2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals Roundup: December 27-28, 2012 AND The Top Stories of 2012

San Mig Coffee survived Game 5 against the Elasto-Painters, while the Tropang Texters found a way to neutralize the Aces. Both series will end in 2013.

Feel free to read the nicely-written game recaps by Rey Joble further down in this post. For now, however, let’s look back at the year that was and the biggest news bits from PBA.

Powerade and Rain or Shine -- Rise of theUnderdogs: In the 2010-2011 season, the Coca-Cola/Powerade Tigers and the Rain or Shine Elasto-Painters combined for a total of just 25 wins out of 71 games. Not a lot of people were expecting them to burst through the 2011-2012 season as title contenders, but that’s exactly what they were able to do.

Bolstered by the entry of several impressive rookies, Marcio Lassiter and JV Casio of Powerade and Paul Lee of ROS, both teams advanced deep into the 2011-2012 Philippine Cup Playoffs by eliminating higher-seeded opponents. They then faced off in the semifinals, which went all the way to seven games. The Tigers, led by the sniping of veteran Gary David, won the rubber match, 107-98, to barge into the Finals opposite the powerhouse Talk N Text squad. The Tigers eventually lost to the deeper Texters, but their emergence did not go unnoticed. The Tigers were to be a feared team all throughout the rest of the season.

Gary David caught fire throughout the whole 2011-2012
season of the PBA.

In contrast, the Painters’ semifinal exit seemed to light a fire in them that burned brightly and culminated in their glory-filled 2012 Governors’ Cup run. Coach Yeng Guiao’s crew, backstopped by Best Import winner Jamelle Cornley, won all but one game in the eliminations before advancing outright to the Championship round with a 10-4 slate after the semis.

Facing the Painters were the B-Meg Llamados, and it was a Championship series to remember. ROS went up 3-1 after beating B-Meg, 94-89, in Game Four, but the Llamados surged in the next two matches to force a Game Seven. Cornely led the Painters in this deciding encounter with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Jeff Chan emerged as the Finals MVP.

The leaders of Powerade and ROS – Gary David, Gabe Norwood, and Jeff Chan – were eventually assimilated into the revamped Smart-Gilas roster that won the 2012 Jones Cup. Strangely enough, the Tigers eventually blew up their roster (see below) by trading away Marcio Lassiter, JV Casio, and Sean Anthony, but the Painters remained solid moving into the new PBA season.

The NBA: Rounding Up the Top Stories of 2012

2012 was a banner year for the NBA. After the tumultuous and lockout-impaired year of 2011, 2012 was a breath of fresh air. More than that, actually – 2012 was a venerable shot of adrenaline. It pumped up fans all over the world after the grave uncertainties in the second half of 2011. And although the consensus most-hated team of all time won the title (see below), the truncated, 66-game, 2011-2012 season still went down as one of the most electrifying. There are other news pieces, however, that are also worth a second look, which is exactly what we’ll do right now.

Linsanity: After Jeremy Lin scored a combined 89 points in his first three career starts for the New York Knicks early in 2012, then teammate Steve Novak had this to say: “After the first game, it was, ‘wow, he played great.’ After the second game, it was ‘wow, he’s really stepping up.’ After the third game, he started making believers out of everyone. After this game … I know it’s early, but he keeps getting better every game. It’s real. I’m saying in the next game, he might score 50. I feel like I’m a part of history.”

And that statement sums up the craze that overwhelmed pretty much the whole basketballworld when Jeremy Lin, out of nowhere (literally and figuratively), just dropped a bomb and shocked everyone with his strong play. Because Lin represented the myriad of Cinderella hopefuls in the sporting world, because he was from Harvard, because he was of Asian decent, because he hit a game-winner against Toronto, because he unloaded a ton of points on the Lakers, and because of a plethora of other unexpected things, he became a phenomenon. Not just in sports, mind you. One doesn’t go on the cover of Time magazine by being just a good sports story after all. He eventually got a heckuva contract from the Rockets, and now he has taken the Linsanity to the very heart of Texas.

Jeremy Lin's meteoric rise to stardom was definitely
one of the top stories of 2012.
(image from Time.com/Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

  

Derrick Rose tears his ACL: Derrick Rose was supposed to follow-up his MVP season (2010-2011) with another season to remember. He was supposed to lord it over the league and lead the resurgent Bulls to a plateau they haven’t reached since the Jordan years. Instead, Rose slogged through the 2011-2012 season with injury after injury, all culminating in that unfortunate moment in Game 1 of the Playoffs against the eighth-seeded Sixers. Rose jumped, passed the ball to Carlos Boozer on the wing, fell awkwardly, and never returned. He tore his ACL. The MVP was down for the count.

One of his Sixer foes, Evan Turner, had these kind words to say, "I definitely hope he keeps his spirits up. You never want to see that happen, especially to someone who represents the league so well."

More than the fact that a superstar tore his ACL, this was deeply grave because of the fact it was Rose. He was the purported antithesis to the mercenary-like player movements of 2010 and 2011. He represented the homegrown hero who just might rise to the very top and take his entire hometown with him. The big thought bubble now, of course, is how well he can recover from such a debilitating injury, if at all.

