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Posts published in “Basketball”

Los Angeles Lakers are the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament Champions

December 10, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers are the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament Champions, this is after a dominant performance the Lakers Stars Anthony Davis with his 41 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. Lakers also had a lot of help from Austin Reaves, who came off the bench, he scored 28 points, Lebron James also helped with his 24 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lakers controlled the tempo of the game, even though Indiana are in striking distance until Los Angeles went on a 15-3 run late in the fourth quarter to secure the win for good. Lakers went old school by scoring in the paint at will, exploiting Indiana’s lack of size. This was also evident in the Rebounds, where the Lakers grabbed 55 rebounds versus Pacers 33 rebounds.

Pacers’ PG Tyrese Haliburton had 20 points and 11 assists, Bennedict Mathurin also scored 20 points and Aaron Nesmith had 15, but they could not contain AD for wreaking havoc in the paint. As for tournament awards.

Pacers will visit Detroit on Monday night to start a four-game road trip, while the Lakers will go to Dallas on Tuesday night for their three-game road trip.

Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Golden States behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 38 points in OT (138-136)

December 9, 2023

The Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) continue their impressive run, defeating the Golden State Warriors in overtime by a score of 138-136 on December 8th, 2023. This marks the second time in four matchups this season that the young Thunder squad has bested the defending champions in OT, highlighting their growing confidence and ability to compete with the league’s best.

The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams trading leads throughout the contest. Stephen Curry led the Warriors, pouring in 34 points and 6 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Thunder’s balanced attack. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge for OKC, dropping a game-high 38 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, he is 15-30 from the field.

Chet Holmgren, the rookie sensation, played a pivotal role in the Thunder’s victory. He dominated the paint, racking up 21 points, 7 rebounds and an assists with 3 blocks, making his presence felt on both ends of the court. His size and athleticism were too much for the Warriors’ frontcourt to handle, and his clutch free throws in the final seconds of regulation sent the game into overtime.

The Warriors is once again plague with turnovers, committing a 29 turnovers which the Thunders took advantage and converted to 35 points. This will be OKC’s 3 straight win over the Warriors and this will be the last game between the two teams in the regular season.

Warriors will visit KD and the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, while OKC will host the Utah Jazz on Monday.

Steph Curry’s 31-points carries Golden State Warriors to a win over Trail Blazers in Tight Contest (110 – 106)

December 7, 2023

The Golden State Warriors emerged victorious in a thrilling matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, securing a 110-106 win at Chase Center. Stephen Curry led the charge for the Warriors, dropping a game-high 31 points, including a clutch three-pointer in the final minute to seal the deal.

The game remained close throughout, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to gain a significant advantage. The Trail Blazers held a 55-48 lead at halftime, but the Warriors were able to responded with a run in the third quarter, Portland 34-31. However, the Blazers refused to back down, and fueled by Anfernee Simons’ 28 points, they were able to hold on to the lead until the 4:40 mark of fourth quarter.

The Warriors are just hold on to a 1-point lead, Curry stepped up and delivered a step-back triple to give Golden State a 4-point with 9.2 left in the game.

Draymond Green also played a crucial role in the Warriors’ victory. He was flirting with triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, anchoring the Warriors’ defense with 2 blocks.

For the Trail Blazers, aside from Anfernee Simons’s performance, Shaedon Sharpe had a big game with 26 points, 6 reds and 5 assists, followed by Jabari Walker’s 12 points and 5 rebs.

This victory was crucial for the Warriors, who improved their record to 10-11, which will put them 11th in the Western Conference standings. The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, fell to 6-14 and they share the bottom of the standings with the Spurs.

Portland Trail Blazers will host Dallas on Friday night, while the Warriors will visit Oklahoma City on Saturday night.

These are the Trophies for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament

December 6, 2023

Now that we have the 4 team standing for the Semifinals of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the league unveil the trophies as well as the awards that will be given to the winners for the tournament, this in addition to the cash prize that the team and players will receive from the league.

From NBA;

There are cash prizes for reaching the knockout round in the tournament, and the prizes will keep growing as a team advances. Each player gets $500,000 for winning the title, $200,000 for making the final, $100,000 for reaching the semifinals and $50,000 for making the quarterfinals. There is one caveat: two-way players on those rosters only get half as much as those on standard contracts.

NBA In-Season Tournament Champions

The NBA In-Season Tournament Championship Trophy will be called – ‘The NBA Cup’. This will be given to the team for winning it all for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.

  • Color: The gold reinforces the connection to the NBA’s trophy offerings and symbolizes the highest level of achievement, while the black coloring is unique to the league’s trophy collection, a new addition for the In-Season Tournament.
  • Material: Sterling silver trophy, coated in 24-karat gold vermeil and black ceramic.
  • Measurements: 23” high, 18” prong height, 5” base height, weighing 35 lbs.
  • Details:
    • Eight prongs flow into the channels of the cup, inspired by the prongs of a diamond ring.
    • The base, featuring net detail, is a blend of the design of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Championship Trophy bases.
    • The underside of the trophy features the NBA In-Season Tournament event logo.
  • Design Inspiration:
    • One trophy – Represents the one In-Season Tournament champion.
    • Three-tier base – Represents the three games that the champion must win in the In-Season Tournament Knockout Rounds.
    • Eight prongs – Represents the eight teams that advance to the Knockout Rounds.
    • 23” total height – Represents the inaugural year of the In-Season Tournament.
    • 30 net openings on the trophy’s base – Represents the 30 NBA teams.
    • 35 lbs. – Represents the three groups of five teams in each conference for Group Play in the In-Season Tournament.

