PBA 2013 Semis Series Both Tied

Four game dates in and both semis series are tied. Both the Talk N Text Tropang Texters and Alaska Aces snagged a win in the second game off of their respective series, which brings the competition back to square one. With only three games left, Game 3 of the series is going to be crucial because it means the winning team has one foot in the Finals seat of the ongoing PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup.

Talk N Text def. Ginebra (85-79)

When Talk N Text dropped the first game of their semis series with Brgy. Ginebra, many feared that the latter will pull away and that Talk N Text will be history. But like the true warriors that they are, they managed to pull off a win last Sunday to even up the series. They were down 9 points heading into the fourth quarter but staged a rally with Ranidel de Ocampo scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter alone despite nursing a foul trouble. But it was his three-point shot under the final two minutes of the game that closed off any possibility of Ginebra making a come back and securing an early series lead. 

Head coach Norman Black viewed that game as a do-or-die situation for his team because he said "0-2 is a difficult situation." He added, "we have to survive and tie the series or we're in big trouble."

Defense was key part of Talk N Text's success in Game 2 of the semis as they held down Ginebra to below 80 points in this game, a stark contrast from the Game 1 result wherein they scored over 100. 

TALK N’ TEXT 85 – Castro 22, Alapag 17, De Ocampo 16, Jordan 14, Carey 6, Al-Hussaini 5, Reyes 4, Aban 1, Raymundo 0, Fonacier 0, Ferriols 0.

BARANGAY GINEBRA 79 – Raymundo 17, Macklin 15, Urbiztondo 15, Helterbrand 12, Tenorio 8, Ellis 6, Taha 2, Baracael 2, Maierhofer 2.

Alaska Aces def. San Mig Coffee Mixers (86-67)

Like Talk N Text, Alaska Aces also revitalized its chances if making it past the semis round after beating the San Mig Coffee Mixers during Monday's game in the PBA. Rob Dozier had a monster performance, fueling his team to its first win in this series.

Dozier tied his career high in the PBA of 28 points along with 27 rebounds (the new season-high) and making it the team's first win against their former coach. Before this game, Alaska has lost 9 games to San Mig Coffee Mixers in a row so they not only tied the series but also broke that losing skid. According to Aces head coach Luigi Trillo, "it's a battle between two competitive teams, and it's playoff time," noting the rugged moments that transpired during the game.

Defense was the name of the game as San Mig was limited to only 14 points each during the first two quarters. On the third quarter, they only slightly improved their offensive output to 16. The lone bright spots for the Mixers were PJ Simon and Joe Devance. Meanwhile, Jayvee Casio and Gabby Espinas helped out their import.

ALASKA 86 – Dozier 28, Casio 16, Thoss 8, Baguio 8, Hontiveros 5, Espinas 4, Jazul 2, Laure 2, Dela Cruz 2, Bugia 1, Ramos 0, Reyes 0, Eman 0,Belasco 0.

SAN MIG COFFEE 67 – Devance 15, Simon 15, Bowles 8, Yap 5, Barroca 4, Alvarez 3, Mallari 3, Pingris 3, Reavis 3, Ponferrada 2, Gaco 2, Najorda 2, De Ocampo 2, Pacana 0, Gonzales 0.

If you want to know more about the rest of the Semis schedule, you can check my previous post here.

Disclaimer: Photos and box scores courtesy of www.pba.ph

PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup Semis Schedule

The quarterfinals round came swiftly in the PBA with the number one team, Alaska Aces, finishing off its opponent, Air 21 Express, after having a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the quarterfinals round. However, the story is far more different in the other twice-to-beat matchup as the Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel showcased their "never say die" attitude as they battled Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Eventually, they managed to defeat the latter in both meetings, sealing them a date at the Semifinals round with the Tropang Texters of Talk N Text.

Speaking of Talk N Text, they also qualified into the Semis fairly early after they swept Petron Blaze Boosters in their own Best of 3 Series. Meanwhile, San Mig Coffee Mixers' series against the Meralco Bolts went the entire length of the Best of 3 competition, but they eventually ended up on top during last Wednesday's game.

The semifinals round is scheduled to tip off today in the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The semifinals round will be a Best-of-5 series with the two winning teams moving on to the Finals round. Below is a list of the game schedules. Make sure to take note so you won't miss a single game!

courtesy of www.pba.inquirer.net

Which team do you think will go head to head in the finals? Share your predictions below.

NBA 2013 Playoffs: First Day Results

NBA teams had entered the next phase, a more intense level, of competition in the league - the 2013 Playoffs. The regular season has been marked with a lot of exciting news and action with Kobe Bryant acquiring an injury on his Achilles tendon, which means he will be out for the rest of the season. In addition, the regular season also saw a dominance by the Miami Heat extending their game winning streak to 23 that had compelled a lot of fans and analysts to believe that another MVP trophy for Lebron James could be likely.

