in the latter portions. But again, too much talent for Lyceum to handle.

> Lyceum actually qualified because University of Manila fielded in ineligible players for the Zonals. They should be penalized by SBP just to send a message that they wouldn't be taking anything lightly from any team.

Fantasy NBA: Players of the Week 4

I got my first convincing win (7-2). My two other leagues are pretty competitive, as I sported 4-5 and 5-3-1 records. As with all leagues, the manager who is able to take advantage of injuries and suspensions with timely pick-ups and drops will succeed more often than not. Normally, that's the case... For my league though, it was a messed up pick that somehow made it's way into the starting 5...

The Director
Louis Williams (PHI) - .929 FT%, 2.3 3PM, 24.0 PPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG

Williams surprises this week with a signifcant bump up in scoring and steals. With the their shortage of big men due to Speights' injury, the Sixers are playing a fast pace with their already energized offense.

The Skywalker
Kobe Bryant (LAL) - .941 FT%, 29.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.7 APG

The return of Pau Gasol was actually beneficial for Kobe. Not that his numbers increased, but that the Lakers not leaning on him allowed him to play through the groin injury. Also, with the number of free throws he shoots, 94% will already carry you through the week. His 0.3 3's are a downer though.

The Triggerman
LeBron James (CLE) - 1.8 3FM, 34.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 9.3 APG

Delonte West has now been put into the doghouse, and seemingly will no longer get consistent minutes. Thus, LeBron has had to take on more playmaking duties, thus the increase in assists. However, the turnovers are also getting higher.

Captain Lionheart
Elton Brand (PHI) - 19.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 3.7 BPG

Speights, please do not come back! In one of my leagues, where yahoo disconnected me from the draft and I ended up with Elton Brand from the big board. I dear hope that Speights does not come back if Brand keeps on pace like his injury-free Clippers self.

Tower of Power
Brook Lopez (NJN) - 18.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 4.0 BPG

There have been only 3 good points for the Nets this year - Brook Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts and that they were able to ditch VC's contract. Sideshow Bob's twin brother is bringing it consistently and they're hoping he, Harris and Jay-Z could lure LeBron to Brooklyn.

Milo Warrior 3-on-3 Championship

The team over at patayangbutiki brought this tournament to my attention with their blog post linked. This is in connection with the Chris Tiu-Jayvee Casio ads we've been seeing all over tri-media recently. I first got some inclination of this when I played over at the Ateneo College Covered Courts over the weekend, and it seems that there was voting done to pick the teams for each school. Voting is now done, and they're all playing at the Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo on Dec. 1 @ 1 PM.



The teams are pretty interesting as their's a healthy mix of team B players for some exposure. Also, the imports from Africa are now being revealed to the public with NU and UP parading them in the tournament. The only exception being FEU, which nominated a line-up of Team A players + the UAAP juniors MVP, and will send a Cervantes-Sanga-Garcia combination.

The first thing you'll notice is that Milo has chosen to hold the tournament for UAAP Schools only. Since we all know this is a marketing tool, this might be just a target market deal kicking in. Not to be derogatory, they're probably targeting the A, B and C economic brackets, that's why they chose not to include the NCAA schools. Of course, I could be very wrong and this might just be a matter of convenience or sanctioning by the league.

Second, La Salle is the only UAAP school not participating. Why? We can conjure up a number of reasons why, but I'd rather not (to avoid sounding like a hater). I just think this is an unfortunate event that they didn't chose to participate simply because of the experience and exposure it could have provided to their young players. 3-on-3 is very, very different from a UAAP game, but just familiarizing themselves with possible UAAP opponents (like the FEU boys), could have been a direct benefit from the tournament. Also, what makes this more sad is that Jvee Casio is the co-endorser of the product along with Chris Tiu. The tourney snub from your alma mater would kind of hurt if I were him.

Well, there goes half of Milo's target market...

40 Minutes of Freedom by the NBA

I know this layout doesn't take well to embedding videos, but what the hell...

The whole point of this blog was verbalized from 0:23 to 0:33... 'Nuff said.

(this was the NBA on TNT's video for the 2009-2010 NBA Season)

Fantasy NBA: Players of the Week 3

Still no big wins or losses for me. 5-4. 4-5, 6-3. The way this is going, I might be limping into the playoffs for the whole year and just win that way. Possibly an underdog story in the making?