NBA In-Season Tournament MVP Trophy

No special name the league will just straight up calling this The NBA In-Season Tournament MVP trophy. This will be awarded to the most valuable player in the In-Season Tournament.

  • Color: The black and gold colors match the championship trophy, with the two stems mirroring the championship prong design.
  • Size: 15” high, 6.5” width, 5” ball (17.5” circumference), 8” stem, 3” base height, weighing 11.5 lbs.
  • Representation:
    • 15” height – Represents 15 teams in each NBA conference.
    • 5” width – Represents the six groups and five teams in each In-Season Tournament group.
    • 3” base – Represents the three In-Season Tournament groups in each conference.
    • Two stems – Represents the two teams competing in the In-Season Tournament Championship Game.

NBA In-Season Tournament Medals

Each player on the In-Season Tournament championship team will receive the In-Season Tournament Medals. No special name for the medals as well.

  • “NBA In-Season Tournament Champions” is etched on the front of the medal, along with the year.
  • The back of the medal features a silhouette of the NBA Cup in the middle of two tournament brackets.
  • The four extruding balls on the face of the medal represent the four teams competing in the In-Season Tournament Semifinals.

NBA In-Season Tournament All-Tournament Team Trophies

This will be awarded to each player on the In-Season Tournament All-Tournament Team. This is the equivalent of the “All-NBA Team” awards that are given at the end of season.

The All-Tournament Team members will receive trophies, designed by Victor Solomon, composed of a solid black crystal basketball with gold channels, one of which features a bracket motif in a nod to the In-Season Tournament. Each trophy stands 7.5” in height and weighs 20 pounds.

Final 4 of the NBA In-Season Tournament are now Complete

December 6, 2023

We now have the Final 4 teams for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, which will be held in Las Vegas this 7th of December.

Semis

For the West side, it will be between LA Lakers versus New Orleans Pelicans, then for the East Side, we have Indiana Pacers against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Finals

The two winners for games between; LA Lakers versus New Orleans Pelicans, and Indiana Pacers against the Milwaukee Bucks, will once again play for the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship, which the league is calling ‘The NBA Cup’. Games will also be in Las Vegas and will be on Dec. 9th.

Clippers Edge Warriors in Thrilling Finish on a Paul George buzzer beater three (113-112)

December 3, 2023

The Los Angeles Clippers pulled out a thrilling 113-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday afternoon, avenging their 120-114 loss to Golden State two days earlier in Los Angeles.

Paul George hit the game-winning 3-pointer with just 9.2 seconds remaining to give the Clippers their first lead of the game. George finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while James Harden added 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists. Kawhi Leonard also had a solid performance with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

The Warriors were led by Stephen Curry, who had 22 points and a season-high 11 assists. Draymond Green added a season-high 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. Klay Thompson also contributed with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Warriors big three; Curry, Thompson and Green all made four 3-pointers but the Warriors as a team made are 17-43 from beyond the arc and committed 13 turnovers, to which the Clippers were able to capitalize.

The Warriors led by as many as 22 points in the first half and appears to be walking away for the win, but the Clippers slowly chipped away at the lead. In the fourth quarter, the Clippers were able to cut the lead to just a point with still 2:04 remaining in the game then took the lead for the first time after George hit the game-winning 3-pointer to give the Clippers the victory.

The Clippers improve to 9-10, while the Warriors fall to 9-11.

Golden State will host the Portland Trailblazers while the LA Clippers will host the defending champs Denver Nuggets, both games will be this coming Wednesday.

Golden State Warriors Defeat Clippers in Close Game (120-114)

December 2, 2023

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 120-114 on Thursday night. This was after the Warriors was eliminated by the Kings from a devastating loss.

After a close game in the 1st qtr, Warriors controlled all 3 quarters leading as much as 18 pts. It was a balance Warriors offense where 7 players in double figures and bench contributed big with Saric, Kuminga and Podziemski leading the bench with 13 pts, 17, pts and 13 pts, respectively.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26 points, 7 rebs and 8 assists, while Klay Thompson added 22 points and 6 rebs. Draymond Green chipped in with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard had 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Paul George made 15 points and 10 assists.

The Warriors were without three of their major contributors: Chris Paul is sidelined by a nerve contusion in his lower left leg and sat out his first game of the season. Gary Payton II missed his fifth game due to a strained right calf. He will be re-evaluated in a week. MRI exams showed that neither player sustained structural damage. Andrew Wiggins slammed his right index finger in a car door earlier Thursday and was unable to play.

The win was the Warriors are now 9-10, while the Clippers fell to 8-10 with the loss.

Both teams will face again this Saturday evening in crypto.com arena.

Kings defeats Warriors, clinches In-Season tournament (124 – 123)

November 29, 2023

Kings advances to the quarterfinals of the In-Season Tournament with their win over the Golden State Warriors. It may be a tough loss to swallow to a lot of Warriors fans, since Golden State was enjoying a 24-point lead at the end of the 1st half. But since then, the Kings went on a 69 to 51 in the second half, scoring mostly inside the paint, specially in the 3rd qtr where the game grinded to a halt after both team went into penalty with still more than 5 mins remaining in the 3rd.

