TRULY MAGICAL

Who would have ever thought that a team coached by a Mario Brothers look-alike, and led by a self-proclaimed superman plus his gritty bunch of overachievers is among the top three teams in the current NBA season?

But that’s what the Orlando Magic had done so far, thus surprising lots of basketball pundits. The Disneyworld outfit is presently at 3rd spot over-all with their Southeast Division leading 33-9 win-loss slate. They had won eight of their last ten games and is fresh from sweeping their recent western road swing wherein they humbled Division leaders San Antonio Spurs, LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets in succession. That was a truly remarkable feat indeed for a club which was not given that much of a chance to figure prominently in the Eastern Conference race in the pre-season previews of various pro basketball publications.

So what makes the Magic thick? Head Coach Stan Van Gundy had transformed his squad from a middle-of-the-pack team to a consistent, unselfish and well-disciplined championship-caliber battalion. Star center Dwight Howard continues to dish out an outstanding performance with his team-high 20.2 ppg, 14.1 rpg and 3.2 bpg in 39 games to date. But it is not only “Superman” Howard who is doing his share for the Magic but the team had four other players averaging in double digits in scoring so far in swingman Rashard Lewis (19.1), veteran warrior Hedo Turkoglu (17.2), point gem of a guard Jameer Nelson (17.1) and new recruit Frenchman Mickael Pietrus (11.7). The maturity in the game of Nelson is another vital factor in the improved play of the Magic. The more than ten points a game scoring average of Howard, Lewis, Turkoglu and Pietrus can all be attributed to Nelson’s superb tending of the backcourt, wherein he dishes out 5.4 dimes an outing.

With their current form, they had become one of the major stumbling blocks (together with Cleveland and Detroit) to defending champs Boston Celtics bid for a title-repeat in the suddenly-tough Eastern Conference.

*****

The oldtime warrior had finally called it a day. Alonzo Mourning announced his retirement from pro basketball and would not return for a 16th season. Mourning, one of the hardest-working and best defensive players in NBA history, had career averages of 17.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 2.8 bpg in 838 games with Charlotte Hornets, New Jersey Nets and Miami Heat. In a press conference, Mourning with Heat owner Micky Arison and team president Pat Riley seated beside him, emotionally said, ''After 16 years, I feel it's best I retire from the game of basketball. When you've got something you love and you're passionate about, it's hard to let that go. It truly is. It's not a sad day. It's a day to celebrate.''

So long Zo, we wish you the best in life and thanks for the memories.

*****

Rumors, rumors, rumors………………. Jermaine O’Neal to Miami Heat a done deal?….. Stephon Marbury to Greece?….. Mike Miller to New Jersey Nets?….. Miami Heat ready to trade Shawn Marion? ….. Larry Hughes to New Jersey Nets? Expect a lot more as the February 19, 2009 trade deadline approaches.

TRIVIA #2

Herewith is the second part of our trivia series on basketball from the book “Basketball’s Most Wanted”, written by Floyd Conner.

• TRENTON MASONIC HALL

“The first professional basketball game, a contest in which players were paid, may have taken place in 1893 at the Fox Opera House in Herkimer, New York. The first documented professional game was played in 1896 at a Masonic hall in Trenton, New Jersey. Players received $15 each.”

• MINNESOTA STATE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

“On February 9, 1895, the Minnesota State School of Agriculture defeated Hamline College of Minnesota 9-3 in the first intercollegiate basketball game. As with Naismith’s first game, there were nine players to a side.”

• YALE

“The first five-on-five basketball game was played on January 16, 1896. Chicago University, coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg defeated the Iowa City YMCA 15-12. In March 1897, Yale defeated Penn 32-10 in the first intercollegiate five-on-five basketball game.”

• TRINITY LEAGUE

“The first formalized college basketball league was formed in 1900. The Trinity League consisted of three Connecticut schools: Yale, Trinity College and Wesleyan. Shortly thereafter, other basketball leagues were formed throughout New England.”

• OSSIE SCHECHTMAN

“New York guard Ossie Schechtman owns the distinction of being the first player to score a field goal in a National Basketball Association game. The first game of the Basketball Association of America, which later became the NBA, was played between the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies on November 1, 1946. Schechtman made a lay-up in the opening moments of the game to earn his place in professional basketball history. Schechtman played only one season in the league, averaging eight points per game. He finished the season with 162 field goals and a shooting percentage of only 27 percent.”

Watch out for the third part of this series, which will tackle trivia on the rules of the game.

SURGING WOLVES

The first chapter of the post-Kevin Garnett era in the Twin Cities did not look promising until a coaching change took place last December as erstwhile Minnesota Timberwolves VP for Basketball Operations Kevin McHale was named as head coach of the team for the remainder of the 2008-09 season. Randy Wittman was fired as T-Wolves mentor after steering the Wolves to a poor start with a 4-15 win-loss card.

McHale immediately felt the heat as he lost his first eight outings with the T-Wolves. As the team slowly adjusted to the system of the former Celtic great, things began to shine bright for McHale and the Timberwolves as they won seven of their next nine games and is currently on a five game winning streak.

The sudden turn around surprised a lot of cage pundits and eyes are keeping a close watch on McHale and his T-Wolves as the season progresses. McHale took time to sit down with Don Seeholzer of the Pioneer Press and candidly shared his views on the Wolves’ present form. Herewith is the full-length interview:

Q: You've been on this job for a while now. Has it been what you expected?

A: How we started off, it was really taxing. Just not having a lot of practice time and stuff. But I tell you what, the assistant coaches have been great and the players have been great. They've carried me way more than I've helped them.