The NBA: Different Directions: LA Clippers vs. Brooklyn Nets and Chris Paul vs. Deron Williams

The Fates can be kind and cruel at the same time, and right now that can be seen in the different directions being taken by the Los Angeles Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets.

As of this writing, the Clippers have gone 15 games deep into December and have NOT lost yet this month. Not even one game. Utah came awfully close today, but the Clips rallied from 19 down to pull the rug from under the Jazz. Because of their immaculate performance so far, the Clippers have gained not just the top spot out West, but in the whole league.

Of course, a lot of things are going well for coach Vinny Del Negro, but the biggest reason, without a doubt, is the fact that Chris Paul is having a great season. His current numbers prove that he deserved being named to the All-NBA First Team last year. CP3 is norming 16.2ppg, 9.4apg, and 2.6spg, while shooting 47% from the field and 89% from the stripe. Overall, he’s #1 in steals and #2 in assists. His production has also made him the best overall point guard in the league in terms of simple player efficiency. At this rate, and if the Clips continue winning, then CP3 might be a major player in the MVP discussion once again.

Chris Paul's high-level play has helped the Clippers
notch the top spot in the whole league.
(image by Harry How/Getty Images)

In contrast to the fortunes of Lob City and Paul, the new-look Nets and their most high profile cager, Deron Williams, have gone on a downward spiral. As of this writing, the Brooklyn quintet that started the season 11-4 has slowed down significantly. At just one game above .500, the Nets are now sitting at 7^th place in the East. Based on some reports, their morale is low and the ouster of erstwhile head coach Avery Johnson might make the locker room situation a little trickier than it already is. Replacing AJ, at least until the Nets tire of him, too, is PJ Carlesimo.

Just as coach Del Negro has an all-world point guard leading the Clippers, coach Carlesimo has a similarly talented playmaker leading the Nets – at least on paper. AJ’s shortcomings notwithstanding, one of the main reasons Mikhail Prokhorov’s squad isn’t performing up to par is the underwhelming play of Williams. The former Utah Jazz floor general is averaging 16.6ppg, 3.0rpg, and 7.8apg, while shooting just 40% from the floor – all well below D-Will’s career averages. Williams has expressed his position that AJ’s isolation-heavy offense is a big reason for his below-par play, but such finger-pointing tactics should be reserved only for cannots and has beens, not superstars. At this point, it’s clear that, no matter who the coach is, the Nets’ collective destiny rests on whether or not Williams can overcome his current circumstances and lead the squad to new heights.

The Clippers and the Nets. Paul and Williams. Two teams. Two point guards. Two different directions. When the season sees its end, who will gain the Fates’ favor, and who will earn their ire?

2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals Roundup: December 27-28, 2012

The Alaska Aces continued their surprisingly strong run in the 2012 PBA Philippine Cup Playoffs, whereas the San Mig Coffe Mixers were pushed to the brink of elimination.

James Yap rebounded from a subpar Game 3 to post 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists in Game 4 against Rain or Shine, but even that wasn’t enough to tow the Mixers to victory. PJ Simon and Joe Devance backstopped Yap with a combined 29 points, but, as a team, the Mixers shot poorly from the floor, converting just 39% of their attempts. Yap, Devance, Mark Barroca, and Jonas Villanueva accounted for 30 of SMC’s 43 misses. Barroca and Villanueva only made one FG between them.

On the other end of the floor, the Painters leaned on a more balanced distribution of the scoring load, especially since chief gunner Paul Lee struggled with his shot. Lee, the Rookie-of-the-Year last season, wound up with just 2 markers on 1-of-7 shooting from the field. Lee played just 15 minutes for coach Yeng Guiao.

His teammates didn’t really mind picking up the slack, though. The backcourt quartet of Gabe Norwood, Ryan Araña, Jeff Chan, and Chris Tiu all took turns puncturing the basket for the Painters. They finished with 14, 13, 12, and 10 points respectively. Ronnie Matias also came up big, scoring all his 8 points in the second half to keep the Mixers at bay. The Painters are now just a win away from booking a ticket to the Philippine Cup Finals.

In the other game, the Aces continued playing physical basketball to frustrate the heavily-favored Texters in Game 4. Despite having 6 players finish in double-digits, Talk N Text wasn’t able to dispose of Alaska, which was paced by the backcourt duo of JV Casio and Cyrus Baguio. Casio and Baguio paired up for 40 points on the strength of 6 treys as the Aces tied up their semifinal series at 2 games apiece, which made it a virtual best-of-three affair.

Cyrus Baguio bucked the fine imposed on him by the
league and torched the Texters with sharp sniping.

Rookie sensation Calvin Abueva also racked up monster stats, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Likewise, DonDon Hontiveros and Mac Baracael stepped up with 13 and 12 markers respectively. Despite getting outrebounded, 40-53, by the Texters, the Aces were more efficient on the offensive end, making nearly 47% of their shots while limiting TNT to a lowly 39% success rate.

Even with twin spitfires Jimmy Alapag and Jayson Castro putting up a combined 33 points, the Tropang Texters of coach Norman Black now find themselves in a dogfight for the right to stay alive in the war for the Philippine Cup.

