Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Sunday Night Lights


It’s a breezy Sunday afternoon on the basketball courts of Valle Verde 5 and the familiar sound of the ball bouncing on the parquet floor reverberates in the surrounding areas of the park. Inside the grounds, the court is littered with men in sneakers and basketball jerseys. On one bench, one player is doing his stretching. On the other bench, another one is lacing up his sneakers. On the other end of the court, two players take turns hoisting up 30 foot three-pointers. In the distance, another two are engaging in NBA small-talk.

For a passerby, the scene may seem like an ordinary Sunday afternoon ballgame. But for a basketball soul, it’s a completely different atmosphere. The sight is the prelude before the battle; the calm before the storm.

And just as dusk dissipates and the last remaining fragments of light exits the horizon; as if on cue, the warm ups, stretching and small talk concludes.

The lights are on. It’s game time.

The rules are simple: A 1-2 point scoring system and the first team to 24 points wins. If the players aren’t too winded, the “main event” game, as some would like to call it, runs up to 30.

The players have no audience, no cheering sections, and certainly no fans. Not that they’d wish for any, after all, its one thing to play a 5-on-5 pick up game, it’s another thing to have onlookers scrutinizing their every move and waiting for the opportune time to make fun of their game, or lack thereof in some cases. Apart from the security guards who make the usual rounds and the churchgoers who pass by the courts before and after hearing mass from the nearby chapel, the area is desolate of any witnesses.

The initial game is fast-paced; played at an almost frantic tempo. The thought of playing defense is quickly lost in favor of fancy no-look bounce passes, acrobatic lay-ups, and the almost too predictable parade of three-pointers. It’s easy to excuse the rash of “ballhog-itis” since a week’s worth of pent up frustrations are poured out in the first few possessions of the game. Pretty soon, the game slows down and the highlight (or lowlight, whichever you prefer) plays are replaced by pick-and-roll’s and half court sets. As the score picks up, the game also takes a more intense tone. Bumps are harder, the defense tightens up, and fouls (both phantom and legitimate) are called more often. This was, after all, still basketball, and the competitive juices of each player still dripped down their skins all the while making permanent residence on the parquet floor. Nobody came here to lose.

As the fallout from battle proves time and time again, there always will be a victor and a vanquished. But in the spirit of camaraderie, the losers are quick to congratulate the winners on a hard fought game. High-fives are exchanged and the players laugh over the botched lay-ups and the behind-the-back dribbles gone haywire. As soon as the pleasantries are finished, everyone slumps down in their benches, chugs down their water, and unwinds for a few minutes. Pretty soon, the next game will begin and at this point, the players need all the rest they can get.

Predictably, succeeding games take longer as the legs grow heavier with every sprint down the court. In the process, wide open ‘gimmes’ are missed and shots become flat. The players, once full of bounce and energy, have been reduced to huffing and puffing shells of their former selves. But fatigue is never an excuse. The game continues and the competitive streaks re-emerge. The final game is usually the most intense. Everyone wants to leave their mark on the evening. If there was a fitting time to bring the ‘A-game’, this was the time to do it. The fancy plays that were so widespread only a few hours ago are gone. The game has turned into a rugged half-court affair. Plays are called louder, mistakes are magnified, and good shots are greeted with body bumps and high-fives. As the ball swishes through the net a final time, the collective shouts of elation and dejection pierces through what is now a starry Sunday night. At last, the games are over.

After three hours and four games, everyone is prepared to pack it in. The exhausted players take a few more minutes to relax and catch their wind. Everyone was drained. But it wasn’t the kind of burnt-out exhaustion the workplace brings about, it was fatigue borne out of playing too much basketball. It was tiring, but at the end of the day, it was all worth it.

Finally, the lights are turned off and the final high-fives and knuckle-knocks are exchanged. Everyone calls it a night and heads to their cars to go back to the comforts of their own home. For the first time the whole day, the mood was somber, maybe even a little too quiet for comfort. Looking at everyone, it wasn’t hard to figure out why. Nobody needed to say it; no words had to be exchanged. It was obvious what everyone was looking forward to.