It didn’t help that the Warriors committed 18 turn overs, which the Kings capitalizes by scoring at least 19 points, most notably the two late turnovers by the Warriors; Monk hit a 3-pointer following a turnover by Stephen Curry and on the next possession, Draymond Green turned it over allowing Monk for a go-ahead 13-footer shot that gave the Kings the lead and steal the game.

Curry and Wiggins lead the Warriors with 29 points a piece, while Thompson had another great game with his 20 points and 9 rebs. Draymond Green back from a five-game suspension was a non-factor in the game, scoring 8 points, 6 rebs and just 3 assists.

Kings leading scorer is Deaaron Fox with 29 pts, 9 rebs and 7 assists, Huerter and Monk both scored 21 points.

Sacramento Kings swept their group for In-Season tournament with a 4-0 record and will host New Orleans next week in the quarterfinals. While the Warriors are eliminated from the contest.

Next for the Kings, will face the the Clippers on Wednesday night, while the Golden State Warriors will also host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

Gilas Pilipinas to join Georgia and Latvia for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

November 28, 2023

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) just release the final Draw results for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024, it shows that Philippines will be in Group A for the Riga (Latvia) leg. Philippines will join Georgia and Latvia in the group.

Aside from Latvia, Piraeus (Greece), San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Valencia (Spain) are the other host countries for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024. There will be a total of 24 teams vying for the four available slots for the 2024 Olympic Games, one for each tournaments.

Seven countries have already qualified directly for the 2024 Olympic Games at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023; for Europe, we have Germany and Serbia, then for the Americas, we have Canada and United States, Australia for Oceania, Japan for Asia and South Sudan for Africa. France also qualified since they’re the hosts for this coming Olympic.

It’s still unclear who will play for Gilas and it good that we’ll more than enough time to prepare for the tournament. Games for the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will be played from July 2 to 7.

Dubs defeats Spurs to keep In-Season Tournament hopes Alive (118-112)

November 25, 2023

Golden State Warriors are still in the running for the first ever NBA In-Season Tournament, powered by Steph’s shooting brilliance.

It was a close game in the 1st half with Victor Wembanyama helping the Spurs with his 22 points, 9 rebs and 4 assists, but shot 1 of 6 from the three-point line. There was also a defensive sequence by 6-foot-2 guard Gary Payton II (GP2), when he blocks Spurs 7-foot-3 rookie Victor Wembanyama’s jump shot. This was GP2 first game after recovering from a foot injury.

Golden State started to break away from the Spurs at the end of the 3rd qtr and continue at the start of the 4th qtr, where they lead as much as 18 points, but the Spurs were able to make a run and cut the lead to just 4 points with still a whole minute left in the game. But the Spurs couldn’t complete the comeback since Curry and Thompson made all their free throws.

Warriors guard Steph Curry lead the team with 35 points and 6 assists, he’s 7 of 14 from beyond the arc. Curry got a lot of help from the team particularly from the bench; Saric, who played for just2 6 mins, is the second leading scorer with 20 pts, 7 rebs and 4 assists then add the two steals that he made. Klay Thompson also made significant contributions adding 15 points, 3 rebs and 6 assists.

Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 24 points and 22 pts by Keldon Johnson with 12 rebounds 4 assists. San Antonio finished 0-4 in the group play of the In-Season Tournament. While the Golden State Warriors are still in contention to advance to the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament, as they face the Sacramento Kings this Tuesday for the final game of Group C play.

Spurs will visit Denver this Sunday evening.
Warriors will face the Sacramento Kings this Tuesday.

Suns defeats Warriors behind Durant and Booker (123 – 115)

November 23, 2023

After winning their last game, Warriors got another loss from the Phoenix Suns lead by Kevin Durant, who scored a game high of 32 points with 8 rebs and 2 assists.

Warriors initially finished the 1 qtr with a 5 point lead but the Suns practically ended the game with a 37 – 16 run in the 2nd quarter. The Suns biggest lead was 23 points with just 7 mins remaining in the qtr. On the last 23 seconds of the 2nd qtr, Warriors received a total of 3 consecutive technical fouls from referee Scott Foster; a quick 2 by Chris Paul, after arguing about a foul he committed on Durant, this got Paul ejected from the game, then another technical foul on Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr for shouting at Foster after Paul’s ejection.

The Warriors tried to make a run in the 3rd qtr but ended up where they were in the 1st half, trailing by 16 points.

In the 4th Qtr, Warriors starter made another run but it made little to no difference, since all of the Warriors starters had a negative impact on the game. This is when things got interesting, with just 6 mins left in the game, Steve Kerr removed all his starters then put the Warriors’ bench; Saric, Kuminga, T. Jackson, C. Joseph and Brandin Podziemski. Warriors’ bench went on a 14 to 4 run, cutting the lead to a single digit on a Cory Joseph 8-foot pullup jump shot.

Golden State were able to cut the lead to just 6 points with enough time to steal the game but the Suns was able to hold on to their lead even after a Podziemski 3-point play that cut their lead to just 4 points. Steve Kerr later explained why he left the bench team remained and finished the game;

Aside from Durant, Booker had a double-double game with his 25 pts and 10 assists. Eric Gordon chipped-in 13 pts, 4 assists and 3 steals.