The NBA: Let’s Grade the Last Ten Rookies-of-the-Year! – Part Two

Yesterday, I looked at the Rookies-of-the-Year from 2002-2006. Today, I’ll finish the list by looking at the most recent 5 ROYs. I’ll also grade them based on the following criteria:

-       Have their numbers increased or decreased after their rookie year? (We’ll compare their rookie season stats with their overall career stats)

-       How often have they been able to lead their respective teams to the Playoffs?

-       What other citations and awards have they received so far?

-       How many NBA Championships have they won?

-       Have they succeeded or failed in meeting expectations? Or have they exceeded them?

2007 ROY: Kevin Durant (SEA)

Rookie Year Stats: 20.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.4apg, 1.0spg, 0.9bpg

Career Stats: 26.3ppg, 6.6rpg, 2.8apg, 1.2spg, 1.0bpg

NBA Playoffs Appearances: Three – 2010-2012

Awards:

-       NBA All-Star: 2010-2012

-       NBA Scoring Champion: 2010-2012

-       All-NBA First Team: 2010-2012

-       NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2012

NBA Championships: Zero

Overall Assessment: Considering how about 90% of the pre-draft talk in 2007 revolved around the impending greatness of Ohio State’s Greg Oden, it can be considered quite unexpected that Durant became the undisputed greatest talent to come out of this batch. It was a bit of a shock to see him become one of the NBA’s best scorers in his rookie year, but to see him progress into, currently, one of the top two players in the game bar none is nothing short of spectacular. The only thing making me NOT write down “exceeded expectations” is the fact that he hasn’t won the regular season MVP award – yet. So, for now, I’ll simply say that KD has, in the most spectacular way possible, met expectations.

Kevin Durant ran away with the 2007 ROY after Greg Oden
went down with a career-defining injury.
(image by Alonzo Adams/AP)

2008 ROY: Derrick Rose (CHI)

Rookie Year Stats: 16.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 6.3apg, 0.8spg, 0.2bpg

Career Stats: 21.0ppg, 3.8rpg, 6.8apg, 0.9spg, 0.4bpg

NBA Playoffs Appearances: Four – 2009-2012

Awards:

• NBA Most Valuable Player: 2011
• All-NBA First Team: 2011
• NBA All-Star: 2010, 2011, 2012

NBA Championships: Zero

Overall Assessment: It was not a big surprise Rose won ROY in 2008-2009, since he was considered the #1 PG prospect in the 2008 Draft. What really surprised everyone was how far he has come in only four seasons. The Bulls have gone to the Playoffs EVERY year he’s played, and he’s the youngest MVP ever. Not Jordan. Not Kobe. Not LBJ. The only thing that’s really preventing me from saying Rose has surpassed all expectations is one little blimp – his ACL injury. How will he return from it? Will he be the same? Will he be better? Will he be a shadow of his former self? Because of such uncertainties, I’ll play it safe and balance things out by saying D-Rose has met expecations.

The NBA: Let’s Grade the Last Ten Rookies-of-the-Year! – Part One

With both Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis expected to figure in one of the tightest Rookie-of-the-Year races in years, I got to thinking – how have the most recent ROYs actually done? How have their careers panned out?

In this post, I’ll look at the ROYs from 2002-2006. I’ll also grade them based on the following criteria:

-       Have their numbers increased or decreased after their rookie year? (We’ll compare their rookie season stats with their overall career stats)

-       How often have they been able to lead their respective teams to the Playoffs?

-       What other citations and awards have they received so far?

-       How many NBA Championships have they won?

-       Have they succeeded or failed in meeting expectations? Or have they exceeded them?

2002 ROY: Amar’e Stoudemire (PHX)

Rookie Year Stats: 13.5ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.0apg, 0.8spg, 1.1bpg

Career Stats: 21.6ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.5apg, 0.9spg, 1.4bpg

NBA Playoffs Appearances: Seven – 2003, 2005, 2007-2008, 2010-2012

Awards:

-       NBA All-Star: 2005, 2007–11

-       All-NBA First Team: 2007

-       All-NBA Second Team: 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011

NBA Championships: Zero

Overall Assessment: Amar’e has always been regarded as a top-tier big man. His combination of height and mobility is rare even in the highest level of basketball. There are, however, two main issues with him – his knee problems and his inability to transcend from top-tier/All-Star to championship-caliber/all-time great. Considering how eight other guys were picked ahead of him in the 2002 Draft, though, including Nikoloz Tsikitishvili, Dajuan Wagner, and Chris Wilcox, it’s safe to say that Amar’e Stoudemire has exceeded expectations.

2003 ROY: LeBron James (CLE)

Rookie Year Stats: 20.9ppg, 5.5rpg, 5.9apg, 1.6spg, 0.7bpg

Career Stats: 27.6ppg, 7.2rpg, 6.8apg, 1.7spg, 0.8bpg

NBA Playoffs Appearances: Seven – 2006-2012

Awards:

-       NBA Finals MVP: 2012

-       NBA Most Valuable Player: 2009-2010, 2012

-       NBA Scoring Champion: 2008

-       NBA All-Star Game MVP: 2006, 2008

-       NBA All-Star: 2005-2012

-       All-NBA First Team: 2006, 2008-2012

-       All-NBA Second Team: 2005, 2007

-       NBA All-Defensive First Team: 2009-2012

NBA Championships: One - 2012

Overall Assessment: If I wrote this last year, I would’ve happily said that he fell short of expectations, but now that he possesses a genuine NBA Championship ring, I can grudgingly say that he has met expectations. The only reason I’m holding back on saying LBJ has exceeded expectations is simply because the expectations of him are extraordinarily stratospheric. One title – in a truncated season – might not be enough to put him right up there with Jordan, Bird, Magic, Wilt, Kareem, and, yes, Kobe. He needs to continue breaking records and winning titles to have a clear shot. Judging by his current production, however, I’m quite sure that LeBron’s trajectory is certainly good enough to eventually exceed expectations.