Sunday.
The day the lights are on, and the games begin anew.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Mid-Season Awards

MVP – Steve Nash

Shaquille O’Neal. LeBron James. Dirk Nowitzki. Gilbert Arenas.

Question: What do these four players have in common?

Answer: These all-planet superstars all had (and in the case of Dirk and Gil, are still having) MVP type seasons, but were, and will be, beaten out for the THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR by a diminutive point guard from British Columbia, Canada.

Let’s already come to terms with it. It’s easier to do it now, rather than denying the obvious and finally admitting it at the end of the season. It’s a less bitter pill to swallow.

To say Steve Nash continues to amaze is an understatement of mammoth proportions. It’s like saying Mary Kate Olsen is a little bit on the slim side.
The dude is having the BEST season of a career and providing he stays healthy, will win his third Most Valuable Player award.

All points are leading to Steve Nash winning MVP no. 3A month away from being 33, Nash is playing at a level that is way past great, it’s bordering on magical. He makes it so easy for his teammates that everyone looks like All-Stars when they play with him and scrubs when they leave (that’s you Tim Thomas). He’s great at shooting from anywhere in the court, his ball-handling and
passing skills are flawless and his basketball IQ
is second-to-none.

He’s the captain of a Phoenix team that’s scorching the entire league with a 15-game winning streak after already reaching 15 in a row earlier this season.

Bill Simmons made a great point when he said that had it not been for a 5-point loss to the Wizards (Arenas dropped 54 on them and Nash’s three to win at the end of regulation went in-and-out) and a 2-point loss to Dallas (where Nowitzki hit the game-winner), the Suns would be riding a 33-game winning streak right now, which ties the NBA record for most games won in a row (set by the ’71 Lakers led by Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West).

Had those two breaks gone Phoenix’s way (Nash making the three and Dirk missing the game winner, we would have witnessed history, fellas.

And we have Steve Nash to thank for it.

Runners up: Dirk Nowitzki and Gilbert Arenas

Coach of the Year: Jerry Sloan

His time has come. There is no coach in this league who deserves this award more than Jerry Sloan. Nobody expected the Jazz to play this good so far into the season, including me, but he’s proven that he can get the most out of his players by getting them to play hard and compete night in an night out.

This Jazz team executes well offensively, they move the ball around they have versatile players capable of playing multiple roles every night.

Is it a sentimental pick because he has never won the award yet? You bet it is. But at least I’m comforted by the fact that he’s got a winning team playing great basketball to justify my biasness.

Runners up: Mike D’Antoni, Phil Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy

Rookie of the Year: Brandon Roy

Despite missing 20 games, I’m still taking Brandon Roy as the Rookie of the Year. Nobody has really shown anything worthy of being considered the top rookie. Adam Morrison has put a new definition to the term “erratically inconsistent”, Andrea Bargnani has been showing some worth the last month but is still a long ways from becoming a consistent threat and Randy Foye hasn’t been given enough PT to warrant consideration. Roy leads all rookies in scoring with 14.3 points per game. He’s also grabbing 4.3 boards, dishing out 3 assists, and steals the ball at a rate of 1.3 per game.

If it wasn’t for that 20 games he missed, this award would have been a landslide.

Runners up: Adam Morrison, Andrea Bargnani

Most Improved Player of the Year: Deron Williams

This award proved to be a head-scratcher, too. But unlike the ROY award, the MIP is tough because there’s just too many worthy choices.

Heck, the Golden State Warriors alone have three players to pick from!

In the end, though, I’m going with Utah’s Deron Williams, with Kevin Martin of the Kings a close second.

While Lil’ K-Mart has become a premier scoring threat for the Kings (even with that ugly jump shot of his), Deron Williams that has taken his game to a whole new level. After struggling with his weight and Utah’s style of play last year, Williams spent time in the summer shredding the unwanted pounds and going under the wing of the man whose shoes he was supposed to fill, John Stockton.