The first set of games for the NBA 2013 Playoffs opener kicked off on Saturday, April 20, 2013. If you missed the action, here are the results for those games:

East
Brooklyn Nets def. Chicago Bulls (106-89)

Deron Williams led Brooklyn Nets to this win with his 22 points, together with Brook Lopez' 21 points. It turned out to be a blowout with the Nets dominating the Bulls in the series opener. The game started off on the right foot for Brooklyn Nets as they registered an 11-point lead as the first quarter closed out at 25-14. Even when the Nets were limited to just 17 points at the final quarter, it was not enough to help Chicago Bulls steal this one. Carlos Boozer was the lone bright spot for the Bulls with his 25 points in 45 minutes of play. Other players in double figures for the Bulls are Jimmy Butler, Nate Robinson, and Marco Belinelli. Next game for this series will be on Tuesday, April 23.

New York Knicks def. Boston Celtics (85-78)

Carmelo Anthony took charge in this game with his 36-point performance, along with 6 rebounds, to help the New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics during the tipoff of their playoffs series. This series is ridden with emotions as the city of Boston was just recently hit by tragedy during the Boston Marathon bombing. However, as the New York Knicks hosted the Celtics, Anthony went on a rampage with his 13-29 field goal shooting. What is more interesting is that besides Anthony, only 5 more players scored during this game including Raymond Felton (13 points), JR Smith (15 points), Kenyon Martin (10 points), and Jason Kidd (8 points). On Boston's end, Jeff Green led the team in scoring with 26 points as Paul Pierce chipped in 21 points.

Game 2 is scheduled on Tuesday, April 23, in New York. Boston is scheduled to host Game 3 on Friday, April 26.

West


San Antonio Spurs def. LA Lakers (91-79)

San Antonio Spurs' get an edge over the Lakers in their round 1 series at the Western playoffs as they took a 91-79 win on Sunday night. The Spurs led early with 24-15 game at the first quarter and the Lakers could not recover. Despite late-season injuries, Tony Parker showed up in this game and helped push Spurs to the win. Manu Ginobili also chipped in 18 points to help his team's cause despite coming off the bench.

LA Lakers, on the other hand, saw the return of Steve Nash after missing the 8 games to close off the regular season for his team after straining his hamstring. He did manage to score 16 points after playing a little over 29 minutes and went for 6-15 in shooting. The Spurs' defensive play helped to contain the Lakers resulting in a long dry spell. The next game is scheduled on Wednesday, April 24, at San Antonio.

LA Clippers def. Memphis Grizzlies (112-91)

This is a re-match from last year's playoff series and the Clippers edged out Grizzlies in a 112-91 game yet again. Seven players scored in double figures but it was Chris Paul who led them all with 23 points. Grizzlies put up a decent defensive showing as they slowed down LA Clippers' pace, but 57 personal fouls were called during that night and it sure did slow down the pace but not the fiery performance from the home team.

Jerryd Bayless led the Memphis Grizzlies in scoring with 19 points but the Clippers dominated in the fourth quarter, fending off any rally from the Grizzlies to come back. The Grizzlies tried to foul DeAndre Jordan and force him to the free throw line during the few remaining minutes of the game. However, it wasn't enough to crawl back into the game. They will attempt to even out the series on Tuesday, April 23.

Golden State Warriors def. Portland TrailBlazers (99-88)

Andre Miller gave his team the winning shot in the dying seconds of their game as he scored a layup to put Denver Nuggets' up 1 in their series against Portland TrailBlazers, 97-95. The game, which was hosted by the Nuggets, is also Miller's first post-season win despite making it to the playoffs in the past. Aside from scoring the winning layup, Miller also led Denver Nuggets in points with 28 in 27 minutes of play. Wilson Chandler and Evan Fournier scored 11 points each as Ty Lawson added his own 12 points.

Klay Thompson put on a valiant effort scoring 22 points for the Blazers. Four other players scored in double figures but it wasn't enough to steal one on the road. Game 2 will be on Wednesday, April 24.

Today, the following games are scheduled to take place:

Atlanta Hawks vs Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat
Houston Rockets vs OKC Thunder


Stay tuned here for updates on game results for the remaining matchups.

PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup Games Schedule: April 19 to 24, 2013

Barako Bull Energy Cola and GlobalPort Batang Pier had already been eliminated from the competition at the PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup. But for the rest of the teams, the battle continues this week as the matchups are to be determined by the remaining games in the conference's regular season. During Wednesday's game, Petron emerged victorious over Talk N Text allowing them to secure the third position in the team standings. Meanwhile, Rain or Shine bowed to Meralco Bolts in a game that went into overtime and seen head coach Yeng Guiao ejected after complaining to the referees with only few minutes into the first quarter.