LeBron James's career might go down in history as
one of the best ones ever.
(image by Chuck Burton/AP)

2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals Roundup: December 25-26, 2012

Christmas wasn’t kind to everyone in the 2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals.

The Alaska Aces and the San Mig Coffee Mixers were seemingly included in Santa’s naughty list as they each received sound beatings at the hands of the Talk N Text Tropang Texters and Rain or Shine Elasto-Painters respectively.

Once again, SMC’s James Yap struggled from the floor, converting just 1 of his 11 field goals, and, consequently, his team struggled to find its rhythm, too. As a team, the Mixers shot only 38% from the field, while the Painters’ success rate was at 46%. San Mig was also clobbered in almost every other aspect of the game, with ROS beating them in rebounds, assists, and steals. Coach Yeng Guiao’s wards also turned the ball over a lot fewer times.

Five guys finished in double-figures for the Painters, led by Paul Lee, Jervy Cruz, and Jeff Chan, who scored 15, 14, and 13 points respectively. In contrast, only PJ Simon was consistently on-target for SMC. Simon ended up with 22 markers on 9-of-14 shooting. Jireh Ibañes of ROS was named the Player of the Game, since he was principally responsible for putting the clamps on Yap.

Paul Lee's stroke was as smooth as velvet again as
the Elasto-Painters drubbed the Mixers.

A day after, the Texters rebounded from their Game 2 defeat by rolling past the Aces. After trailing by 5 points when the first period closed, coach Norman Black’s boys turned up the heat and rallied in the second frame to take a 5-point lead at halftime. They continued to be successful in the second half even as the Aces repeatedly tried to mount a counter-offensive.

Sonny Thoss registered a double-double for the second time in the series, finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds, but even that was not enough for the Aces to get the jump on the Texters. Thoss’s awesome numbers were tempered by two things: the subpar play of both Calvin Abueva and JV Casio, and the twin explosions of TNT’s Kelly Williams and Larry Fonacier.

Abueva and Casio, both of whom led Alaska in its Game 2 win, were limited to just 7 and 4 points respectively. They shot a combined 3-of-16 from the floor as the Aces found the going difficult after the first canto. On the other end, Williams and Fonacier paired up for 44 points and 14 rebounds as TNT went up 2-1 in the series. Their production was backstopped by former Gilas players Ranidel De Ocampo and Jimmy Alapag. De Ocampo tossed in a dozen markers to go along with 7 boards, while Alapag added 11 assists to compensate for scoring just 4 points.

The NBA: Power Rankings: Week 8

Happy Holidays from Hoop Nut! The NBA keeps on going even during the holidays (did you enjoy that 5-game Christmas Special?) and the Power Rankings are right there with the Association.

The LA Clippers are undefeated in December with 3 games to go before the New Year. They are the best team in the NBA and their 14 straight wins make it no argument. The next longest win streak is at 5 games (Heat, Lakers, Raptors).

The Lakers are starting to show signs of playing decent basketball. The return of Steve Nash has made them watchable and Kobe Bryant continues to score in the 30s. Pau Gasol is at his best when making passes at the high post and shooting down low.

The Heat won their Finals rematch with the Thunder but things could be different come playoffs. The Nets are reeling and have lost 7 of their last 10. The Bulls were a no-show versus the Rockets.

Dirk Nowitzki is back with the Mavs while Amare is projected to make his season debut sooner rather than later. Andrew Bynum and John Wall still have no time tables on their return. The bottom of the standings and rankings have been consistent in the last 2 weeks with very minimal movement.

The standings are current up to December 26. The rankings from last week refer to Week 7.

Chris Paul and the Clippers have blown by their opponents in
14 straight games. How long can they keep this up?
(Image by: Associated Press)

1. Los Angeles Clippers | 22-6 | Last Week: 2 | +1
The Clippers have the longest winning streak at 14 games and they have the largest winning margin. The Clips won 10 of the 14 games by double digits. They are 2nd in assists and 3rd in team defense. Their bench has been superb and a perfect example: Clippers are 19-1 when Matt Barnes scores at least 10 points. Wow.

2. Miami Heat | 19-6 | Last Week: 4 | +2
The Heat has beaten the Thunder in 5 straight games going into last season. Their defense has held opposition below 100 in their last 8 games. LBJ was named Eastern Player of the Week for the 3rd time. Their 5-game win streak could easily turn to 8 with the next 3 games: Bobcats, Pistons and Magic. The Big 3 are all shooting over 51% from the floor.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder | 21-6 | Last Week: 2 | -1
They still cant beat the Heat and now they have their first losing streak of the season. Kevin Durant is still a close 2nd to LBJ in PER and in MVP positioning. Russell Westbrook has a career-high 8+ assists per game but he is shooting only 40% and also taking more shots than KD. Kevin Martin has been scoring but his defensive rotations need work.