So far, the Jazz have been playing great music together led by a reinvented Williams. He’s been a consistent scorer and he’s making the beautiful passes (with a 21 assist game under his belt) Jazz fans haven’t seen since No. 12 was leading the break.

Runner up: Kevin Martin

Honorable Mention: Luke Walton, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Matt Barnes, Matt Carroll, Jason Kapono, David Lee

Sixth Man of the Year: Ben Gordon

This was a toss-up between Gordon and Leandro Barbosa.

Both players having been playing off-the-charts basketball while coming off the bench. Barbosa has been averaging 16.5 points per game, while dishing out 4.2 assists per game for a Suns team that is blistering the league at a frenetic pace. Gordon, on the other hand, has been putting up monster numbers off the bench too, with averages of 21.3 points per game and 3.5 dimes per game.

I’m leaning towards Gordon for the Sixth Man Award simply because he’s more important to the Bulls success than Barbosa is to Phoenix.

I’m not saying that Barbosa is expendable; but I believe the Suns wouldn’t miss a beat if he goes down with an injury, whereas the Bulls would probably implode if Gordon doesn’t suit up.

Runner up: Leandro Barbosa


Defensive Player of the Year: Alonzo Mourning


What Alonzo Mourning has done this year is nothing short of remarkable. Filling in for an injured Shaq four games into the season, Zo has done a yeoman’s job in manning the middle for the Heat. While he’s offensive production has taken a hit because he’s not the focal point of the offense anymore, he’s defensive production has been like the Zo of old. He leads the league in blocked shots with 3 a game and if there was a category for number of shots altered just by sheer presence alone, he’d probably be on top of that list too.

What’s most impressive about Mourning this year is that he’s doing all of this while only logging 24 minutes a game. Jermaine O’Neal, who also blocks three shots per game, logs 12 more minutes a game than Zo.

Runner up: Shawn Marion

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

The Road to Miami - Divisional Round

The Road to Miami – The Divisional Round

Before I dive into my divisional round predictions, who here feels bad for Tony Romo after his disastrous error at the conclusion of the Cowboys-Seahawks game? To lose a game like that, on one of the most routine scoring plays in all of football (a field goal attempt from 19 yards!) is a crushing way to lose a play-off game and end a season where the aforementioned Romo skyrocketed to superstardom by leading Dallas into the postseason.

What makes this all the more heartbreaking for Cowboys fans was that when Romo was running for the end zone after the botched field goal attempt, he didn’t even have to make to the end zone for the Cowboys to win. All he had to was make the 1 yard line, where the first down marker was. Had he made it, they would have gotten a 1st down, run down the clock, and kicked the winning field goal with no time left.

But alas, he was tripped up at the 2 yard line and the star that was shining ever so brightly crashed down to earth with him.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time to finally take a look at the Divisional Round to see which teams will advance to play another week for a chance to book flights to Miami for Superbowl XLI.

Indianapolis at Baltimore

The big key in this game is how Peyton Manning can regain his form after a mediocre performance against the Chiefs in the opening round. Not to put any additional pressure on Manning, but the team that’s waiting for him on the field this Saturday is the Baltimore Ravens who happens to have one of the best defenses in the league

Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the rest of that defense is a nightmare for any team. Not only do they have a plethora of versatile playmakers that can make things happen, but this team has proven that they can win on the big stage against elite competition. They have the ability to pressure Manning and his receivers all night and make it hard for the Colts to get in rhythm. In addition to that awesome defense, the offense has found a level of consistency with Steve McNair under center. The power-based offensive attack of the Ravens will prove to be a good match-up for a Colts rushing defense that stepped up to the plate against the Chiefs after being abused by just about every team in the regular season.

