-a Twiterrific view of the game (thanks to a few reliable sources) was not great. Mostly not great if this is your team's first win. (From this point on, just append the phrases I heard/They said, etc.) But then, a win's worthy of writing about, no matter how "blurred" one's vision is, isn't it? -Eric Salamat's "knee contrusion" started to bother him once again. I hope that it will turn out just fine. We still have 12 more games to play. Nico Salva added his own pains as well. -I agree with my brother. Expect that Ateneo games will cause various strokes and nervous breakdowns. I'm guessing there will be no blow out victories for this season… even until the championship match (I'm already assuming here). -a good potential blow-out game, but too bad Adamson got too hot and got close during the fourth quarter. I know the nickname "Pocket Rocket" isn't much of a catch, thank you nevertheless, Emman Monfort. -believe me, there are Sixth Men who can do the job even better while they are concentrating on their jobs. -The same things that will keep us alive: momentum and discipline. We were nearly beat there. Good thing we've got some of these two to keep us alive. I expect more of these things in the next games.
Ateneo 69 – Long 12, Salva 10, Salamat 10, Buenafe 10, Monfort 8, Escueta 7, dela Cruz 3, Golla 3, Erram 2, Tiongson 2, Austria 2, Gonzaga 0.
-Perhaps just a case of bad decision-making during the last stretch. In the end, it was only by a stroke of luck (or is it? RR Garcia, hmm) that Ateneo got a chance to tie the game and force overtime. Unfortunately, Nico Salva opted to go for a reverse layup instead of the usual.
-Roose Garcia scoring 25 points is a huge factor on both sides. While FEU proved that there can be quite a good few who can step up, they have reason enough to fear a rebuilding Ateneo team who locked down JR Cawaling and Aldrech Ramos down the stretch. But Exciminiano with 2 points and 10 boards? Oh, c'mon.
-Arthur dela Cruz is a surprise. He just needs to be more creative with his shots, as FEU got him during the second half.
-Erram and Escueta, given enough playing time and opportunities to step up, could turn out to be formidable big men after 13 more games. Let's see how they get into the Black rhythm.
-Removing the pressure off Emman Monfort and giving Juami Tiongson playing time might help. However, size problems could make that improbable.
-The Sixth Men were too silent and passive during first game. I know that FEU hogged the tickets, but that's no reason to not cheer our hearts out.
*This is a rough draft of an article supposedly co-written with my brother as well as some of his friends. For the final version, I will announce the definite name of the website and the URL of this co-authored blog. But for now, enjoy.
Redemption is the name of the game.
The 2010 NBA Finals ended in a much sweeter and glorious note compared to that of last year, as the Los Angeles Lakers took their second straight title after defeating historic rivals the Boston Celtics. And for everyone in the purple and gold, especially those who were part of those who lost last 2008 to this same Green Team, all was more hard fought.
For Kobe Bryant and the rest of the '08 Lakers, this is not just any back-to-back title. It is a symbol of their revenge, their way of getting back at the Celtics for bullying them two years ago. It stands proof that Kobe Bryant fully cemented his legacy as one of the greatest Lakers ever who had the chance to beat the Boston Celtics - a position he shares with Magic Johnson, avoiding what has happened to Laker legend Jerry West. For Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, it is a symbol of the toughness and passion that they have grown into, and for the rest, a chance to get back at the mistakes of the last two years.
But surprisingly, they were not the ones whose celebrations stood out and became real and live expressions of emotions.
It was nothing more real, more emotional, more victorious, than Ron Artest's, and for him, this is more than a title, heck more than a salvation of one's legacy or basketball career in hopes of becoming a legend someday.
The Larry O'Brien trophy brought him back his sense of self, both as a basketball player and as a person.
The Ron Artest Way
When the Lakers signed Ron Artest for a five-year deal, there were two points raised by sports critics and analysts about his integration into the Lakers team.
The first was the way he would adjust to the Lakers team defense (which, obviously he would provide a big boost to) and the famous triangle offense. But that was the least of their concerns. Rather, what they were worried about was Ron Artest's on- and off-court behavior, which could affect the overall discipline, image, and gameplay of the team.