For the Warriors, this was Klay Thompson’s second game scoring a team high of 23 points but a liability no defence, while Curry who have been the bright spot for the Warriors was a non-factor in this game even though he had 16 points, he was 1-of-8 from the 3-point line and just 6-of-15 from the field.

The only Warriors take away from this game is that if needed their bench team can be a big help, specially when (and if) they reach the play-offs.

Warriors next game will be against the San Antonio Spurs, while the Suns will face the Memphis Grizzlies both games will be this Saturday, Nov. 25th.

Golden State Warriors Ends Losing Skid with a Win Over Rockets (121 – 116)

November 21, 2023
Golden State Warriors Ends Losing Skid with a Win Over Rockets (121 – 116)

The Golden State Warriors finally got their much needed win and stopped their 6-game losing streak with a hard-fought 121-116 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night at Chase Center. Stephen Curry, the league’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, led the Warriors with 32 points and five 3-pointers, extending his remarkable streak of making at least four 3-pointers in each of his first 13 games this season.

Klay Thompson, also finally broke out of his shoot slumped and had a big night for the Warriors, scoring 20 points on 5-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc and 7-16 from the field. Aside from Thompson, the Warriors got a lot of help specially from their starters, Andrew Wiggins scoring 12 pts and 7 rebs, then Chris Paul with his 15 points and 12 assists and add the 18 points of Dario Saric. The starter’s performance, particular that of Thompson was a welcome sight for the team, who have been relying on Curry to carry the scoring load.

The Rockets were led by Center Alperen Sengun, who scored 30 points. However, even if all the starters scored 10 or more points, their efforts were not enough to overcome the Warriors’ balanced attack and 48.8% shooting from beyond the arc.

The Warriors led by as many as 14 points in the second half, but the Rockets fought back to make it a close game in the fourth quarter. Curry, however, hit a clutch 3-pointer with 2:09 remaining to give the Warriors a 13-point cushion to secure the win.

The Houston Rockets will the struggling Grizzlies at home this Wednesday, while the Warriors will visit the Kevin Durant and the Suns on the 22nd of Nov.

Warriors loss to Thunder even after Curry returns, 130-123 in OT

November 19, 2023

OKC gave the Warriors their 6th straight loss, even though the Golden State Warriors got the services of Steph Curry back after missing two games because of a right knee sprain. Curry got the much needed help with Wiggins scoring 31 pts.

It was a close game in the 1st half then in the 2nd half, the Warriors played their signature 3rd qtr game, leading as much as 18 points, then the Thunder ended the qtr with a 24-8 run, cutting the Warriors lead to just 2 points.

It was then a close game in the 4th qtr until Andrew Wiggins made 24-foot three point jumper to give the Warriors a 3-point lead and with just 3 secs left in the game. Then to tie the game rookie Chet Holmgren beat the clock with his 25-foot three point shot, that setup by Josh Giddey.

In the overtime, the Warrior only managed to score 6 points, while the Thunder made 10 points, all by Shai Gilgeous Alexander, who lead OKC by scoring 40 points, 7 rebs and 6 assists. Aside from SGA, Four OKC players also scored double-digits points, Chet Holmgren scored 36 pts, 10 rebs, 5 assts with 2 steal and 2 blocks, followed by Jalen Williams contributing 22 pts, 6 rebs and 3 assists.

Warriors will host the red hot Rockets this Monday, while the OKC will visit the Trailblazers this on Sunday evening.

Timberwolves defeat Warriors two in a row after 3 players got ejected early in the game

November 15, 2023

Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels both got 2 technical fouls after getting into a shoving match, resulting in Thompson’s jersey being ripped. While Warriors’s Draymond Green got ejected after head locking Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, from the same incident.

Warriors leading scorer, Steph Curry did not play after experiencing right knee soreness and still waiting for the MRI results.

Even though the Warriors was playing without their 3 veterans, they still dominate the game leading as much as 12 points in the 3rd quarter and Timberwolves only took control of the game in the last 6 mins of the 4th quarter, where Warriors committed crucial turner and a 33 points, 11 rebs and 2 assists game from Karl Anthony Towns, scoring 11 points in the 4th qtr, including the 3-points at 1:09, to give Minnesota the lead and the win.

Golden State Warriors leading scorer is rookie Brandin Podziemski with 23 pts, 7 rebs and 5 assits. Dario Saric helped with 21 pts, 4 assists and 4 rebs.

Together with KAT, Timberwolves got plenty of help from Anthony Edwards with his 2 pts, 4 rebs, 4 assists and 3 steals, and 13 pts and 8 assists from Mike Conley.

This will be the last game between the Warriors and the Timberwolves this year and the next time they face will be on March 25th, by then we already have a clear picture of the playoffs matchups.

Timberwolves will be going to Phoenix on Thursday, while the Warriors will be facing OKC for a back-to-back game this Friday (Nov 17th) and on Sunday (Nov. 19th).

Stephen Curry and Jason Tatum named the NBA Players of the Week

November 8, 2023

After two weeks of basketball, NBA named Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Jason Tatum from Boston Celtics, as NBA Players of the Week of the 2023-24 season.

Stephen Curry

In their second week of the league, Stephen Curry helped the Warriors to a 3-1 week, where he averages of 30.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists. In just 7 games, Curry already made 40 3-pointers, the most in the league. Curry made his case of the player of the week after he torched the Pelicans with his 42-point, 5-assist, 5-rebound performance.