It's time for week 3. Fantasy-wise, the biggest news would have to be that Chris Paul (consensus top 2 pick) is out for the next 2 or 3 weeks with an ankle sprain. It's been a bad week for Paul, losing his coach and getting injured. Now, for owners, we have to see how long these events will cause his fantasy output to decrease. The new coach/GM might use him differently and Collison might take away some minutes... In spite of this, CP3 still posted great numbers... But he isn't this week's Director...

The Director
Brandon Jennings (MIL) - 4.5 3FGM, 43.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 7.0 APG
> This probably establishes that he will be the bar rookies measure up to this year. That one yearin Europe did him mighty well and he seems seasoned already. But, no steals???

The Skywalker
Dwyane Wade (MIA) - 33.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.3 APG, 3.0 SPG, 1.7 BPG
> Possibly a better 5-cat man than LeBron this year because of the clear dedication to the D that generate steals and blocks. Anderson Varejao has felt how much Wade can sky-walk. Boom!

The Triggerman
LeBron James (CLE) - 30.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.7 SPG
> These are the numbers LeBron should be putting up. Ok, maybe a couple more rebounds and assists and he should be at that level, but a cut down on TOs boosts his stock.

Captain Lionheart
Tim Duncan (SAS) - 1.00 FT%, 22.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.0 BPG
> Great numbers after coming back from an injury. Pretty strange that Duncan perfected the stripe this week too.

Tower of Power
Andrew Bynum (LAL) - 0.67 FG%, 22.0 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 3.0 BPG
> Making a strong case for the C spot in the west ballot, he's making the most of Pau being out. Could we see an adjustment with the Lakers going more to Bynum while Pau is still warming up to the season?

Bits on the Bantay Bata All-Star Game

Just a couple of notes on this year's UAAP vs NCAA Bantay Bata All-Star Games:

> The NCAA, as the commentators kept on reitarating, outworked the UAAP. Why? Simply put, the 2 people who most dictated the UAAP's games with their effort throughout the game weren't in the line-ups - Nonoy Baclao and Elmer Espiritu. More than the 5 or 6 blocks lost, the deflections, intimidated shots and just overall consciousness allowed the NCAA boys to feel confident around the rim. These 2 are bad, bad men around the rim and "Bad Boy" John Wilson and Jimbo Aquino better thank the gods they had Patriot duty.

> Kish Co was not an all-star!!!

> At first I thought that DLSU gave the whole Bantay Bata games a snub, I read in the papers that they were trying to qualify for the PCC in a zonals competition. Good job, La Salle. At least, we know now that there was no politicking involved here.

> The Smart Gilas Boys were holding back. You could see it in the way they were playing that they were protecting themselves from any injuries, so they were very sloppy. Also, I think Norman Black never fielded all 5 of them (Ramos, Ababou, Cawaling, Al-Hussaini, Buenafe) together. They're forgiven in my book.

> The San Sebastian Staglets combo of Salamat, Lee and Buenafe didn't do much actually. Naturally, everybody's bigger so they can't run people to the ground anymore. Kind of sad how they're recruitment suddenly died down. (Sorry, Delgado isn't a legit college prospect.)

> As usual, the match up was the UAAP's execution and the NCAA's run and gun. With the turnovers (and overall lax approach to the game), the UAAP's 20+ turnovers did them in.

Dwyaaaaaannnnneeee Waaaaaaade!

Wade is my personal favorite of the vaunted 2003 NBA Draft Class. He is also the man with the most success among all of them. He has a championship and Finals MVP Award, aside from the Gold Medal he shares with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Now, we could go on and on about it, but I think the most admirable thing about him is that he doesn't hold back... The video clip speaks for itself.

After this season, Wade will join the free agent fiesta, but he has a particular bargaining chip that none of the other free agents have. The Miami Heat will have enough cap space to sign 2 Maximum contract guys - a luxury no other team in the NBA will have. Yes, people, even the crazy spenders in New York can't get 2 guys anymore because of the decreasing salary cap. Although there have been no final arrangements, Wade has been stressing on how great a city Miami is to live in, and it sort of points to him staying.

So, question is, who will he convince to come over? My predictions...