4. San Antonio Spurs | 21-8 | Last Week: 7 | +3
The Spurs have Kawhi Leonard back and they have won 2 straight since his return. Manu Ginobili is also back on the floor and a healthy Spurs team will always be among the best in the West. Tim Duncan is a legitimate candidate for DPOY with his 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game at his advance age of 36.

5. New York Knicks | 20-8 | Last Week: 3 | -2
The Knicks lost their rematch with the Lakers on Christmas and they are 2-3 in their last 5 games, all without Sheed. Who would have thought that Rasheed Wallace being out for 3 weeks could impact the winning ways of the Knicks? Amare will be back soon and projected to come off the bench. Melo continues to shoot well from downtown, a career-high 43%.

The NBA: Steve Nash, Jeremy Lin, and Mario Chalmers – The Guards Who Played Big on Christmas Day 2012

Steve Nash’s return continued to bolster the Los Angeles Lakers’ drive, Jeremy Lin’s recent strong play helped Houston upend Chicago, and Mario Chalmers had his best game of the season yet in Miami’s big win over the Thunder.

Three different guards. Three different stories. Three different ways to win.

Steve Nash, the two-time MVP, played his second game back after his leg injury, and he didn’t disappoint one bit. He poured in 16 points on 7-of-12 FG shooting, playing 38 minutes as LA’s starting playmaker. He also dished out 11 dimes while grabbing 6 rebounds as the Lakeshow displayed just how good they can be when all four of their future Hall-of-Famers are playing well. With Nash’s superb quarterbacking, Kobe Bryant also didn’t need to do much aside from scoring. Kobe finished with 34 markers and only 1 assist, but there’s no doubt he’s happy to walk away with a W – the Lakers’ fifth straight.

Steve Nash seems to be the glue who can
keep the Lakers' deep pool of talent together.
(image by Alex Gallardo/AP)

Jeremy Lin, meanwhile, left no doubt about who the Rockets’ #1 playmaker is, putting up 20 points and 11 assists while having one of his best shooting games of the season. The Taiwanese-American converted 8 of his 12 field goals and made all 4 of his freebies. Lin has been on-target of late, shooting better than 58% from the floor, and that obviously bolds well for Houston’s chances. He’s also been a more balanced point guard, distributing the rock better than he did at the start of the season. In the past three games, all of which were Houston victories, Lin has normed 9.3 assists per outing. Suddenly, the voices doubting his lofty contract have become silent, and if Lin becomes consistent, then perhaps he will meet his potential sooner rather than later.

Out east, Mario Chalmers entered the nationally televised Heat-Thunder match shooting poorly from beyond the arc. He did make 4 treys against the T-Wolves last week, but his success rate has dropped to only 20% since then. Against OKC, however, Super Mario busted out the big guns and showcased the form that made his production so critical in the 2012 Finals. Chalmers shot 8-of-14 from the floor, including 4 triples, while also collaring 3 boards and handing out a couple of assists. He thoroughly outplayed his counterpart on the other end, Russell Westbrook, who missed 14 shots and turned the ball over 5 times. If Chalmers can untangle himself from his usual boom-or-bust self and find some measure of consistency, then it’s a no-brainer that the Heat have the inside track to another romp all the way to the NBA Playoffs.

This Christmas, How About We Have REAL Unity in Philippine Basketball?

With the Smart-Gilas 2.0 (or is it 2.01?) roster finally being released, any self-respecting fan of Philippine Basketball cannot help but swell with national pride and, at the same time, cringe with a mouthful of vomit.

The team coach Chot Reyes has built is rag-tag at best, but it will have to do, given the current circumstances. He has had to make do with the cards dealt to him – such unfortunate cards at that – and, to be honest, he could’ve done much worse.

Coach Chot Reyes has his work cut out for him just a few months
removed from his big win in the 2012 Jones Cup.

Before I continue on with this thinly-veiled yuletide rant, let me say this as a warning to coach Chot – sir, you are being fattened for the slaughter. I mean that not with any hint of sarcasm or condescension.

Only blunt truth and genuine concern.

And a little trifle with a pun.

The NBA: Happy Holidays from the Association

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us here at Hoop Nut! Happy Holidays coming from the NBA as they unveil 5 games for our consumption on Christmas Day starting at 12 noon and ending until 1 pm Eastern time on the 26th! I wish everyday was like this! I know what I'll be doing on the 25th, how about you?

Here's a preview on the upcoming games with the predicted winner. 

The highlight game of the Christmas Day Special features
the rematch of the OKC Thunder and Miami Heat
(Image by: NBA.com)

GAME 1: Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets
This will be the 3rd meeting of 4 games between the Atlantic division rivals. The Nets have a 2-0 series edge where Game 2 featured some shoving matches and the ejection of Rajon Rondo which ended his 10+ assists consecutive games streak at 37. The fracas started between Kevin Garnett and Kris Humphries and that will be a match-up worth watching if Humphries gets to play. He missed the last game of the Nets with an abdominal injury. Well, if Hump does not play, Garnett versus Reggie Evans or Andre Blatche is a nice under card.

