NBA Finals Na! Eh Ano Ngayon? (v. 2014)

6/8/2014 11:03:32 AM

It’s that time of the year-slash-season again. NBA Finals na naman! I mean, for the 67th (?) time. At sa pagkakataong ito, rematch ang NBA Finals, dahil ang muling magtutuos sa hardcourt ay ang dalwang koponan na naglaban din sa NBA Finals last year. Tama, ang Miami Heat at ang San Antonio Spurs. Ang isa dyan na nagmula sa Eastern Conference Southeast Division ay nanaig at tinanghal na NBA Champions sa taon na rin na iyun; samantalang ang isa naman na nagmula sa Western Conference at Southwest Division ay naging runner-up sa liga matapos ang pukpukan sa Game 7 ng serye na ito.

NBA Finals na! Eh ano ngayon? Ang mga tanong: sa ikalawang pagkakataon ay manaig kaya ang Miami Heat para masungkit ang ikatlong sunod na kampeonato – at ika-apat sa kanilang franchise history? O makakakganti ang San Antonio Spurs para kunin ang unang titulo sa nakalipas na pitong taon – at para na rin sa kanilang ikalimang kampeonato sa kasaysayan ng kanilang pagpartisipa sa pinakaunang play-for-pay basketball league sa buong mundo?

At kung sakali man isa sa kanila ang manalo, sino kaya ang magpapakitang gilas nang bonggang-bonga?

NBA Finals na! Eh ano ngayon? Pustahan, yan ang usapan ng tao sa ngayon, mula sa mga kwentong tambay hanggang sa social media. Galit-galit muna ang mga tao dahil may papanigan sila sa puntong ito–bagay na ginagawa rin ng mga PBA fans pag game time na (“San ka? Kampihan na!”). Yan yung mga panahon na magiging aman ng news feedmo sa Facebook at Twitter ang mga laro ng NBA, mga naglalabang koponan, at samahan mo na rin ng mahaba-habang asaran at pikunan. Oo, pustahan tayo, madalas mangyayari talaga yan. Speaking of which…

NBA Finals na! Eh ano ngayon? Pustahan. Oo, mauuso muli ang pustahan, na halos walang pinagkaiba kung ikukumpara sa ibang mga sporting events gaya ng UFC, WrestleMania, PBA Finals, UAAP at NCAA finals, at ultimong laban nila Pacquiao at iba pang boksingero. Siyempre, matik na yan. Depende pa yan kung sino ang mananalosa game na ito, o kung anong koponan ang makakasungkit ng kampeonato at kung ilang games lang itatagal ang serye na ito.

Yun nga lang, pustahanklang boys ha? Baka naman mauwi pa yan sa patayan na para kayong mga sinidkato o mafia.

NBA Finals na! Eh ano ngayon? Mauuso ang mga viewing party sa mga piling venue tulad na lamang ng mga sports bistro, o ordinaryong restaurant. Minsan nga, kahit sa tinatambayan mo lang na tindahan eh; o sa main lobby ng inyong opisina (at yung chicks na nasa reception desk n’yo, makikiuso na rin tutal pansamantala lang naman yan eh at magkukunwaring fan ni Tony Parker o LeBron James yan); at ultimo sa mga eskwelahan.

Tama, kung may TV ang canteen n’yo, o kung mas galante pa ang paaralang pinapasukan n’yo—sa classroom, magiging instant viewing session yan. Gawain yan madalas ng mga nasa high school na; yung tipong makikiusap sa mga guro nila (at tipong magasasabi na “Ma’am, next eeting na lang quiz natin. NBA Finals na eh!” at aagree naman dito ang buong klase kaya wala nang magagawa pa si Madam kundi sumunod sa mga engot, este sa mga alipores niya). At bakit ganun? Siyempre, sila ang nagbabayad ng tuition sa school na ‘yan na pinapasweldo naman sa kanilang guro (maliban na lamang kung napakastrikto ng eskwelahan na ‘yan, kung wala talagang TV, at kung principal ang teacher n’yo).

Pero either way kasi, masarap manood ng isang malaking sporting event tulad na lamang ng NBA Finals kapag marami kayo. At hindi ko dini-diss ang channel 2 ukol dito. In fact, kung trip mo lang naman na manood sa bahay n’yo kahit walang cable, eh okay lang yan. Buti nga kahit papaano eh andyan sila, at least, nagprovide na matinong alternatibo kesa sa mga sobrang adbstract na cartoons at maaga-agang dramahan sa morning. Gawin naman nating mas exciting tulad nito.

At dahil NBA Finals na, at pagnanalo na ang panalong koponan, ay pustahan, lahat ay magiging instant sports analyst. Yung tipong naging matalino sila sa kung paano iexecute ang play. Oo, maraming ganyan, regardless kung nakapaglaro sila ng sport na yan o hindi. At may hindi sasang-ayon, d’yan magsisimula ang isang kumukulong debate na minsan ay mauuwi sa personalan na sumbatan, at kung minsan ay magkakasakitan pa na parang sa mga eksena ng mga lasheng mo lang nakikita. Ayos, ‘di ba?

O, tama na. Quit talking. Let’s do the watching na lang instead.