1. LeBron James
LeBron is basically dictating how the Cavs spend their money. He asked for and got Shaq, but unfortunately, their slow or short mix of players will not push them over the hill. Perhaps, the only thing that would hold him back is perhaps that same fact. Whoever LeBron asks for, he will get. Unfortunately, the Cavs can't get him Wade.

Jordan's 23 is retired in Miami and Mario Chalmers better think of another number because he's going to have to give up that 6.

2. Chris Bosh
The cast in Toronto is weird, and it doesn't seem to be powerful and funded enough to really challenge for a title even with Turkoglu, Calderon and Bargnani all improving and making significant contributions.

3. Joe Johnson
In same type of situation as Bosh, Atlanta is a playoff team, but not elite. The cast around him is good, but he isn't a superstar. He could be Ray Allen to Wade's Pierce if he would come over, and I think having him as a #2 option would be a killer combination.

I think Jermaine O'Neal wouldn't be foolish enough to ask for the same type of money next year. I would bet that he'd be willing to step back on the cash if it meant a ring. Whoever he may get though, Wade has more than shown that he is worthy of being the Air-apparent.

Coach's Carousel: Bye Bye Byron

It was announced earlier today that Byron Scott, head coach of the New Orleans Hornets, has been fired for the underperformance of the past 2 seasons. Two years ago, the Hornets seemed to have carved themselves a seat in the upper echelon of the NBA with the emergence of David West as an All-Star, Chris Paul as a perrenial MVP Candidate (and fantasy beast) and the frequent showing of the CP3 lob to Tyson Chandler on Sportscenter. They were up and ready to take on the Lakers for the West title, but they busted before they even got off the ground.

It's unfortunate to think that this pink slip for Scott is actually very similar to how he parted ways with the Nets.

1. After playoff success, the team falls meteorically. (Nets-Finals twice; Hornets-West Semis)
2. Hall of Fame point guards ran the show on the floor (Kidd; Paul)
3. Very little scoring consistency from the wings. (Kittles-Van Horn-Jefferson; Peterson-Stojakovic-Posey)
4. Overrated big man who got a bloated contract because of Guard's briliance (Martin; Chandler)
5. Extremely shallow benches
6. Cash-strapped franchises

As bad as his record seems, we actually have to give Scott credit for a couple of things. He didn't win 2 Coach of the Year awards by just doing nothing. As "bad" as a coach he might seem, we have to give him credit for letting the reins go on his point guard. He knew that he had a great point guard, one that could take the team places. So, rather than impose himself and a system completely, he gives his 1's the freedom to call sets, be flashy, entertain and make his players better. Unfortuantely for him, a point guard without great finishers do not win titles.

Kidd made Martin, Jefferson, Van Horn and Kittles all borderline all-stars and Paul did the same to West (actually became an all-star), Chandler and revived Peja. But they could naturally only do so much. When teams would attack them, they would stop everybody except the PG and the guard would then try to win it by himself. We all know that's never a plan for success, and true enough, collapses took place.

Honestly, I don't think Byron Scott deserves all the blame for their drop offs. Yes, he can take a brunt of it since he has to develop his players into becoming deserving 2nd and 3rd options for his PGs, but we've seen him run practices and he isn't easy on them. It, however raises the question of "What if he didn't have an awesome point man?"

I think the front office of the Nets and Hornets have themselves to blame as well. Not enough talent was provided, and the teams sputtered. Thus, their demise inevitable. Think of placing Michael Schumacher behind a Kia Pride. The driver can push the hell out of the car, but it can only run so fast. Those are the parts Byron Scott had to work with.

So, there's no true escape on this. It's just unlucky for him that he doesn't do the hiring and firing.

UAAP All-Star Anomaly

Thanks, to Mr. Rick Olivares for providing the information in the link found below:
UAAP Line-up to the Bantay Bata All-Star Game

You, sir, are a great writer. So much passion for sports in general.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you read through the UAAP line-up 2 things will probably pop up at you:

1. Where are Nonoy Baclao, Elmer Espiritu, Val Acuna and Khasim Mirza?

> Simple answer is they will be on duty with the Philippine Patriots of the ABL. Games are played on weekends, and if I'm not mistaken, they will be in Kuala Lumpur to take on Rudy Lingganay, Tats Bandaying and Roel Hugnatan.

2. With all due respect to the guy, but...

What the crap is KISH CO doing on the All-Star Team???

