NEW YORK -- The NBA today announced that the league's 66th season will tip off Christmas Day with a five-game slate, contingent on timely ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement.
Kia NBA Tip-Off '11 will launch on TNT with one of the NBA's oldest and most intense rivalries. The Boston Celtics, featuring their All-Star foursome of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo, visit the New York Knicks (12 p.m. ET) with their dynamic tandem of Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Kia Motors, the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA, is in its second consecutive season as the title partner of NBA Tip-Off.
PHI/JPN - Filipino 3rd quarter blitz hands Japan their first defeat
WUHAN, China (26th FIBA Asia Championship): Philippines ran a 26-12 third quarter – which included a 10-0 run which brought them back into the reckoning in the game – that eventually helped them beat Japan 83-76 thus handing the latter’s first defeat in the competition here.
Naturalized center Marcus Douthit (pic above) poured in 19 of his 25 points and collected 12 of his 18 rebounds – both game-highs – in the second half to spark yet another Filipino rally that might have just helped them get a “better cross over draw in the quarterfinals.”
Japan ran the floor hard early and seized the initiative with a 15-0 run that went across the first quarter break.
But a woefully dipping rate of conversion from the foul-line and an increasingly growing in cohesion and cohesion Philippines put paid to the Japanese hopes of remaining undefeated in the competition.
Kelly Williams, one of the PBA imports in the Philippines team sparked a 10-0 run – capped by Marcio Lassiter’s crisp long-ranger – bring the Smart Gilas back into the reckoning.
Japan managed to remain even, but only till a 14-2 run – this time with Douthit leading from the front and Jimmy Alapag setting the Wuhan SC ablaze with a fiery three-pointer – put Philippines in control.
Rajko Toroman’s team never fell back after that.
“The key was we stopped Takuya Kawamura,” Rajko said.
Japan’s most charismatic basketball face in recent face was restricted to a dozen points – six of them in the third quarter – as the Hayabusa struggled with their rebounds and free-throws.
“You can’t think of winning with a 57% conversion in free-throws,” rued Japan coach Tom Wisman.
Japan went to the foul-line 28 times, but only 16 of them were successful.
Miami (AP) – Chris Bosh enjoyed just about every second of his jampacked offseason.
Nonetheless, he’s ready to go back to work for another title run together with his buddies Dwayne Wade and Lebron James.
Chris Bosh said Saturday that he expects the Miami Heat to reconvene sometime soon, even though the NBA lockout has entered its third month with no apparent ending in sight. This would ordinarily be the time of year where most players start ramping up workouts anyway, and Bosh said he will be ready whether training camps begin on time or not.
“We’re going to make some plans. We’re going to plan to do something,” Bosh said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. “I think just getting around each other, I think it’s important as far as team-building is concerned and just getting something going. We’re pretty much still in the process of doing that.”
Chris Bosh was making an appearance Saturday with fans to help promote the video game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. “Kevin Love of Minnesota Timberwolves and Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics were among the group of other NBA players involved with the event.
Chris Bosh said he used to play “a lot of video games” when he was younger, and said he still dabbles when his schedule allows.
With the 2011-2012 NBA Season in jeopardy, Lebron James believes that the players union and the NBA management will resolve the crisis in due time.
A lot of fans around the world are now wondering and anxious on the current situation of the world’s richest organization the National Basketball Association. It has been few months now that there’s no significant update whether there will be 2011-2012 Season or this could be an end of the most elusive sports in the world.
But Lebron James and some other NBA Stars believes that both parties will come up a solution and save the association from crisis. Lebron James is optimistic that the players union has only one thing in mind and that is to make all players make their living reasonably and to give the fans all over the world a hope that there is still things to enjoy despite of all the setbacks and struggles and that is the show that the NBA has to offer.
Lebron James and the Miami Heat are ready to bounce back after their disappointing loss in 2011 NBA Finals against Dallas Mavericks. Lebron James on his part felt that he let his fans down and the entire Miami Heat organization and he wants’ to avenge and redeem himself by playing his game of his life this coming 2011-2012 NBA Season. Lebron James and the Miami Heat is now ready for the big battle ahead and they are moving forward from the worst and most criticized season they have.
Lebron James the 2 time MVP is now totally focus of capturing his first ever championship ring and give Miami Heat the 2nd title of franchise history. King James is a warrior and the defeats he encountered will never stop him of aiming for a higher accolades and winning a multiple championships. Being teamed up with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh is a risk because all eyes are on them and everytime they commit mistakes they paid darely on it.Considered as one of the most celebrated ‘Big 3’ is now on their 2nd season with less pressure on their shoulder. But on their part specially on Lebron James, the pressure will always there as all eyes are on them and criticism is just around the corner.
To relieve the pressure and to ease the pain, Lebron James on his part is to win a championship and win it more for Miami Heat. King Lebron believes that his team Miami Heat has all what it takes to become a champion and rule the NBA for many years with a multiple championships. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris the most celebrated ‘Big 3’ of this generation are now gearing up for the upcoming 2011-2012 NBA Season even the lockout was still ongoing. But they believe that this could be resolve in time.