Author: slickmaster | © 2014 september twenty-eight productions

The Finale Rematch

6/7/2014 10:57:36 AM

It’s on again, like an Alicia Keys and Kendrick Lamar soundtrack, as after one exhilarating season accompanied by tune-up changes in roster and several off-court controversies as well as shifting of records, statistical averages and awards garnered, it all comes down to one grand finale—two teams squaring off against each other once again.

Yes, sirs. The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat will clash for the second straight time; and the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship stage will feature a rematch for the first time since 1998.

Well, sounds new for the newbies out there, especially if you are younger than us 90s babies.

So it’s kinda a “rare phenomenon” to think about considering that the last time the NBA Finals ended up this way was during 1998–when the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz fared up to each other one last time. Their first duel was in 1997, with the Bulls owning the homecourt advantage and dispatched the Jazz in five games. And on their second encounter in ’98? The four-game-home floor favour was on their side, but still it was the Bulls which prevailed in the end courtesy of the game-winning move by then sick-but-heroic superstar named Michael Jordan.

And if you’ll do your research, you’ll see that even before 1998, there were a lot of Finals rematches in the NBA, especially if we’re talking about “way back” to the past (I mean, literally).

Fast forward to two thousand thirteen first; the Spurs always won the odds (Games 1, 3, and 5), while the Heat were the ones always playing catch-up basketball to even their series (Games 2, 4 and 6).

Apparently, the Spurs were on the verge of pulling a Game Six victory on the American Airlines Arena in the South Florida beach when a sudden rally courtesy of LeBron James and Ray Allen was staged. Talk about pulling off a “never-say-die” spirit, huh? But talks from people will tell you that it was perhaps one of the greatest moments in the recent NBA Finals.

Turns out the Heat rally dictated the final days of the series in their hands when they pulled an improbable overtime win to even the series for the third and last time in the 2013 finale; as Miami went on to close out the duel and the title in their home on Game 7, 97-88; with then-Most Valuable Player (MVP) LeBron James nailing a much-needed, cold-blooded dagger, to avenge his personal Finals loss against Tim Duncan and company in 2007.

Well, let’s move on to 2014. Things have been working well for the Spurs. They won 19 straight contests during the regular season; they were the first-ranked team in the Playoffs; they shrugged off their perennial playoff and state rival Dallas Mavericks in seven games in the first round; they shut down Portland in five; and a massive turn-around clincher against the Thunder, the team that has this season’s scoring champ and MVP in Kevin Durant, and also the squad which owned San Antonio in their four regular season outings.

The Thunder could have even force a Game 7 only if they prevail in overtime. Prior to that, they even tied the series, 2-2, before San Antonio zoomed in to their crucial victories.

On the other hand, Miami Heat, the two-time (and three-peat seeking) defending champions were rolled with inconsistencies. Yes, they are the champions, but one thing poisoned their form—rebounding. They were the worst rebounding team for this season. Yet, they pulled more victories, however, not the same type as they were before. Come to think that Miami even loses to those “dropped” teams during the 82-game regular season.

Both teams got better bench players though. I mean those role key guys who usually came off the bench. Plus, they also had three-point shooters. San Antonio may be aging though, but like a Rowdy Piper sound byte goes, “Legends don’t get old, they just got better.”

Despite the huge disadvantage though, Miami managed to sweep their first round assignment against Charlotte. They also dispatched Brooklyn, the squad which owned Miami during the regular season, in six games; and last year’s rematch Eastern Conference finalist Indiana, in six games. That just proved that even if you won four games in a very close-contested result (how about a total of 12-point winning margin during those four games that the Nets won against the Heat), it doesn’t matter in the playoffs.

And also, looks like the Pacers will have to learn their sets of lessons during this adventurous ride for 2013-2014 wars. They were the first-seeded team in the East, only to get down to their heels for numerous times during the post-season party. In addition, they were better than ever on paper–they just failed to take advantage of it. And include their team chemistry issues right there.

This time around though, San Antonio was way better than Miami; though in their two regular outings, both teams pulled off marginal victories in their respective floors. And I think that will be the typical grind for them this season.

I’m seeing San Antonio will prevail in this rematch should they zoomed on to an early 2-0 lead and if they will win at least one game in the Florida beach come Games 3 and 4. And if that’s the case, the Spurs will be going 2-1 against LeBron, 1-1 against the Heat, and a guaranteed fifth NBA title over the last 15 years.

However, if Miami can get their players healthy, whether it’s Dwyane Wade or LeBron, they will remain dangerous. All it takes is to withstand everything, including the atmosphere whether it’s in the Alamo or in Miami. And possibly, Miami can take this thing in six; and in case they win and grab their fourth title in franchise history, they will join the Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers as the other team to dominate the NBA in the last one and a half decade (come to think that if this will happen, all of them have at least four championship titles, with the Lakers earning five, and one apiece for the 2008 Boston Celtics and 2004 Detroit Pistons).

So expect (and I’ll quote Hulk Hogan’s adjectives for this) a “running wild” game ahead of you, accompanied by an even running wild fans which will make this finale the “talk-of-the-world.”

Author: slickmaster | © 2014 september twenty-eight productions