Anyone who has watched the NBA at least for the last five or six years has heard of Ron Artest's significant attitude and swagger. Despite being regarded as one of the top defensive men of the decade, he also got the "rough bad boy" image, being strongly associated with his acts of defiance and, for lack of a better and more accurate word, "violence."
And we can count various demerits, starting with the famous (and the biggest and most violent) brawl way back 2004, when, back as an Indiana Pacer, his foul on the Detroit Piston's center Ben Wallace ended up with him throwing a punch at a fan and eventually being suspended for the regular season.
The trade which sent him to the Sacramento Kings for year-long stint did not do any kind of damage control in his image. He never did get worse, but there were still traces of the Ron Artest of the brawl, with technical fouls and occasional ejections every now and then. But looking on the bright side of his career, he provided the energy that the withered Kings needed just to hang on. Along with the young, blooming Kevin Martin, Artest carried the load of the Kings on both ends of the court until the first round of the playoffs, where the San Antonio Spurs eliminated them in six games.
Afterwards, a trade brought him to the Houston Rockets, which promised a new era not only for himself, in the course of his attempt to show that he is still worthy of respect, but also for the Rockets as a team. Together with Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Shane Battier, Artest shaped Houston into a Western Conference contender, cementing a smooth road to the playoffs, albeit a rough and violent one.
The Lakers fans won't even forget their woes against Ron Artest in the course of the seven-game battle between L.A. and Houston. Before the regular season ends, Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest were charged with technical fouls each for badmouthing each other near the end of the game. During Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, he was ejected when he showed antagonism over Bryant after a contested call. He faced another ejection in Game 3 when he put up his arms on the face of a driving Pau Gasol.
Eventually, the series ended with the Lakers winning, as Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest shared congratulatory remarks and words of encouragement after game seven, putting behind everything that happened between them during those momentous playoff series. And during that time, nobody ever thought of a partnership between them.
Wearing That Lakers Jersey
The 2009 Los Angeles Lakers, after winning the championship against the Orlando Magic, find themselves still intact as a team, save for one - Trevor Ariza. For the team, he is as valuable as every teammate, most especially during the course of the playoffs where he showed what he can really do - make the necessary stops, run for fastbreak points, and even hit crucial threes and perimeters if not cutting and dunking. As soon as his contract expired, the Lakers were already determined to sign him in for five more years.
However, things didn't turn out as it was planned, as Ariza's agent turned down the Lakers' offer which covers the mid-level exception, the only available offer for the Lakers so as to avoid overspending, being way above the lowered salary cap. Because of that, Ariza's management agreed with the other contesting offer, that of the Houston Rockets.
In spite of Artest's performance, the Rockets did not want him back, becoming satisfied with Ariza. It was then that the Lakers, in a way, chased after him. They offered him the MLE contract, which he immediately accepted. He wore the number 37, the number of weeks that the late Michael Jackson's album, "Thriller," stayed on the number one Billboard Chart.
For Artest, being in L.A. was a very special opportunity for him. It is a gift, a positive reinforcer which suited his needs for fame and respect. From the most hated by the Staples crowd, he was warmly accepted by Tinseltown. He grew instant fame not just with his offseason modeling sideline across different L.A. independent labels, but also his gimmicks which he frequently tweeted (and constantly retweeted) in his "TruWarier" account. With these perks, it seems that the Lakers will keep him behaved for at least five years.
The regular season began without even a harsh comment pointed against Artest. There was no major news of misbehavior, even gaining the love of the L.A. crowd while playing great team defense alongside Kobe Bryant and the purple and gold. It seems that everyone realized that a little change might provide them a boost, with greater hopes of defending the title and repeating their 2009 performance.