Jason Tatum

On the East side, Tatum powered the Celtics to be 3-0 this week. Stat-wise, the 25-year-old Celtic forward averages 30.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists over the first five games. Topping his performance with a 155-point win against the Pacers.

NBA announces that San Francisco Bay Area will host the 74th NBA All-Star 2025

November 8, 2023

Good news to all basketball fans in the Bay Area, since NBA has officially announced that the 74th NBA All-Star 2025 will be in San Francisco Bay Area at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors. This will be the first time that the NBA All Star will be held at Chase Center, which opened in 2019.

NBA All-Star on-court events will tip off on Friday, Feb. 14 at Chase Center with NBA Rising Stars, an annual showcase for top rookies and second-year NBA players. On Feb. 15, the fourth NBA HBCU Classic Presented by AT&T will feature men’s basketball programs from two historically Black colleges and universities followed by State Farm All-Star Saturday Night which will feature the Kia Skills Challenge, the STARRY 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk. NBA All-Star 2025 will culminate with the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16.

You can watch the video below as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver make the announcement.

The 73th NBA All-Star 2025 will be in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo signs 3-years extension worth $186M

October 24, 2023

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed on a three-year, $186 million contract extension with the team, announced on his social media accounts. The extension includes a player option for the 2027-2028 season. The deal will run through the duration of guard Damian Lillard’s contract and ends the possibility of him entering free agency in 2025. Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a 3-team blockbuster trade this summer.

In a recent interview published on NY Times, Giannis said that we won’t sign any extension until he knows that the Bucks can continue to contend for a championship. This may have prompted the team to trade for Damian Lillard. Bucks as in a similar situation in 2020, where he signed a five-year, $228 million supermax extension, after the Bucks acquired Jrue Holiday from Pelicans. That same season, the Bucks became the NBA Champion, Giannis was named Finals MVP, after being awarded the regular season MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year award. Only two other player have ever won all 3 awards in the same season; Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon.

SBP and PBA release statement on the championship won by the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Basketball Team at the 19th Asian Games

October 18, 2023

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) just released a joint statement regarding the gold medal that the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Basketball Team won at the 19th Asian Games.

The statement is also a recognizes the work that Gilas Team Manager Alfrancis Chua and Gilas Deputy Team Manager Willie Marcial did to support the team while in tournament in Hangzhou, China. It also cite the “all-out support” of SBP Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan and SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang, to the team, which resulted in bagging the GOLD medal for the nation and Filipino basketball fans after more than six (6) decades.

The statement appears to been release due to the controversies that Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Basketball Team have been experience after winning the Gold medal earlier this month. First, it was disclosed that a player as ‘Asking for the moon’ in order to join Gilas and then Justin Brownlee, testing positive for a substance linked to cannabis use.

PBA release the full schedule of 48th Season PBA Commissioner’s Cup

October 18, 2023

If you want to watch your favorite PBA team and/or stars, then you may want to checkout the full schedule of 48th Season PBA Commissioner’s Cup. The league just release the full schedule of the regular season with the venue.

You can checkout the full schedule from the embedded tweet by @PBAConnect;

Aside from the games in Metro Manila, there will also be provincial games like in Antipolo, Batangas, Quezon Province, Cagayan De Oro City and in Iloilo City. There will also be Christmas games which will be between SMB vs Phoenix LPG, for the first game, then Brgy Ginebra vs TNT for the second game.

PBA to air live on A2Z

October 17, 2023

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) just announced that when PBA opens its 48th Season 48 on Nov. 5, live games will now be on A2Z every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Weekday games will be at 4:00 PM for first game and at 8:00 PM for the second game, while weekend games will be at 3 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.

A2Z is a Philippine free-to-air blocktime broadcast television network based in Quezon City, with its studios located in Ortigas Center, Pasig. It serves as a flagship property of ZOE Broadcasting Network in partnership with ABS-CBN Corporation as its main content provider through a blocktime agreement. A2Z’s flagship television station is DZOE-TV which operates on channel 11 (analog broadcast), and channel 20 (digital broadcast). The network’s name is an abbreviation derived from the first letter of the names of two parent companies, ABS-CBN and ZOE, and the channel number of the now-recalled frequency of the former network (which is now owned by Advanced Media Broadcasting System’s All TV).

Pilipinas Live, Cignal TV’s newest streaming platform, will also offer all games live and on demand with multiple viewing options exclusive to the app. It also offers PBA 3×3, PBA D-League and PBA Esports, along with original programs made for PBA fans. Aside from PBA games, Pilipinas Live also cover UAAP, PVL, eSports like Call of Duty and Tekken.

Aside from A2Z and Pilipinas Live, PBA Rush will will continue to air PBA events live and in high definition to all Cignal TV subscribers.

NBA releases statement on Israel-Palestine conflict

October 10, 2023

In a very short message, NBA and NBPA issued a statement in support of Israel regarding its conflict with Palestine.

The NBA and NBPA mourn the horrific loss of life in Israel and condemn these acts of terrorism. We stand with the people of Israel and pray for peace for the entire region.

Israel declared war after “Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas rampaged through Israeli towns on Saturday, October 7, killing at least 250 Israelis and escaping with dozens of hostages in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago.”

To know the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict you can checkout the sources below;

Gilas Pilipinas Stuns China to Advance to 19th Asian Games Finals (77 – 76)

October 5, 2023

Gilas Pilipinas stunned host China with a thrilling 77-76 come-from-behind victory in the semifinals of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.