Deron Williams continues to shoot horribly (39%) while Joe Johnson has started to get better at 42%, while Paul Pierce has been scorching hot in his last 2 games averaging 37.5 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists on 67% shooting. Avery Bradley could make his season debut and that makes it harder for Williams and Johnson to get their offense started. A win is crucial here since both teams are at least 5.5 games behind the NY Knicks for the division lead.

Prediction: Celtics win because Rondo loves playing in the national stage and a triple-double could happen. Plus, Rondo has been a much better point guard than Deron Williams all-season long. 

The NBA: My (nearly) 2-Year Old Daughter Trumps DeMarcus Cousins

I’ve had it with DeMarcus Cousins.

After actinglike a 2-year old in 2010-2011 and acting like a 3-year old in 2011-2012, it seems the impossible has happened – the former Kentucky Wildcat has regressed back into his 2-year old self.

Check that, I believe I’m insulting all 2-year olds out there, my little 23-month old daughter included. I mean, toddlers don’t ever get suspended for anything foolish they do because, well, they’re toddlers. One expects them to be foolish and act like, er, babies.

But Cousins is different. He’s all of 22 years old and STILL my daughter seems more mature than him. I tell my kid to stand in the corner when she does something a little too foolish (like drop the iPad – wait, who handed it to her anyway?!), and she does it. She goes to the corner. She stands for a few seconds and flashes me her adorably cute can-you-let-me-play-now-papa face. Of course I let her.

Cousins, on the other hand, is petulant to the core. Keith Smart scolds him for being ineffective, which Cousins has been in varying degrees and at varying times this season, and he yells back, hurling profanities without thinking of the consequences. Without thinking if he has a case in the first place. Without minding his place. Methinks he could be related to Latrell Sprewell.

Then Cousins gets benched for the rest of the game and gets suspended INDEFINITELY.

I hate the fact I had faith he’d break out this season. I hate the fact I picked him as my keeper instead of Jrue Holiday or Rudy Gay. Stupid me – I guess I deserve him after all.

Get this – DeMarcus Cousins is so friggin’ bad he makes Andew Bynum look like a squeaky-clean boy scout. And what has Cousins done of late? He fired his agentand hired someone who, historically, has had bad relations with the Kingsorganization.

Cue the slow clap.

A 2-year old in a 22-year old’s body. And here I thought the NBA had a minimum age limit.

DeMarcus Cousins gets himself in hot water AGAIN after
having yet ANOTHER altercation with a DIFFERENT Kings coach.
(image by Steve Yeater/AP)

2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals Roundup: December 21, 2012

The world didn’t end last night. Instead, things started to really get interesting in the 2012 PBA Philippine Cup as both the Aces and the Mixers tied up their respective semifinals series at 1-game apiece.

James Yap once again lived up to his moniker, “Big Game James,” by having, easily, his best game of the conference. The former UE Red Warrior dropped 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, both conference-highs for him, on the Painters, who were looking to go up, 2-0, after beating SMC in Game One. Yap shot 52% from the field, including rifling in 7 treys, in this important game. Along the way, he allayed fears that the injury he got in the first game would further hamper his performance. Mark Barroca and Joe Devance also stepped up big, scoring 17 markers each, even as PJ Simon continued to be a steady contributor with 13 points.

James Yap sizzled with 34 points as the Mixers
drew 1-1 with the Painters.

In the main game, a couple of young guns took over in leading Alaska past the deep, veteran-laden TNT roster. Super sophomore JV Casio and rookie sensation Calvin Abueva paired up for 42 big points as the Aces squared their series with the top-seeded Texters. Casio shot just 5-of-11 from the floor, but all those five makes were threes. He also was a flawless 7-of-7 from the stripe. Abuevae, for his part, grabbed 14 rebounds, easily outplaying any frontliner coach Norman Black tried to throw at him. Veteran Aces Cyrus Baguio and Sonny Thoss continued to be reliable, too, with 18 and 13 markers respectively.

The NBA: Oldies But Goodies – The Top Three Old Guys in the Association

Let’s put things in perspective here.

Around the same time Tim Duncan entered Wake Forest University in 1993, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist came into this world. Now MKG is a little over 19 years old, averaging 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game as a rookie for the Charlotte Bobcats. Meanwhile, Duncan, now in his fifteenth season in the pro game, is still lording it over the opposition, norming nearly 18 points, more than 10 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per outing. Statistically speaking, and despite being a few months away from his 37^th birthday, he’s having his best season since ’07-’08.

Tim Duncan is still too good to be called old, even
if he IS nearly 37 years old.
(image by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Duncan, however, doesn’t have a monopoly on the “oldie but goodie” tag. Two Boston Celtics have also been defying Father Time to continue towing the Big Green – Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

Once a high-flying big man who could get past slower 4s and 5s with impunity, Kevin Garnett has had to redefine his game since becoming a Celtic in 2007. The big guy blow-bys have become few and far between, and the 15-20-foot jumpers have become more ubiquitous.

That is, after all, the way to survive in this game. One’s athleticism can only take him so far. Eventually, he will have to adapt, and there’s hardly a better example than KG. His current numbers: 15.4ppg, 7.0rpg, 2.0apg, while shooting 53.8% from the field. For any guy, those stats would already be mighty impressive, but for someone who was drafted straight out of HS in 1995 – he IS the poster boy for prep-to-pros – those stats are outright amazing.