But everything was not all good between Artest and the Lakers. At times, it was evident that he was not like Ariza who could fit into the triangle perfectly, primarily because of their differences in speed and offense. While half of the Lakers analysts were praising Ron Artest for becoming a defensive boost in the Lakers, the other half was complaining about his offensive inefficiency, as he was characterized with poor perimeter shooting and slow cutting which disrupted the speed of the execution of the triangle. Add to that the fact that Artest was absent when the Lakers needed him most during the Christmas season, when he said he fell down the stairs while bringing gifts back home and was sidelined with a mild injury.
And during the course of the regular season, Laker fans worried about not only the looming injuries of Lakers stars, most especially Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, but also the effectiveness of Ron Artest as a replacement to Ariza.
The Transfiguration: The NBA Playoffs
These doubts and criticisms continued to surface even until the NBA playoffs. Albeit finishing with a decent 57-25 record in the West, the Lakers are still facing a tough road ahead, as they were set to fight a battle within the team (their injuries and efficiency) and without.
During the first round, the Purple and Gold were put against eighth seeded Oklahoma Thunder, which boasts of a high-octane offense led by the young rising star Kevin Durant. Artest was once again given a chance to prove himself a true Laker warrior when he was assigned to put the shackles on KD and prevent him from having big games.
And defended he did. Laker fans were once again comforted by the fact that Artest was there, as he never left Durant on his own throughout the six-game battle. He always had his body to put against Durant's, and a hand raised not only on his shot but also in his face. As the Lakers pulled away to win and advance to the next round, KD35, the 2010 scoring champion, was effectively limited to below 35 points, not allowing the Thunder to greatly pull away and the Lakers to close them out.
From there, Artest would have his own up and down performances, putting the Lakers on several high and low moments. His offensive efficiency against Utah, in the course of also taking the responsibility to defend the wingmen of the Jazz, was also questioned; however, he proved that he can contribute as well, finding his shooting spots, and even running up to get the offensive board, run back down to the three point line, and make the trey. In sweeping the series, Artest has proven himself quite helpful.
But not as much during the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. He went well with the Lakers team defense when they put the Suns away during the first two games. But in the two consecutive losses against the Suns in their home court, it was Artest who destroyed two opportunities of the Lakers offense to put them away. He was known to have hurried the offense with his quick but contested three-pointers, missing most of them. During times when he was supposed to step up and be the man, he failed to do so, even causing problems with turnovers and transition defense. During the course of the series, he was as random as a quantum particle, doing good and bad at times, coming out big in one moment, and not being helpful in another. The way he becomes a teammate to the Lakers became a major concern for the rest of their playoff games. Most of the Lakers fans even wished Ariza was there to play this game for them.
Come Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, where the Lakers sense the need to win to break the tie and gain the momentum before heading to Phoenix for Game 6. During the dying minutes of the game, Phoenix rallied from an 18 point deficit to tie the game101. As a last resort, the Lakers got the ball to Kobe Bryant as he struggled to shoot the ball from the right arc. His shot did not even touch the rim, but Artest cut into the paint, grabbed the ball and immediately put up a difficult last-minute shot to end the game in favor of the Lakers, 103-101. For some, it was his first act of redemption, as that last minute shot has proved that he is a valuable teammate, and for him, this shot gave him back the confidence that he was supposed to have as a Laker playing alongside the 2009 World Champions.
Artest's randomness (as well as the critics' doubts) didn't diminish even during the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. He was a very important defensive element in Game 1, always playing the D against the Celtics' best scorer and team leader, Paul Pierce. However, he once again destroyed the team offense in Game 2 with their only home loss in the playoffs, hitting too many three pointers and not making a single one of them. Though insignificant in the next games (save for his defense on Paul Pierce), his biggest playoff mistake was not getting the last two Laker free throws in Game 5, eventually failing to make it a one-possession game and letting the Celtics get away and head to the Staples Center with a 3-2 series lead.
His great moment came in at Game Seven, when, after the Lakers massacred the Celtics in Game Six, everyone is expected to be at their best. Apparently, it was quite the contrary, as the Lakers found themselves digging a very deep hole, with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol going cold and inefficient. With the Lakers struggling, there has to be someone who has to step up and lead the team to a surge that could bring them to the win. Fortunately, they have the quantum particle, the one who is least expected to step up in the final game, where the pressure is greater than one expects.