The team has 4 Gilas boys and the top gun of all 7 other UAAP teams, and DLSU fields Kish Co?!? I know this might sound like I'm being a La Salle hater but where are the RP Youth Boys Bringas and Marata, PBL Draftee Bagatsing, Joshua Webb. C'mon... It only seems that there can be 2 things concluded from this - a) La Salle has completely lost all understanding of basketball thinking that CO is their star player or b) There's some scheme brewing in their camp not to send their building blocks for the future. Why would they do that? The hell should I know..

As a very big advocate of the fact that basketball is formative (both to the audience and the players), I really think that this move is a slap in the face of the kids that will benefit from the game. It's a charity exhibition game, yet they choose not to send players who will draw more onlookers and thus generate a bigger charitable contribution. I don't know, but that's just wrong... It sends the message that "we choose to keep our interests first instead of the growing needs of our nation." Selfish much?

Seriously, man. Kish Co, an all-star???

Fantasy NBA: Players of the Week 2

I didn't do too well this week again. All my teams were either escapes or slim losses, part due to bad drafts and some injuries.. Unfortunately, unlike real life, some Fantasy seasons can actually be broken in the first few weeks. Thankfully, I haven't been murdered yet.

Now for this week's players:

The Director
Chris Paul (NOH) - 2.0 3Pt FGM, 26.8 PPG, 11.8 APG, 1.5 SPG
> Maybe the Rondo scuffle woke up CP3.

The Skywalker
Kevin Martin (SAC) - 4.5 3Pt FGM , 38.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.5 SPG
> Too bad he's out for 6-8 weeks after he broke it wide open.

The Triggerman
LeBron James (CLE) - 28.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 7.0 APG, 2.3 SPG
> The LeBron NY Circus closed the week, and he was worth the hype. TOs, not so.

Captain Lionheart
Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) - 27.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 2.0 BPG
> 29 points in 1 quarter then 14 for a game. Inconsistent much?

Tower of Power
Chris Bosh (TOR) - 62.9 FG%, 26.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.3 TPG
> Numbers are "down" from last week. Contract year effect?

The Fallen Score-first Point Guards

Flashback: Washington, D.C., 2001 - the East All-Stars defeat the West 111 - 110 behind the efforts of game MVP Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Vince Carter and Dikembe Mutombo. I remember then, they called them "Dikembe and 4 midgets" as they were going against Duncan, Garnett, Webber, Kobe and Kidd. It was an improbable come-from-behind win, and it was supposed to impose on everybody that height doesn't dominate as it used to... Later that year, Iverson wins the MVP and leads his Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals, only to lose to the Lakers in 5 games.

Flashforward: Memphis, Tenn., 2009 - Allen Iverson leaves the Grizzlies to attend to "personal matters" in his home in Atlanta. Most recently, Iverson has been in conflict with Head Coach Lionel Hollins about his coming off the bench and lack of playing time, which he considers to be the lynch pin for more victories. Stephon Marbury, on the other hand, has most recently been spotted being escorted out of Madison Square Garden. He had previously admitten to using drugs and consuming various other substances in his video blogs.

Boy how much have things changed...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in 2001, Iverson and Marbury were seen to be prototypes for what people thought to be the evolution of basketball. Small, but fast, strong, and fiery Score-first guards who would dribble their way into and rip apart defenses. Despite their size disadvantage, people claimed that the amount of fight and heart in their bodies more than made up for their lack of ceiling. It was your classic David vs Goliath-Underdog story.

Then, Iverson, sporting his trademark cornrows (which are back, by the way) would score over 30 a game. He would quarrel with similarly hard-headed coach Larry Brown and drive then GM Pat Croce on the verge of going insane. In spite of their bickering though, they found a way to lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals that year by bringing Mutombo aboard, and taking out comback-mates Allen and Carter in the East playoffs, each in 7 games. He would win the MVP and high-step over "AI Simulator" Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of the Finals, but Shaq eventually beat them down.

Starbury, on the other hand, was on his way home. He was to sign a big contract (which only ended last year) with his childhood New York Knicks. The boy from Coney Island would play under the lights of the Garden. Many New Yorkers thought he would usher in the true Knick renaissance after the departure of Patrick Ewing and make the much dramatic Sprewell- and Houston-led team during the lockout season a usual occurence. If Iverson had his mean crossover, Marbury had his trademark football carry and hop-step combo, and defenses couldn't stop him either.