Many NBA Players are now considering playing abroad and if this lockout will continue, most of the NBA Stars will be in different league in the world. Would this be beneficial? Or it will only deepen the problem and ruin the relationship between the union and the league itself. This should be stop and let the game begin.
Lebron James will continue his domination once the 2011-2012 NBA Season will eventually start and with a vengeance on his eyes. He will be more mature and focus to his game with no destructions anymore. For King James all has been cruel for him especially last season when he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for Miami Heat. But he also believes that it was his best decision for the sake of his career. He knows in Miami Heat and teaming up with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh is the best decision ever he can have for his elusive basketball career.
2011-2012 NBA Season on its way and Lebron James and Miami Heat is now ready for a big war!
After the unexpected win by Petron Blaze over grand seeking Talk n’ Text in the recent 3rd Conference of the Governors Cup, what’s next for the PBA? I for one believed, that this league was politicized and some of the games are not for real. In short they are making money rather than making the basketball fans a real threat.
It was pretty obvious during the semifinals that there are important games that have been deliberately favored or it was given to give other team a chance to play in the finals or in a playoff. This is totally a bad sign to a league that has been considered as the first professional league in Asia. They should be growing and make its mark in the region but what is happening right now is they are not giving other potential companies to be part of the league but instead giving others to control and dominate.
Base on the audience and the outcome of number of live audiences and televiewers, it is pretty obvious that it was decreasing and the league would be in dying end if the management will continue to be controlled or will not do something good for the entire league. Chito Salud would innovate and not to be intimated and he should stand firm on his every decision to restore the trust and confidence of the fans. Back in 1980’s and 1990’s it was a different league, a league with full of promises not only for the fans but also for the players. It was then that the like of Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez carrying the torch and it was really a decade where basketball fans are always excited going home and watch games even how lowly the team is. Because the real competition and the excitement offered by the Philippine Basketball Association is a guarantee.
Nowadays it was never and it’s dying at least for me. Why the PBA management is not able to pursue their own stadium? Because definitely they are afraid that they cannot sustain the operation. Why until now there are only 10 teams where a lot of potentials companies wanted to join to the one of the most prestigious professional league in asia?
Transformation and fair decision that will surely make this league a trusted and competent league. Number of teams should be increase and every game should be genuine and not fake. They have to create employment and accept more teams to make it more exciting and not boring.
For teams like Ginebra, Alaska, BMeG, Petron, Air21, Powerade, Rain or Shine, TnT, Meralco and Barako Bull…let these teams has a balance line up and be more competitive no powerhouse and no bias decision. For them to stay and maintain their interest in the league…
This is the job for the commissioner and I’m calling your attention! Let’s do it and revive the old glory of Philippine Basketball Association the first premier league in Asia.
After its recent campaign in Jones Cup 2011 that placed them in 3rd position, Rajko Toroman and the rest of the coaching staff and management were convinced that the team is improving and the program is on the right track to create a national basketball team that will create noise and some fear to other asian countries including powerhouse team of IRAN and China. It has been proven that with enough preparation and exposure in international competition, the team will flourish and develop to mature.
It is not only talent that will bring success in any sports and we are very particular on our sports that we love, basketball. With this basketball program by Manny Pangilinan (truly an MVP) this is simply a sign of awareness that talent wise Filipinos have what it takes but as what I said talent is not enough to succeed in international scene. National teams need exposure that’s including familiarization of the rules and regulations and to get more ideas on how our neighboring countries played and the approach of the game.
Basically, Smart Gilas Pilipinas has a long way to go and it was a good idea that this program will continue and develop more to be more competitive and eventually will be able to capture respect and bring pride to our nation. Sacrifice is one and big question mark here, with money involve these players will be shift direction and leave the Smart Gilas Pilipinas in exchange to Philippine Basketball Association with a lot of opportunity and money. But how this program last if those players will quit and joining the professional league? This is now the biggest challenge for the coaching staff and the management to convince its players to stay and continue to play for the flag.
Chris Tiu, JV Casio, Marc Baracael, Marc Barroca are those only few members of the Smart Gilas Pilipinas national team show some interest to play in the PBA and earn big bucks. But it will be a failure for this team if majority of the players will not stay and instead play for the big league. Though the program will continue, they will again form a new members and then train and expose them to what the previous members did. I think this will not be effective and it will only ruin our chances. It should be a long program and players will have the same goal and that is to make our people and our nation proud.
Smart Gilas Pilipinas have been there and the only thing they have to do is to set their minds that playing with the flag is a big responsibility and honor. Money will follow and surely they will be blessed and given the accolades that any players wishing for. This is something big in the Philippines that the likes of Manny Pangilinan are helping our program to boost our Philippine sports without asking any help from government. This should be an obligation that our government should do but because of lack some initiatives and budgets…it was high time for MVP to step up and save our sports for the sake of Filipinos and our nation.
Smart Gilas Pilipinas is now gearing up in their preparation for Wuhan, China Olympic Qualifier and this might be the start of something big in Philippine Basketball as well as Philippine Sports.
Let us support the team of Smart Gilas and continue praise them for what they have sacrifice for us.