Still, everything hinges around no. 18 and how he performs against the Ravens D. If “Playoff Peyton” can play to the level of “Regular Season Peyton,” they have a good chance at beating Baltimore. With Manning’s track record, however, it’s a task that’s easier said than done.

Still, as good as the Ravens defense is, who would bet against a virtuoso performance from Peyton Manning this Saturday after that stinker he had against the Chiefs?

Not me.

Colts 27, Ravens 21


New England at San Diego

This is the toughest match-up to predict because you have the best team in football this season against the best team in football this decade. It’s like one of those classic boxing fights where the only way to pick a winner was to flip a coin.

I feel the same way for this one.

On one side you have the San Diego Chargers. They are the best team in the league, having won their last 10 games. They are also 8-0 at home and they are the highest scoring team in the league this year. They have a tough defense and the team is led by this guy, LaDanian Tomlinson. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.

On the other hand, the New England Patriots aren’t called a dynasty for no reason. They have the best quarterback in football, the best coach in football, and that undeniable championship aura that other teams can only dream of having. The Patriots also have a pretty stout road record, posting an impressive 7-1 record away from the Big Razor Blade. These will all come handy when they travel to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

So here’s the dilemma: Who do I pick, LT or Brady and Belichick?

The safe pick would be to pick the Patriots. You can’t deny the genius of Belichick and the savvy of Brady. They’ve been there before and they’ve beaten some pretty good teams on their way to three championship rings.

But all those teams don’t have what San Diego has – “Superman” himself, LaDanian Tomlinson.

Even though they’re the safe bet, I’m hopping on the LT bandwagon and pick the Chargers to take this one.

Chargers 31, Patriots 28

Seahawks at Bears


The Seahawks were beyond lucky last Saturday night. Next Sunday, they’re going to need more than ‘beyond lucky’ to beat the Bears.

They’re going to have to be beyond good, too.

Last year’s Seahawks could have beaten this year’s Bears. I have no doubt in that.

But this year’s Seahawks have two factors, and huge ones at that, going against them. One, their receiving corps is banged up. Darrell Jackson and DJ Hackett are both playing with injuries and it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to suit up this Sunday. Against a premier defense like what the Bears have, Matt Hasselbeck needs healthy and effective wide receivers to throw to. Unfortunately, Hasselbeck doesn’t have that luxury. Second, the loss of Steve Hutchinson will be magnified even more against the Bears. With Hutchinson and Walter Jones anchoring the left side of Seattle’s offensive line last year, Shaun Alexander was able to put up huge numbers. Now that Hutchinson’s gone, Alexander will have a tougher time penetrating the Bears defense. It showed the whole year, even when the Birds were playing pedestrian defenses.

Against the Bears, Alexander will be lucky to break 90 yards. Even if he does, Seattle is still too banged up to mount a real challenge on Chicago.

Bears 27, Seahawks 10

Eagles at Saints

I think the whole world wants the New Orleans Saints to win the Superbowl. Certainly, after everything their city has gone through in the past 18 months, nobody deserves it more than them.

Standing in their way will be a revamped Eagles team that hopes to rain in on New Orleans’ parade. Make no mistake about it; the Eagles are the hottest team in the NFC right now and they pose a serious threat to end the Saints fairytale season. Jeff Garcia has done a yeoman’s job filling for the injured Donovan McNabb and tailback Brian Westbrook has been nothing short of spectacular as well.

But the Saints have a bunch of special players, too.

Drew Brees leads a high-powered Saints offense that is chalk-full of playmakers, including the vaunted running back tag-team of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush and a formidable group of wide receivers led by super rookie Marques Colston.

In a game that’s too close to call, the Saints have one advantage over the Eagles that might ultimately decide who moves on and who goes home - The Louisiana Superdome.

If you think the Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons was electrifying, it will pale in comparison to the atmosphere this Sunday night. Don’t be surprised if the roof of the Superdome literally flies off. Expect the Saints to ride on the supercharged atmosphere of the home crowd and continue their march to Miami.

Saints 23, Eagles 13