Unfortunately, all that hype was nothing more than a flash in the pan. Once teams got down to it, both men's careers have tapered off. Now, they are nothing more than talented subs who could still change games had they been able to accept their roles. The point guard position is back to what it should have always been - floor general running the offense and setting-up teammates while also being the first line of D.

Honestly, it's sad and tough to see both of them still thinking it's the beginningof the millenium. They did actually give an alternative option to the game. They gave us a breed to cheer for and idolize as they brought so much excitement in spite of their frames. No one can discredit them for their accomplishments back then, but it's 2009 and the game, to some extent has normalized. Teams with great bigs have gone deep into the postseason and won, and more importantly, stars sacrificing for the team - something both AI and Starbury have yet to accept.

Saturday Night Bites

> Johnny A is playing again. C'mon Ginebra, c'mon PBA. You have good young players. Make them improve in practice and give them the minutes on-court instead of an over-the-hill veteran. Philippine basketball needs to move to the future. Hey, even Allen Iverson now has to sit.

> Smart Gilas won its first game in the PBA. Could it be a coincidence that it happens right after the league renders these games as no-bearing? Ok, maybe it's too soon to think of a conspiracy. After all, Coke isn't really that good anyway.

> Glen "Big Baby" Davis want to be an NFL player. I say bolt the NBA already, man. It doesn't need another big ego with too little talent to back it up, not to mention too little brains as well. Get your thumb fixed and realized that you only made that game-winner last year because they intentionally left you open. Thumbs up?

> Michael Jordan's son costs his entire university a sponsorship for breaching a contract with Adidas. I pity the guy. First, he can't play basketball without being compared to his dad. Second, he just stays loyal to his family by wearing his dad's shoes. Then, he becomes the bane of all the other athletes in his school. Damn, that sucks...

> A player from the Singapore Slingers gets into a staredown with Jerwin Gaco after Gaco steals the ball from him in an ABL game this afternoon. He obviously does not know who Gaco is and the beating he could give him on-court if he gets pissed.

Pido Goes to the 'Dogs

I was able to read in the Business Mirror today that Pido Jarencio is moving from the head coach spot of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers to the National University Bulldogs. He replaces Manny Dandan who has been there for the greater majority of ten years (Rico Perez coached for a year) and was able to lead NU to it's only appearance in the Final Four in 2002. He did this with the leadership of Alfie Grijaldo, Jeff Napa and Froilan Baguion.

This move comes as a shock to me, personally, after Coach Pido led his 2006 Cinderella UST team to the UAAP Championship during his rookie year. He was such a proud Goldie/Tiger back in his playing days when he was trading threes with Allan Caidic of UE. He brought that fiery approach to the PBA and had his best days with the Ginebra franchise. As a coach, he still carried that swagger, preaching his three P's of Pride, Puso and Palaban to his Tiger teams. There has been so much history with Jarencio and UST that it would just seem wrong not to see him in the black, gold, black, white, especially with 400 years of UST coming up. (Perhaps the only UST coach more deserving of that honor would be Aric Del Rosario, but he can't coach anymore because of his ailing heart.)

This leads us to two questions - 1) Did UST give up on Pido after falling short these last three years? 2) Were there greater forces that convinced him to move to NU? Let's go deeper...

1) It seems so sad that the school would give up so fast on a man who has rendered has service to the school with such passion and loyalty. Pido took the job in 2006 and won the title. He made the postseason all but one year, and made Jervy Cruz and Dylan Ababou into MVP's. Not pretty bad considering he also boasts of so many classic performances as a player. Not to mention, the gamut of emotion he displays in game is such pure entertainment and candidness. Could it be that some disgruntled alumni supporters are the ones actually calling for his ouster?

2) On the flip side of things, could it be that NU, boosted with the budget for the Sy's of SM have been able to buy some space into the coach's future? Players in the UAAP are tough to recruit, and these days, schools can't win without the budget to bring in some key players and provide for the "athletic and academic" needs. Maybe the coach thinks that he can build a winner with the support system he now has...

Of course, these are just things I ask. Who knows if they're real or not... This also then leaves the question, who's coaching UST? Ariel Vanguardia and Louie Alas are free agents...