Gilas Pilipinas trailed by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, but they rallied back in spectacular fashion to steal the game. Justin Brownlee scored 17 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to lead Gilas Pilipinas to victory.

China got off to a hot start, leading by as many as 12 points in the first quarter. Gilas Pilipinas kept pace in the second quarter, but China was able to build an 18 point lead at halftime.

China extended their lead to 20 points, 52-32, in the third quarter with 08:24 remaining, but Gilas Pilipinas refused to give up. They cut the lead to just 12 points entering the 4th. China responded by exchanging basket with Gilas but Justin Brownlee was just starting to heat up.

Gilas Pilipinas tighten their defense and limited China to just 14 pts in the qtr, while Gilas made 27 points, with Brownlee scoring 17 pts of those 27. China had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but ZHANG Zhenlin missed his jumper before the time expires.

Brownlee was the hero for Gilas Pilipinas in this game, scoring 33 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. He was also perfect from beyond the arc, making all 5 of this three-pointers.

Scottie Thompson also had a big game for Gilas Pilipinas. He finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Junmar Fajardo and Jaymar Perez both added 8 points with 4 and 5 rebounds, respectively.

Rui Zhao led the scoring for China with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.

With the win, Gilas Pilipinas advances to the final of the Asian Games for the first time since 1990. They will face Jordan in the final on Friday, October 6, 2023.

The Scores

  • Philippines 77 – J. Brownlee 33, S. Thompson 13, J. Fajardo 8, J. Perez 8, L. Alas 5, C. Newsome 4, C. Oftana 4, A. Kouame 2, C. Ross 0, M. Lassiter 0, J. Aguilar 0.
  • China 76 – Zhao R. 18, Hu M. 10, Zhu 10, Wang 10, Zhao J. 9, Hu J. 8, Du 6, Zhang 4, Cui 1, Cheng 0.

Quarters: 17-19, 30-48, 50-62, 77-76.

Gilas Pilipinas advances to semifinals of the 19th Asian Games by beating Iran (84 – 83)

October 3, 2023

Gilas Pilipinas advance to semifinals of the 19th Asian Games after a thrilling game against Iran (84-83) in the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at the Zhegiang University Zijingang Stadium in Hangzhou, China.

The last time that Philippines qualified for the semifinals of the Asian Games was in 2002, that’s 21 years ago. This was during the 2002 Busan Asian Games, the Men’s Philippine team are just a few seconds away from clinching the game and for a Finals berth at the Asian Games,, Olsen Racela missed two freethrows, that could have sealed the game but South Korea’s Lee Sang-min won the game for S.Korean with his buzzer-beating three (69-68).

Justin Brownlee led the scoring for Gilas Pilipinas with 36 points, 8 rebs and 4 assists. Brownless also got a much needed rest in their game against Qatar. Junmar Fajardo is the second leading scorer for Gilas making 18 pts, 8 rebs and 4 assists. Scottie Thompson added 11 points and 6 rebounds.

Iran on the other hand was lead by Mohammadsina Vahedi with his 24 pts, then followed by Navid Rezaeifar who chipped in 14 pts, 2 rebs and 7 assists.

Gilas Pilipinas got off to a strong start, leading as many as 9 points in the opener and ending the quarter with a 6 pts lead (28-22). Gilas ended the first half on a strong note by limiting the Iranians to just 14 2nd-qtr points and ending the first half with a 12 point cushion. In the second half, Gilas lead by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, 62-41, with 5:39 remaining the 3rd, and by 17 at the start of the fourth qtr, 71-54.

But in the final period, the Iranian almost made the comeback of the tournament by cutting the lead to just 3 pts, 72-75, with 5:18 left in the game and took the lead, 81-80, with 1:33 remaining in the game. But Junmar Fajardo grabbed a offensive rebound after Calvin Oftana missed a three-point shot, then making a 2 pts put back, to give the Philippine team a 1 point lead, 82-81. Navid Rezaeifar quickly regain the lead back with his 2 pts drive to the basket (82-83), with 01:02 remaining in the game. This is when Brownlee made his clutch jumper with 44 secs remaining that eventually sealed the game for the Philippine team (84-83).

The win will land Gilas in the final 4 of the 19th Asian Games and they will face China in the semifinals for a shot at a medal at 8 pm on Wednesday, October 4th.

The Scores;

  • Philippines 84 – Brownlee 36, Fajardo 18, Thompson 11, Oftana 7, Perez 6, Kouame 4, Newsome 2, Alas 0, Tolentino 0, Aguilar 0.
  • Iran 83 – Vahedi 24, Rezaeifar 14, Mirzaeitalarposhti 12, Aghajanpour 11, Girgoorian 8, Mashayekhi 6, Kazemi 6, Pazirofteh 2, Shahrian Nasl 0, Gholizadeh Tousarani 0, Torabi 0.

Quarters: 28-22, 48-36, 71-54, 84-83.

Gilas Pilipinas cruises to 19th Asian Games Quarterfinals with its 39-points win over Qatar (80-41)

October 2, 2023

Gilas Pilipinas defeated Qatar 85-70 in the qualification round of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament on October 2, 2023 at the Zhegiang University Zijingang Stadium in Hangzhou, China.