KG’s own teammate, Paul Pierce, is also another great example of a player who has had to adjust in order to keep up with the times. Whereas TD or KG might still do well draining mid-rangers and simply holding down younger bucks in the post, Pierce has had to contend with a never-ending influx of speedy and shifty swingmen. He continues to run after shooters, and to move laterally against the Melos and LeBrons. And he still does them better than most guys.

Paul Pierce, at 35 years old, is still one of the most dangerous
swingmen in the world.
(image by Elise Amendola/AP)

Pierce’s numbers: 20.4ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.6apg, and 1.6spg. Like TD and KG, Pierce will remain a strong contender for an All-Star spot this season, and maybe a couple more seasons after. Eventually, however, these three will have to call it quits and hang up their jerseys. When that happens, the younger set can look back at three guys who have managed to transcend the usual limits of NBA careers.

Duncan, Garnett, and Pierce. Three sure fire Hall-of-Famers. Three living legends. Three champions. Three oldies, but goodies.

The NBA: Lillard and Lin – Guards of the Future

Niether Damian Lillard nor Jeremy Lin will finish the regular season as the top point guard in the NBA. That spot is reserved for the likes of Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Tony Parker, but a few years down the line, either or both Lillard and Lin should become part of that group. Both guys, having a combined age of 46 years (just 6 years more than the current oldest active player – New York’s Kurt Thomas), have about a handful more seasons before they hit their physical prime, and that is an exciting proposition for Portland and Houston fans.

Lillard was picked #6 overall this year. Coming out of Weber State, which isn’t exactly the most renowned US NCAA basketball program around, Lillard surprised many by being tagged so high in the lottery, but he’s making the Portland front office look like geniuses with his consistently strong play. The former Wildcat is norming nearly 19 points, over 6 assists, and more than 1 steal per game. He’s in the running for Rookie of the Year honors, if not leading the race entirely. The 22-year old is currently 9^th overall in three-pointers made (including a nice dagger three that beat the Hornets a few nights ago), 16^th overall in total points scored, and 10^th among point guards in terms of efficiency rating. Together with LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, Lillard should make the Blazers really dangerous for years to come.

Damian Lillard's game-winner to beat the New Orleans Hornets
provides a glimpse into his bright future.
(image by Bruce Ely/AP)

A team that’s already quite dangerous is the Houston Rockets. Just ask their latest victims – the Philadelphia 76ers and the East-leading New York Knicks. At the forefront of Houston’s seeming renaissance, of course, is former OKC Thunder James Harden, but one guy who has been a major contributor is Harden’s backcourt mate, himself a former Knick, Jeremy Lin.

We can still recall how Lin burst into the scene as a patchwork player for the Knicks earlier in 2012. He almost single-handedly turned the ship around for NYK and created what would forever be remembered as “Linsanity.” We can also recall how, despite his contributions, New York let him go in a surprisingly nonchalant manner before the 2012-2013 campaign.

A couple of nights ago, the Harvard grad returned to the Garden with aplomb, scoring 22 points and dishing out 8 assists as the Rockets handed the Knicks their first home loss of the season. Lin has actually been criticized for his inconsistent play, but his flashes of brilliance are undeniably appealing. Two nights after the NY win, Lin dropped 18 and 6 on the Suns as Houston got its fourth win in the last five contests. In his last two games, Line shot better than 62% from the floor. This was the guy who, just a week ago, also dropped 38 on Tony Parker and the Spurs (Houston lost by 8, though).

He might not yet get the nod for an All-Star slot out of merit (maybe out of the sheer number of potential votes from both China and Taiwan?), but just a little more maturity is needed before Lin can become a top-flight PG.

Another thing contributing to the impending rise of Lillard and Lin is the fact that many of the West’s great playmakers are getting older. Steve Nash is closing in on 40, Tony Parker will turn 31 next May, and Chris Paul will hit his early 30s by the time both Lillard and Lin hit their peaks.

Damian Lillard and Jeremy Lin – folks, these are the guards of the future.

2012 PBA Philippine Cup Semifinals Roundup: December 19, 2012

The Texters may be up 1-0 in their 2012 Philippine Cup Semifinals series, but that doesn’t mean they should take the Alaska Aces easy. The Aces, in fact, would be forgiven for shedding their underdog tag. If Game 1 was any indication, the Aces of coach Luigi Trillo aren’t ready to play the part of humble lower seeds. They’re ready and raring to pull off an upset.

With Sonny Thoss rediscovering his fine form, RJ Jazul hitting the mark, and rookie sensation Calvin Abueva rising to the occasion, the Aces almost upended the heavily favored Tropang Texters in the opening game of the race-to-4 series. Thoss rattled off a sublime double-double (14 points and 14 rebounds), Jazul hit three treys to finish with 11 points, and Abueva muscled in 10 markers along with 17 boards to lead Alaska’s charge in the low-scoring affair.

Talk N Text, however, grabbed the upper hand for the final time after Ryan Reyes’s lone triple. It was the duo of Jayson Castro and Ranidel De Ocampo, though, who really did damage. Castro registered his own double-double (17 points and 11 rebounds), while Ranidel was the only other Texter who finished in twin digits with 11 markers.

Harvey Carey and Kelly Williams celebrate their Game
One escape over the Alaska Aces.