PCC Struggling for Validation

The Philippine Collegiate Championship is now in its sixth year, and it is a much improved version than what started back then with the Collegiate Champions League. Previously, during the CCL days, it was basically Metro Manila schools and a couple of guest teams from Visayas and Mindanao. Now, it has grown to a much more credible tournament with schools winning to get in. The seeded Final Four teams from the UAAP and NCAA won in their respective leagues in one way or another, and champions of the "secondary" league also get a slot. Those who do not fall into this category have to qualify via the Zonals days before the actual March Madness style tournament. So, teams don't just get in because they're a big name school.

Although the format has made the tournament design to be more competitive, the results tend to prove otherwise. It is no surprise that a big school (specifically a UAAP) school has won the title all the years it has been held (UE & FEU twice, Ateneo & La Salle once). Naturally, recruitment muscle, superior grassroots programs and some would say better coaching all come to the forefront to show that the UAAP is still the best collegiate league in the country.

Aside from this lopsidedness of results though, it is validation that the PCC is struggling with. Schools and players do not provide it with the respect the organizers, including the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, desire. Understandibly, this is part of the growing pains fo the league. To the schools, their collegiate championships mean more to them and have more tradition to substantiate the win. Think about it, 6 years as compared to 72 and 95 seasons for the UAAP and NCAA respectively. So, instead of featuring the best collegiate teams and players into the country, it is morphed into something resembling more of a "Pre-season" tournament for 2010 rather than a post-season tournament of the highest stature. Schools field next year's line-ups, elevate some team B players, lose star players to the PBL, PBA or ABL and even some head coaches to commentary. Not a nice way to draw credibility as a tournament and fans if you ask me...

Now, naturally, the bigger leagues are being stiff since they have the "most to lose" due to these extra games. Injury does not pick tournaments after all. There is also the lame excuse that students should be "focusing more on their studies." C'mon. You can't expect us to believe that. Unfortunately, we can't blame them. These bodies do have heaploads to lose and no monetary prizes (yes, there are folks) can compensate for the risks underlying another league.

What the SBP should do though is provide some other form of incentive to the schools and the players. The right to compete in Serbia in behalf of the Philippines that DLSU won last yearcan be a sweet prize just as long as some training budget comes along with it. So, what I would suggest is that they scrap the outirhgt cash and instead reform it into "training budget." All schools need the expense relief anyway. Also, another suggestion I'd have is to officially name the winning school as the "National Champion" or "Philippine Champion" instead of "PCC Champion" (yes, it's redundant, I know.). There's just more substance to it, not to mention it estblishes a tradition worth keeping.

Bottom line, the PCC is experiencing growing pains, and hopefully, the leaders can get the mother leagues and teams on the train as it has the best potential as of the moment to follow in the footsteps of March Madness. On our end, maybe we can support the league more - watch some games, discuss on online forums, watch on tv even. Just helping create a buzz for it could accelarate the pace for Philippine basketball development in general. Let's go, one country!

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On a side note, the Ateneo Blue Eagles won the Unigames Basketball Championship over the sem break. Congrats to the Blue Eagles! They did it without Jai Reyes, Nonoy Baclao and Rabeh Al-Hussaini in the line-up...

Fantasy NBA: Players of the Week

The NBA started about a week ago with a kick-off by Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Cleveland. The Celtics gave the Cavs a beating, and I think they will raise banner 18 this year (if healthy).

In a parallel basketball universe though, Fantasy Basketball Season has started. Here, the intensity and intangibles don't matter. It's all about the numbers... I'm starting a feature here ala Rick Kamla and will give you my starting 5 as well as fantasy surprises for the week, given a PBA-twist though... And now!

The Director (Point Guard)!
Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) - 1.00 FT%, 2.0 3Pt FGM, 18.4 PPG, 14.0 APG
Nash posted back-to-back games of 20 and 18 assists this last week, confirming that indeed the run and gun Suns are back. Naturally, with that pace and his aggressiveness, there is a risk of high turnovers (4.3 TPG). But, the bad comes with the good, and you live with the TOs. Hey, Nash even managed to sneak a game-winner this week over the Clippers.