With the win, Gilas Pilipinas advances to the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games, where they will face Iran this Tuesday, 3rd of October at the Zhejiang University Zijingang Gymnasium.

Junemar fajardo and Jaymar Perez lead the balance attack of Gilas with 12 points apiece with 3 rebs and 4 rebs, respectively. Perez also dished out 3 assists and 3 steals. Calvin Oftana also helped with his 11 points and 2 steals, while Justin Brownless and Japeth Aguilar both contributed 9 points and a total of 8 rebs.

Nedim Muslic was the lone brightspot for Qatar making 12 points, 7 rebs and 2 assists. No other Qatar players scored more 7 points the whole game.

Gilas Pilipinas got off to a hot start, leading by as many as 19 points in the first qtr and then limiting the opposing team to just 9 points in the 2nd qtr to build a 34 point lead by the end of 1st half. Qatar tried to make a run but scoring only 7 points in the 3rd qtr did helped and Gilas lead ballooned to 43 points, that technically ended the game.

The Scores;

  • Philippines 80 – Fajardo 12, Perez 12, Oftana 11, Brownlee 9, Aguilar 9, Kouame 8, Alas 8, Tolentino 6, Thompson 3, Newsome 2, Ross 0, Lassiter 0.
  • Qatar 41 – Muslic 12, Ndoye 7, Ndao 5, Mousa 5, Lashin 4, Haracic 3, Advic 2, Dieng 2, Darwish 1, Talla 0, Hajar 0, Abdelbaset 0.

Quarters: 33-14, 57-23, 73-30, 80-41.

Jrue Holiday traded to Boston Celtics

October 2, 2023

All-Star guard and NBA Champion Jrue Holiday has been traded to the Boston Celtics. The trade took place just less than a week after the Bucks sent Holiday to Portland that got them Daim Lillard.

In the trade, Portland TrailBlazers will receive Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, 2024 1st-round pick (via Warriors) and an 2029 unprotected 1st-round pick (via Celtics), while the Celtics will get Jrue Holiday.

The trade signals that the Blazers are indeed in rebuilding phase with a mix of youth and veteran, which will accelerate the development of the Blazer’s young core headed by Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in this year’s draft.

Jrue Holiday on the Celtics will make the team a contender in the East, together with teh Bucks, he’e perfect with Brown and Tatum, since he is a two-way guard that can facilitate, create his own shot and can play off ball, and also his championship experience which will surely be a big help for the Boston Celtics in the Playoffs.

The projected starting lineup of the Boston Celtics will be;

  • Guard: Derrick White
  • Guard: Jrue Holiday
  • Forward: Jason Tatum
  • Forward: Jalen Brown
  • Center: Kristap Pozingis/Al Horford

Jordan hands Gilas Pilipinas first loss in the 19th Asian Games Men’s Basketball (62 – 87)

October 1, 2023

Gilas Pilipinas suffered a disappointing 87-62 loss to Jordan in their final group stage match of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on September 30, 2023.

Jordan had already qualified for the quarterfinals before the game, but they still came out strong and took a 29-42 lead at halftime. Gilas Pilipinas tried to mount a comeback in the third quarter, but Jordan outscored them 28-10 in the final period to seal the victory.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led Jordan with 24 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Fadi Mustafa also helped with 17 pts and 5 assists. Justin Brownlee was the leading scorer for Gilas Pilipinas with 24 points, 3 assists and 1 steal. Aside from Scottie Thompson who made 11 pts and 11 rebounds, no other Gilas players scored more than 10 points in the game.

The loss to Jordan means that Gilas Pilipinas will have to go through the qualification round to reach the quarterfinals. They will face Qatar in the qualification match on October 2, 2023.

The Scores:

  • Gilas Pilipinas (62) – Brownlee 24, Thompson 11, Aguilar 8, Fajardo 8, Perez 5, Kouame 4, Lassiter 2, Newsome 0, Oftana 0, Ross 0, Tolentino 0.
  • Jordan (87) – Hollis-Jefferson 24, Mustafa 17, Bzai 12, Al Dwairi 10, Bohannon 10, Hussein 7, Al Hamarsheh 5, Al Hendi 2, Al Hammouri Abbaas 0, Qarmash 0.

Quarter scores: 16-13, 42-29, 59-52, 87-62

Damian Lillard traded to Milwaukee Bucks as part of a 3-team deal

September 28, 2023

After months of waiting, we finally know where “Former Blazer” is headed, since the Portland Trailblazer traded Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, as part of a 3-team trade also involving Phoenix and Portland. Bucks already release an official statement regarding the trade.

In the trade,
Bucks will received;

  • Damian Lillard

Trail Blazers will received;

  • Jrue Holiday
  • Deandre Ayton
  • Toumani Camara
  • 2029 unprotected 1st round pick (from MIL)
  • Unprotected MIL swap rights in 2028 and 2030

Suns will received;

  • Jusuf Nurkic
  • Grayson Allen
  • Nassir Little
  • Keon Johnson

The trade will surely make Bucks the favorite to win it all this year and will give Giannis Antetokounmpo that much needed help in the Playoffs, it also give Deandre Ayton a new home after being unhappy with the Suns for the past couple of years. As for the Suns, it will give them the much needed body and supporting cast for Durant and Booker to contend in the West.

Source: NBA

Gilas Pilipinas Overpowers Thailand in 19th Asian Games Men’s Basketball, Now up 2-0 in the Standings (87 – 72)

September 28, 2023

The Philippine men’s national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, defeated Thailand 87-72 in their second group stage match of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on September 28, 2023.