For what to expect in the PBA this week, here is the complete list of game schedules:

Are you ready for the Quarterfinals action?

Disclaimer: Image courtesy of www.pba.ph

Kobe Bryant Out for the Rest of Season Due to Injury

pic: Guardian.co.uk

While the Lakers struggle to make it past the regular season and into the playoffs, yet another major hurdle has beset them. And this hurdle came from an unlikely source - from one of their own teammates in Kobe Bryant. The NBA superstar and veteran's 17th season could be cut short after he suffered an injury to his Achilles heel following a seemingly innocent drive to the hoop past his defender. The injury came after Friday night game between the Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

Kobe was seen in crutches after walking out of the locker room wherein the media greeted him. When asked about his injury, he said, "it just popped", referring to his Achilles tendon. Despite being taken out of the game, though, the Lakers still managed to get a win over the Warriors via a 118-116 game.

To say that the fact that Kobe will be sidelined due to injury for the rest of the season will impact the Lakers' bid in the playoffs is an understatement. After all, he is the fourth-leading scorer in the history of the league. This is only the second time that Kobe will miss the post-season.

But given the superstar that he is with several championship rings under his name, he refuses to be overcome by this injury. Bryant, who averaged 27.3 points and played an average of 41 minutes in the past 6 games by the Lakers, said, "I know I can do this," when many had questioned whether the 34-year-old has seen the few remaining years of his career.

The injury took place during the early part of the second half. He hyperextended his knee while driving to the basket and fouled. He managed to sink in a couple of free throws after the call but hobbled his way to the locker room. Eventually, he did not see action again for the rest of the game. The 5-time NBA champion had already been scheduled to undergo MRI on Saturday.

Click this link to view his interview with the media and hear his thoughts about the injury, as well as the chances of his team going into the postseason:

Do you think the Lakers can survive the postseason even without Kobe?

Breaking down Mitch McGary's Potential.

McGary is the secret weapon of Michigan where in most of the opponent have little knowledge of what he is capable of. McGary is actually gained some comparison with Anthony Davis in terms of breaking out in High school, becoming a beast in Senior year. He is one of the Top Big Men recruits in this freshmen class.

In Michigan, he didn't have much opportunity to show is talent during regular season averaging around 14min a game. Since Michigan have loads of talent in Trey, Tim and Glen. But even with limited minutes, he is the top rebounder of the team and efficient Field Goal percentage. I just thought that maybe next season, he will finaly have the opportunity when the Michigan superstar leaves and anyway they are winning games with just them(the Michigan Superstars).

It turns out to be a blessing in disguise for Mitch as he took the NCAA tournament by storm. almost doing everything and the most important is being consistent on every game on non-stop motor during the game. In addition, he plays big against High profiled teams against Syracause and Kansas on tough and different style of defense.

With his emergence, he gain first round projection from out of the radar. Because of a small sample size in March Madness games. he is just projected on late first round if he decide to join NBA draft this year with a top ten talent. But if he decide to stay another year, he could really add more offensive skills and solidify what he already have. In addition, he will prove the scouts of what he really is but another problem is there are loads of talent in NBA draft 2014. Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Harrison twins, etc. His chances next year will be around Mid-late first round. But it would be best for him to stay another year in Michigan.

There are different NBA players comparison to Mitch. Some say he has the same motor as Haslem had, a glue guy who dives for the ball. The toughness of Boozer inside the paint and Mid range jumper and playing nicely as a role player like McRoberts. Right Now I can say he's a poor's man Boozer..Another thing that hurts Mcgary's draft stock is his age, he's turning 21 this year. Similar situation to Royce White but although white has more skills, Mitch is much better than him. Royce gained lottery pick last year, then Mcgary deserves it more.

Right now, he is looks like the MVP of Michigan. For me he is..do you also think so?

PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup Game Schedule: April 8-17, 2013

During Sunday night's games at the ongoing PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup, both the Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel and Petron Blaze Boosters had sealed their fate for the next round of competition after beating Meralco Bolts and Barako Bull Energy Cola, respectively. At the first match of Sunday Superball at the PBA, the Blaze Boosters spoiled former NBA player DJ Mbenga's debut as they beat the Barako Bull via an 88-77 match. The game was close for the first three quarters until Petron pulled away during the early goings of the fourth quarter until Barako Bull could not recover any longer. Mbenga's lack of conditioning also played a key factor as he was looking rusty and slow at times, leaving the more agile Henry Sims opportunity to exploit the paint.