The Skywalker (Shooting Guard)!
Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics) - 3.3 3Pt FGM, 21.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG

The Celtic captain has a lot of talk to back-up after he called the Lakers and Magic a german shepherd and a poodle during the Finals. So far, he has backed it up with the Celtics posting an undefeated record and his stats establishing again that he is just as important to banner 18 as Garnett is. The steals are what sets his averages so far apart as he is known to be a good defender, but it has not provided the numbers. So far though, they're there.

The Triggerman (Small Forward)!
Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) - 1.0 3Pt FGM, 37.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.3 APG

Carmelo has been making a statement that he is all-world by showing the heart and effort which people often criticized him about when compared to draft batchmates Wade and James. Possibly the most versatile scorer in the league now, Melo has been doing it all over the floor for 37.7 PPG - 3's, mid-range, high-post, low-post. For those that missed it, look for his poster on Paul Millsap on youtube.

Captain Lionheart (Power Forward)!
Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors) - 1.0 3Pt FGM, 31.0 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 2.3 APG

CB4 is probably the best NBA video-maker, and he is also a free agent this year and people predict he will be the one bolting to tag team with Wade or LeBron. He is making no jokes and instead a statement so far that indeed he is worth the cap space by posting crazy averages in the first week. Of course, people are still asking more from the D (1.3 combined SPG and BPG), but I would take his 30-15's any day.

Tower of Power (Center)!
Channing Frye (Phoenix Suns) - 4.3 3Pt FGM, 19.7 PPG, 2.0 SPG

Stepping in for the departed Shaq and the injured Robin Lopez, Frye converts unconventional stats for your starting center. He shoots 3's and does not come up with blocks. He is definitely benefiting from the Suns offense and playing with Nash, making people think "Why did the Knicks give this guy up?" Now, he has a chance to make a name for himself, and he is a great complement to Amare if they want to try for a playoff run.


For the Surprise of the Week, we go to New York!
Danilo Gallinari (New York Knicks) - 6.0 3Pt FGM, 22.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG

I don't know about you, but 6 3's a game is no joke. The Italian Stallion (all pardon to Rocky Balboa) is making New York seem like a viable option for James, Bosh and Wade as he shows that they are not rebuilding. The obvious beneficiary of D'Antoni's Seven Seconds or Less, Gallinari will be starting at PF in place of Al Harrington, so we can expect him to be posting numbers consistently, making him and David Lee the most fun white boy combo in the NBA.



And those were the Fantasy studs this week. Can we expect these numbers to be this high consistently? Maybe not as teams will tune in to them, but if you're still waiting on some drafts, they might be worth getting before anybody realizes their value. More on these next week, and hope to see your teams alive come Week 24.

PBA Getting Selfish

It's been recently released that the PBA will no longer count games against the Smart Gilas National Team against all the PBA teams' records. This means that all games with Gilas will purely be exhibition and for seasoning.

I think this is a bad idea... And I believe that the PBA is getting selfish in doing so. Why?

1) Pro teams will hold back their starters against Gilas since the games no longer matter.

Let's face it. Once you get to the pros, basketball becomes a business and you logically decrease the risk in your assets (players). So, teams will hold back on fielding their best players in the game. They'll just put them in long enough to ensure the win and then, it's bench mob time. Naturally, less minutes on-court means less time for injuries. The exposure to second- and third-stringers is no push-over task still for the Gilas boys, but the progress they will gain will be significantly decreased. Thus, those minutes are lost opportunities for Gilas to get better.

2) The PBA would like to lessen untoward incidents between their players during Gilas games.

This is the PBA's way of becoming preventive, I would guess after the Arboleda incident. What I say is let them play it out and exert their own discipline. Yes, PBA players having chips on their shoulders, roughing up the Gilas boys might be temptations for suspensions, but they are already professionals. It's part of their job to stay under control or else face the necessary sanctions. Let them learn their own discipline.

Also, the international game is filled with physical play. Being unused to this is what did in Philippine teams of old and even the United States years before thier Redeem Team program. Let the Gilas boys be roughed up and let them learn that they have to push back. Maybe this is only when the team would start gaining a swagger and confidence that's needed in the international game.

Bottom line, I know that the PBA is running a business, but to get back to our status as an Asian basketball power, we all need to pay our dues as a country. Being the best league in the country, I hope that the PBA starts seeing that they should be leading the way. Their players might no longer comprise the team, but the "kanya-kanya" attitude does not help at all. We're all just under one flag, one nation...