It was Ron Artest who became the overnight hero, leading the Lakers to their biggest comeback in 2010. He started a 9-0 surge early in the second half to put the Lakers back on track, and made a cut sometime in the second half and scored a three-point play to once again keep L.A. afloat after being down by double digits. However, what made him special in Game 7 was the way he put a dagger in the heart of the Mean Green Team, making the trey after receiving a pass from Bryant and putting the Lakers ahead by six in the final minutes. In the end, he stepped up when no one did, made noise when everyone was quiet, pushed when no one can barely move and make a change in the game, and became a killer when no one could not be. He truly became the man of the game, the one everyone counted on when no one would dare do so in the most crucial of all games.
Getting Back Up
This single game seven, everything was redeemed. Sure, we can't throw away the swagger that Ron Artest has been. We can even say a lot of things about his problematic behavior which we can trace way back in Chicago (with the Hennessy in the locker room), Indiana, Sacramento, and Houston. But then, this outstanding performance is enough to bring back the respect that he ought to get - a kind of respect towards the way he played the game. His highlight performance was able to save his dignity as a real star in the realm of professional basketball, one that has to be taken seriously in all aspects of the game. For once, he was the man who cannot be denied on both ends of the court.
Playing alongside Kobe and filling in the shoes left by wingman Trevor Ariza, not only did Ron Artest save the Lakers from another loss against the Celtics. He also saved his own infamous legacy, making one of the most memorable, zero-to-hero performances in NBA history.
And even the postgame interviews, press conference, and his post-Finals appearances can attest to that. Ron Artest, so far, has been the greatest Cinderella story ever, and I do believe that no one could forget this man who rose, fell, and rose back up again with a glorious finish.
I do not have any clear picture of what is going to happen during the first day of my classes. I spent the weekend preparing for this: designing my blueprint for class order and discipline, laying out the requirements, making my powerpoint presentation that comes with images and icons that should be interesting for third and fourth year high school students, and psyching myself up and making the mental preparations necessary.
But Wednesday will be the first day that I face a real classroom situation, my encounter with my actual students who will be with me for one year. I will be there, facing them, giving them instructions, telling me what to do not only in my subject, but in their life during the next months. I will be there directing their future, forming their values while building a good relationship with them. I will be there not just to teach my Christian Living Education, but also, more importantly, to teach them that life is worth living, that the future is worth looking forward, that everything in this life has a reason.
Shorthanded may I be (I know everyone is), I am ready to present myself and be there for them. And perhaps, in the end, I might say that I chose the right path.
But right now, I feel that it is the right one for me. Onwards to the first day of school.
I officially trashed my non-biased analysis which appears to be biased after all. Before the Conference Finals even ended, I have already made my analysis of the upcoming Lakers-Celtics battle, thinking that with the performance of both teams against the Phoenix Suns and the Orlando Magic respectively, it was already a sealed match. I have broken down the seven-game series into five aspects of the game, and looked at who gets the advantage in each aspect.
1. On the offensive side, it seems that the Lakers will take it. They have the best scorer (and playmaker during the recent games, mind you) in Kobe Bryant. Plus, they have the bigs (and Ron Artest) who could go on the paint and score easy lay-ups. Boston, on the other hand, mostly gamble on long range shots with the exception of a few, like Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen. 2.However, the Celtics will have the advantage in D. To admit, the Purple and Gold have just let the Phoenix grab three-digit scores in the course of the whole Western Conference Finals. Gasol went soft during the last four games, allowing Stoudemire to posterize him and Robin Lopez to play like him. The team also drew a lot of fouls in the process, giving the Suns easy scores from the charity stripe. The Celtics, on the other hand, brought their best out and returned with their famous team defense. Rajon Rondo led the way in defense during the Eastern Conference Finals, and the team, even those on the bench, followed suit. With that, the Lakers might find themselves in a difficult situation in forcing the ball inside. 3.The bench could be the turning point and the deciding factor during the Finals. While the Lakers backups were mercurial (remember that it was Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar who brought the Lakers down, scoring 1 out of 12 field goals in Game 4), the Celtics bench have been too active and unstoppable at times. Glen Davis hustled and scored from the outside. Kryptonate did his job in scoring 13 points through perimeter jumpers, and Rasheed Wallace emerged as a top performer. 4.I have to give the backcourt advantage to the Lakers because of Kobe Bryant, the frontcourt has to be taken by the Celtics because of Kevin Garnett. We could put the "unstoppable" stamp for both of them, simply because of their great performance and leadership during the playoffs. 'Nuff said.