In the second game, National Team shooter Jeff Chan finally broke out of his slump by unloading 18 points on the strength of 3 treys. Paul Lee, Larry Rodriguez, and Beau Belga all combined for 43 points to help lead the Painters’ Game One conquest of the Mixers.

San Mig Coffee actually played a good game, with six fellows finishing in double-figures, but things may have taken a turn for the worse as James Yap hyperextended his knee in the fourth quarter. With Yap almost certainly out for AT LEAST one game, the onus is on guys like PJ Simon, Yancy De Ocampo, Joe Devance, and Marc Pingris to step up and carry the fight. If Chan keeps on hitting his shots like he did in Game One, however, then the Mixers will definitely be in way over their heads.

The NBA: Power Rankings: Week 7

Two teams from the West are streaking. The Thunder have won 11 straight and the Clippers are not far behind with 10. It wont come as surprise on who the top 2 teams are in this week's edition.

Previous holders of the #1 spot, the Spurs and Grizzlies have struggled lately with both teams receiving 3-game losing streaks.

The New York Knicks lost their first home game last Monday but they remain the best team in the East even without Amare. The defending champs are not far behind them but they have been inconsistent.

The Lakers and Celtics are still struggling to establish a winning record while the Warriors and Hawks continue to win and surprise people.

The standings are current up to December 18. The rankings from last week refer to Week 6.

Serge Ibaka and the Thunder have been flexing
their muscles in the last 11 games, all wins.
(Image by: AP)

1. Oklahoma City Thunder | 20-4 | Last Week: 2 | +1
The best record and the longest winning streak in the NBA (11) have the Thunder as the best in the league. They have 13 wins over 10 points (tops). They got their revenge on the Spurs with Serge Ibaka posting monster numbers of 25 points and 17 rebounds.

2. Los Angeles Clippers | 18-6 | Last Week: 3 | +1
The Clippers have won 10 straight and are 7 games ahead of the Lakers in the Pacific division. They already have the franchise record for longest winning streak and that could be stretched to at least 13 games with the next 3 coming againts the Hornets, Pistons and Kings.

3. New York Knicks | 18-6 | Last Week: 4 | +1
The Knicks went 1-1 with Melo injured. They had an impressive win over the Lakers where Melo got injured but he was on fire before spraining his ankle. Without Melo, Jeremy Lin came  back on Monday night to defeat his ex-team. Amare is rehabbing at the D-league and could be back next week coming from the bench.

4. Miami Heat | 16-6 | Last Week: 6 | +2
The Heat defense is coming around slowly. They have held opponents to 89 points in their last 5 games (4-1 record). They are 30th in rebounding and got pounded on the glass by the Timberwolves, 53-24 but the Heat still won by 11. That wont work often against the elite teams.

5. Memphis Grizzlies | 16-6 | Last Week: 5 | Same
The Grizzlies have won 2 straight games versus quality teams (Bulls, Jazz) after dropping 3 straight. Their defense has been superb as they now rank 1st in least points allowed. Zach Randolph is still piling up double-doubles. Their best news of the week: hiring former ESPN stat analyst John Hollinger as VP of basketball operations.

2012 PBA Philippine Cup Quarterfinals Roundup: December 16, 2012

The Lee-thal Weapon.

It’s a pretty-sounding pun for Rain or Shine sophomore Paul Lee, but it’s also deeply appropriate.

Just ask the Ginebra Gin Kings, who got bounced off the contenders’ list when they lost to the Elasto-Painters yesterday, 102-89.

It was actually a tight game for about 24 minutes. The Kings were successful in doing two critical things: limiting ROS super sniper Jeff Chan, who finished with just 5 points on 1-of-9 shooting, and outrebounding the smaller, but beefier, ROS frontline. As a result, the game was deadlocked, 47-all, at halftime.

And then the third quarter happened.

The Painters outscored the Kings by a dozen points in this period. They scored from pretty much everywhere, and they forced several miscues from the Kings. This was enough for coach Yeng Guiao’s wards to take the driver’s seat, something they never relinquished.

Ginebra coach Siot Tiangquincen actually enjoyed brilliant games from LA Tenorio and center Billi Mamaril. Tenorio ended up with 20 markers, 7 boards, and 3 dimes, while Mamaril registered a career game – 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks! Their efforts were wasted, however, as the Kings turned the ball over a total of 16 times and shot like crap from the line – just 43% (9-of-21).

The Painters were quick to pounce on these errors, and they made the Kings pay big time. Lee led the way with 25 points on 8-of-11 FG shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The most impressive of these three-bombs was a step back fadeaway over Rudy Hatfield late in the fourth. Hitting that shot basically sealed the deal and sent the Kings packing.

Paul Lee put on a shooting clinic as the Painters
eliminated the Gin Kings.

It also helped that Lee got ample support, especially from the all-around performance of Gabe Norwood, who finished with 21 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block while shooting 2-of-3 from rainbow land. Big men Jervy Cruz, Beau Belga, and Ronnie Matias also did well, combining for 32 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists.

The Painters face a tough test in the semifinals against the highly-touted second seeds – the San Mig Coffee Mixers, whom the Painters beat in the Governors’ Cup Finals several months ago (the Mixers still carried the name B-Meg Llamados then). Needless to say, this series should be extremely fun to watch!