Meanwhile, the Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel team barely clinched the win with a shot by their import Vernon Macklin with 12.9 seconds left in the game. Previous to Macklin's heroic shot that ended up sealing the win for Brgy. Ginebra, Sunday Salvacion sunk a three-point shot from the corner despite Mac Baracael's contention, which pushed Meralco Bolts to the lead at 89-88. But with 1.2 seconds remaining in the game, Eric Dawson could not sink his high-looping shot against Vernon Macklin, thus giving Brgy. Ginebra their 7th win and guaranteeing that they move to the next round. Meanwhile, Meralco Bolts drop to 6-6 and is on a three-way tie with Talk N Text and San Mig Coffee Mixers.

To continue watching the action at the PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup, make sure to take note of the schedule for the succeeding games. Here is the list of games for the coming week:

Disclaimer: Image courtesy of pba.inquirer.net

Barako Bull Energy Cola Acquires Former Laker DJ Mbenga

Image: Spin.ph

Last Sunday, the Barako Bull Energy Cola snapped their six game losing skid by beating San Mig Coffee Mixers via a 105-100 match, just barely escaping a late rally from Tim Cone's troops. Despite the win, though, the Barako Bull management finally made a move that a lot were speculating they would've made earlier, if they were to improve their bid at making the playoffs round.

The Barako Bull management had to let go of Evan Brock and acquired former Lakers center DJ Mbenga in the process. The 7-foot Congonese-Belgian player was much talked about prior to the start of the PBA 2013 Commissioner's Cup because a few teams, including Brgy. Ginebra Kings, were hoping to sign him. However, it wasn't until Tuesday that the Barako Bull management has confirmed that they have signed Mbenga as the team's new import.

The size and height of Mbenga was the critical factor in their decision to tap him to reinforce their current lineup. According to team consultant Rajko Toroman, "we're the worst rebounding team, that's what we need in him. We don't care if he doesn't have an offense or what. We need his defense and hustle more."

Coach Bong Ramos also seconded saying that he is confident that DJ Mbenga will be the missing part of the formula to helping Barako Bull get the most wins out of their remaining games in their bid to escape an early break this conference.

Soon after arriving in the Philippines, DJ Mbenga joined a close door training with the rest of the team, coach Bong Ramos, and team consultant Rajko Toroman. The new recruit went through usual drills for post-up plays, free throw shooting, and rebounding. The team's goal is to maximize his size in order to establish a stronger presence on the inside, something of which the hard working Evan Brock lacked during his stint with the Barako Bull team.

Right now, the team's goal is to avoid being stuck in the 9 or 10 position in the league standings or else they could be taking an early vacation this conference. DJ Mbenga will be able to strut his wares in the PBA as he debuts against Petron Blaze Boosters this Sunday, April 7. Petron is also sporting a new import in Henry Sims, so it will be interesting to see which of the new imports will prevail although Sims will have his debut this Friday.

Petron Blazers Welcome New Import Henry Sims

Image: Petron Blaze Boosters official Facebook fan page

Petron Blaze Boosters has a new import! It's been a few days that the Twitter world went abuzz as Petron is still hard in its search for a new import to replace Rodney White, the former PBA import whom they recruited after the PBA imposed a lifetime ban on their then-import Renaldo Balkman following a choking incident that involved his own teammate. However, White had been less than impressive in his two games with Petron, prompting the SMC management to look for another import that could help out the team's cause in their ongoing campaign to make the playoffs round of the 2013 PBA Commissioner's Cup.


And it seems like their search is finally over as SMC Executive Noli Eala has confirmed the news. Henry Sims is the new Petron import and is expected to suit up in Petron's game this Friday against Meralco Bolts. Eala took to his Twitter account to confirm the news saying, "Its official. Its Henry Sims!"

The news came out last Monday when head coach Olsen Racela confirmed that they had offered Sims a contract to play as Petron's import in the PBA. According to Racela, "We want to have a permanent import."

When asked about their motivation for choosing Sims, despite the fact that they had trouble with sealing the contract and having Gabe Freeman on standby, Racela said, "He's bigger than our two previous imports as he plays No. 4 and 5 positions."

The impressive portfolio of Henry Sims had made him their top choice for import as of the moment. Even Brgy. Ginebra import, Vernon Macklin, is impressed with Sims. After all, Sims is a fellow alumnus from Georgetown, which is why he knows how Sims operate on and off the court.

According to the Ginebra import, "He's got a great attitude, he is a young guy. He just wants to work hard to make it to the next level." Macklin can guarantee that Sims won't be making a repeat of the horror that Balkman brought to the team.

If Sims can prove to be the missing piece in this team's puzzle, he might help improve their standing after losing two games in a row since winning the first one following Balkman's ban.