I was not able to finish this one. But then, had I been able to, there would be two conclusions:
1.That the Lakers will win if they were able to break through the Celtics defense and have Kobe and Gasol take over both from outside and inside. 2.That the Celtics will win if they were able to hold the Lakers offense and keep the bench at a mercurial level.
I'm trashing all this in place of two things: first, the drama that exist within the Lakers' story, and second, the problems that they are facing. I have read several analysis, and these "non-objective," unbiased stats won't be able to say anything about the real battle within. Even most of the Lakers and Celtics fans have already resigned to the fact that this will be a perfectly equal match up.
But then, I disagree, as I was able to see the cracks and crevices which could emerge and altogether let the perfect plane of equality fall. And I believe that those who were really good at watching over the Lakers and the Celtics have seen these too.
For two years, this is what Kobe Bryant and the rest of the '08 team have been waiting for. Remember that the Lakers suffered the biggest losses of their lives during 2008, when they blew that 24-point lead to put up Celtics 3-1 in game 4 of the series, completely turning the tables to Boston, and the 39-point massacre that the Big Three did to Kobe, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. This was probably the largest swords which stabbed the heart of the Lakers, and this is the largest and most painful wound, so large that not even the 2009 championship completely cured it.
But now, the Lakers have the chance to avenge their 2008 humiliation. They were like former school nerds trying to play the game on the bullies of the past, using stilts to reach them and school supplies to hit them. Kobe and his squad has been waiting for this for two long years. The Lakers now come in with a slightly different roster and a greatly higher level of maturity and gameplay. Three of the best teams of the West - the Thunder, the Jazz, and the Suns respectively - have gotten every bit of Laker gameplay: Ron Artest's tough D, the bigs' post presence, Elmo's pullups from beyond the arc, and Kobe's clutch plays. So far, the Lakers have played pretty tough team games down the stretch, and it is only then that they were able to secure good wins this summer.
But will this revived Lakers squad, who struggled with various injuries and made several mistakes on both ends, work against the Boston Celtics? All two seasons long, the Celtics have been criticized for being too rusty. The Big Three are set to retire or decline (in terms of gameplay) for the next five years or so. Though packed with a lot of stars and former stars, they just managed to end fourth seed in the East. However, come playoffs and we see a different Boston Celtics, now a team playing defense as if the Big Three came back from the past.
Boston's team defense stole the show which was supposed to star the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. They ripped both of these teams in six games. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce showed that they are a team that should be taken seriously, that each grunt, shot, post move, and tweet should be feared. During the span of the playoffs, they showed that they are real championship contenders. They showed that they are the real beasts of the East.
The Lakers now have to play the role of the dragon slayers. They have been consistently good, but the Celtics, in twelve quick games, went way above L.A.'s level of play. So the Lakers have to do their job here. Either they reduce the monster to individual parts, which means breaking the Celtics defense with strategic offensive plays, or be eaten alive. However, the slaying will be complete if they will play Boston's game, which means they have to defend their basket as a team. They should learn to utilize their default strong side zone, while learning to adjust and find solutions on the weak side. They should learn to shut the Celtics' potent scorers down while forcing turnovers and initiating fast break plays. And from here, we talk about the problems haunting the purple and gold.
It might be easy to say and think of that as the Lakers really doing it perfectly, but it would be hard to, because the Lakers have a few imperfections which necessarily have to be tweaked, for in their weaknesses and errors lie the strengths and perfections of the Celtics.