Thailand had a good start leading as much as 10 pts with just 1:12 remaining in the period but Gilas went on a run to cut the lead to just 2 pts by the end of first quarter. They continued to dominate in the second quarter, specially in the defense, outscoring Thailand 21 to 13 to extend their lead to 41-35 at halftime.

Gilas Pilipinas continued their onslaught to build a 18 points lead in the third quarter, and despite the late run by Thailand, Gilas cruised to an easy victory in the end.

Justin Brownlee once again lead the team with 19 pts, 11 rebs with 3 assists and 4 steals. He was also 4-of-9 shooting from behind the arc. CJ Perez added 16 points, 7 rebs, 4 assist and 3 steals. Junmar Fajardo chipped in 9 pts, 6 rebs, with 2 assists and 1 block.

Thailand was led by Tyler Lamb and Frederick Lee Jones List, scoring 29 pts and 22 pts, respectively. No other Thailand player scored more than 6 pts, and the team only played 7 players.

This was Gilas Pilipinas’ second win in the Asian Games group stage and will look to finish the group stage undefeated when they face Jordan, who is also undefeated for an outright quarterfinal berth. The game against Jordan will on Saturday, Sept. 30th at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.

The Scores:

  • Philippines 87 – Brownlee 22, Perez 16, Fajardo 9, Oftana 8, Thompson 7, Aguilar 6, Kouame 5, Newsome 5, Alas 3, Tolentino 3, Lassiter 3, Ross 0.
  • Thailand 72 – Lamb 29, Lish 22, Muangboon 6, Morgan 5, Jakrawan 4, Klahan 4, Klaewnarong 2, Towaroj 0, Boonserm 0, Jaisanuk 0.

Quarters: 20-22, 41-35, 68-50, 87-72.

Gilas Pilipinas routs Defeats Bahrain to Start Asian Games Campaign (89 – 61)

September 26, 2023

The Gilas Pilipinas got their Asian Games 2023 campaign off to a winning start, beating Bahrain 89-61 in their first Preliminary Round Group C match. Angelo Kouame and CJ Perez had 15 points each as the Gilas Pilipinas launched their 19th Asian Games tournament with a convincing victory over Round Group C rivals, Bahrain, at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.

The Philippines started the game strong, taking a 10-6 lead in the first few minutes. Bahrain fought back to tie the game at 13-13, but the Philippines responded to take a 22-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Philippines continued to dominate in the second quarter, extending their lead to 32-22 with still 07:19 remaining. The Philippines led by as many as 28 points in the third quarter, and they cruised to an easy victory in the end.

Justin Brownlee lead the Philippines with 20 points, 9 rebs and 3 assists. Brownlee got a lot of help from Kouame and Perez who both contributed 15 points, and Calvin Oftana, also chipped in 10 points, 3 rebs and 3 assists.

Bahrain was led by Maitham Jameel A. Mahdi Almoathin, who had 14 points, and Mustafa Husain Ali Ahmed Rashed, who had 13 points.

As a team, Gilas grabbed 52 rebs against Bahrain’s 38 rebounds, and Gilas are 33.33% in the three-point line, while Bahrain are 31.5%. Bahrain was also hurt in field goal column making only 19 of 64, while Gilas is 30 of 65, which 46% FG.

The Philippines’ victory over Bahrain is a good start to their Asian Games campaign. They will now look to build on this momentum when they face Thailand this 28th of Sept. at the Zhejiang University Zijingang Gymnasium.

The Scores:

  • Philippines (89) – Brownlee 20, Perez 15, Kouame 15, Oftana 10, Fajardo 8, Lassiter 8, Thompson 5, Newsome 3, Alas 2, Aguilar 2, Ross 1, Tolentino 0.
  • Bahrain (61) – Almoathin14, Rashed M. 13, Rashed A. 12, Buallay 8, Melad 6, Chism 5, Hamoda 3, Alhaddad 0, Alhassan 0, Kadhem 0, Hasan 0.

Quarter scores: 22-18, 51-33, 72-47, 89-61.

Adidas unveil first signature shoes of Anthony Edwards, the AE1

September 25, 2023

After unveiling the logo, Adidas just introduced the first signature shoes of Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards called the AE1. Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards, is one of the rising star in the NBA, and fresh off the FIBA World Cup 2023, the European Sports sportswear company has unveil Ant’s first signature shoes, which they aptly calling AE1. The shoe was unveiled on September 23, 2023, in Atlanta, Edwards’ hometown.

The AE1 is a performance basketball shoe that is designed to match Edwards’ playing style. The shoe features a lightweight and breathable knit upper with TPU overlays for added support. The AE1 is equipped with a BOOST cushioning system and directional herringbone blades throughout the tread to provide optimal performance on the court. The outsole features a herringbone traction pattern for optimal grip on the court.

The shoe itself boasts a unique grate-type/honeycomb design and will be available in Timberwolves-themed colorways, including a “Georgia Peach” colorway that pays homage to Edwards’ home state. The shoe also features Edwards’ signature logo, which is a combination of the letters “A” and “E” in a forward and backward motion.

The AE1 is scheduled to be released in December 2023. It is a highly anticipated shoe among basketball fans and sneakerheads alike, as Edwards is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. AE1 will retail for $120.