The backup players of each squad will be important, when the matchups within the first five will "cancel" themselves out in tough game situations. While Lamar Odom remains to be the X-factor, the Lakers, for the past games, had a bench that was mercurial, with no one really stepping up and forcing the ball inside. If this non-existence continues, then the Lakers will be facing matchup problems, and hence, problems managing player consistency. It would be fine for Kobe and Pau to play 40 to 45 minutes per game, but once they get their rest, it would be important to keep everything afloat and alright, and that is what the bench players need to handle. If the Lakers can cause problem to the Celtics' big backups , namely Glen Davis, Rasheed Wallace, Nate Robinson, and the rest of the guys sitting out there, then they might as well have given the trophy to the Celtics.
And of course, we never leave this topic without physicality. The aging Celtics ironically got tougher and tougher as games progressed. They never settled for outside shots unless those who shoot are really sure of draining it. Their hard knock defense and hustle play made thin paper out of Dwight Howard and Shaq during the earlier matches. The bigs were forcing the ball inside as much as possible, while trying to grab each and every rebound from missed baskets. If there is a team that wants the ball so bad that they would bully their opponents, it will be the Celtics.
These two might be small factors, but they are so crucial that they could turn the tables around and force fate to favor the Mean Green Squad. And because these are the things that the Lakers need great improvement, I was led to think that they are facing an uphill battle. Yes, it is an uphill battle with problems to find solutions to, but once they do, they get to win the series.
The Celtics undoubtedly have the mental advantage over the Lakers, and they can use their memories of obliterating L.A. to pressure them. The Lakers' D during the past games have been really scattered, allowing Phoenix open shots from both inside and outside, an opportunity that Boston could seize during their offensive runs. The point guard position hasn't been totally filled up, and Rajon Rondo could own Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, or Shannon Brown anytime during the game. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom have been branded as soft defenders during the Finals series. When the match-ups cancel each other out, the Celtics still have the advantage because their bench have the potential to explode anytime.
But then, when we talk about the Lakers, we see a team that really knows how to fight and put their poker faces on until the clock runs out. The purple and gold can prove that they have really grown stronger on both ends, with Kobe and Pau still leading the way. They can play team defense better than the Celtics do, using the combination of Bryant, Artest, Gasol, and Bynum to stop them from scoring in the paint and escaping with open perimeters. Derek Fisher could be, as we ironically expect it, a great surprise. The three to five players coming off the bench could do their job and provide genuine assistance (N.B., Vujacic could explode). And Pau Gasol? Last time everyone heard of him about his Finals performance was that he acted like a real Kryptonite who stopped Superman. Perhaps he could tear down the Big Ticket and totally stop him from becoming a nuisance. Lamar Odom, now with less of the pressure and more of the talent, could become the key to the four greatest Laker wins in postseason history.
Los Angeles now moves through a tunnel with flashing lights, a continuous play of light and darkness towards the exit. It's either they take advantage of the light and find their way, meaning solving their problems, leveling the gameplay of the exploding Celtics, or completely succumbing to their weaknesses and becoming lost in figuring out how to break the Green Team. It will take a lot of effort and patience to get there, and will involve several ups and downs that need to be dealt with. And when I say a lot, I mean seven games, forty-eight minutes long of
And I believe that they can get there, that they can redeem themselves and get that back-to-back crown, successfully closing the NBA Season with their glorious title defense. They can give Kobe the fifth ring and move him a step closer to legendary (and probably a new shoe line). They can shut Paul Pierce's mouth off and force him into silence after all those ego-trips he made. They can close the decade with perhaps the greatest win they can have since 2002.
And though it might be hard for me to say it, taking into account the pressure put upon the million true Lakers fans around the globe, I am going to say it.
The only mask he wears is that of riddles, creative analogies, and metaphors. The rest are open for public viewing.
A miles ecclesiae, wide reader, and a number 3 on the enneagram, he never (or at times) fails to express things noteworthy. He was editor-in-chief and a layout artist for some minor publications and yearbooks. As of now, he writes anything for anyone. Just tell him.