Q: Any times of self-doubt when you were 0-8?

A: It was a tough stretch. I knew it would be a tough stretch. Yeah, you do kind of go through some periods, but I talk to the players all the time about having faith, and I have a lot of faith. You just keep saying, "I've got to persevere through these tough times. If we keep doing the right things, it'll turn." That's how I feel. You have to believe that if you keep on doing the right things, eventually it will turn in our favor.

Q: How personally rewarding has it been to see that happening on the court in the past couple of weeks?

A: It's been rewarding to see the guys smile. It's been rewarding to see them play better. It's been rewarding to see guys I really care about do well because it makes me feel good that they're doing well.

Q: Do you ever miss your old job?

A: I've been too busy to miss too much. I still find myself watching college games and looking at players and stuff like that. I guess I've been too busy to think about that at all.

Q: Is going back to the front office after this season an option? Have you and Glen Taylor talked about that?

A: We haven't talked about anything. We're just trying to get this thing going. I haven't thought about it. I've just been too busy with the team.

Q: Do you see yourself coaching beyond this season?

A: I'm more concerned about the next game and practicing and getting better. Everybody in their life has a plan, and we're not driving the bus all the time, so you know what? I'm just going to see what transpires and which way everything goes.

Q: You said on the day you took the job that this team appeared to be beaten down. Was getting the players back emotionally as important as the X's and O's?

A: My biggest fear, and I said this, was we were in the midst of a really rough time. My prayer was that they would be able to just maintain some confidence through that tough, tough time. That's what I mean when I say we're lucky to have these guys. They were able to bounce back, maintain some confidence, keep battling, keep coming to practice and staying positive. When you take over, you're worried about screwing them up more than you're helping them. ... Every coach will do things differently. If right now I was to step down and one of the assistants was to take over, they'd do things their way. That's the way you have to do it because that's what you believe in.

Q: But you're still committed to coaching this full season, right?

A: Yeah, yeah.

Q: You said from the start that you weren't looking forward to the travel. Has that been the worst part of the job?

A: You know what, I've found one thing with the travel. There is some quiet time for me to spend some time doing things I enjoy. So I've tried to use some of the down time on the road just to be more productive, and that makes it easier.

Q: Now that the team is back on track, what are the expectations for the rest of the season?

A: I haven't seen any team go 82-0, and I haven't seen a team go 0-82. There are ebbs and flows in a season, and you've got to be able to play through it. You'd like to see your team grow from adversity and learn from it. You'd like to see your team grow from success and learn from that. I personally feel that this team is a very talented team. The guys are great guys. They work hard. There's a good bond. There's a good chemistry. As I said when I took over, this team is still poised with good players here, multiple draft choices coming in, cap space coming up. This is very positive, but one of the things that's got to happen is this team has to improve every single day.

Q: What about Kevin Love? Do you see him moving into a starting role this season?

A: I could care less who starts. That's not something I really worry about. I see him playing better and better and better. The kid is a phenomenal rebounder, edging in on ridiculous. Competitive ... good instincts ... and he's 20 years old. Two years ago right now, he was playing at the Target Center about this time in a high school game. I couldn't be happier with him or happier for him that he's able to go out there and perform the way he has at his age.

Q: So he's performed up to expectations?

A: He's actually exceeded what I thought he could do, and he's only scratching the surface of what he can be. So that's good stuff.

Q: How satisfying has it been to see the team go through this transformation?

A: It's the players. It's not me. I'm just trying to help them as much as I can, but they're the ones that have to go out there and play. It's a credit to them as players. These guys are very intelligent players. I think the sky's the limit what this team can achieve. When you add into the equation cap space, picks and all that stuff, the future is very bright.

DILEMMA

The Boston Celtics had finally arrested their four game losing skid as they defeated the Toronto Raptors, 94-88 yesterday. The defending NBA champions actually had lost seven of their last nine game prior to the Raptors contest. What is mind boggling in the Celtics’ tailspin is that the sudden slump came after winning a franchise record 19 straight victories.

The men in green which had the league’s best record going into their Christmas day game with last year’s finalist and arch rivals Los Angeles Lakers, had now found themselves occupying only the third best win-loss card to date right behind the Lakers and the LBJ-powered Cleveland Cavaliers. Basketball experts throughout the cage world had come up with various opinions on the disintegration of the Beantown outfit.

Celtics guru Doc Rivers had time and again reiterated that for them to repeat as league winners, Boston must perform better than the team did last season. But how can the Celtics exceed their 2007-08 form when their so-called “Big three” (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen) are lacking firepower support in all positions. Garnett, Pierce and Allen comprise more than fifty percent of the team’s average points per game. Aside from the Big 3, only guard Rajon Rondo is submitting double digit norm in points per game.

The Big 3 won the title last year for Boston no doubt about it, but not to be discounted is the able support from the bench most notably from clutch shooter and defensive whiz James Posey and veteran PJ Brown. Both Posey and Brown are now gone and while other teams had strengthened their arsenal during the past summer, GM Danny Ainge did not bother to offset their absence thinking otherwise that the Big 3 can salvage the season for the Celtics. Ainge must know that the Big 3 can only do so much and they are no spring chicken anymore. A deeper bench will definitely preserve Garnett, Pierce and Allen come play-off time. Now the question is does the Big 3 had enough gas from their tank when post-season starts?

So unless the Celtics can sign at least two free agents, who can ably fill the void left by Posey and Brown or make a decent trade before the February deadline, they maybe in a for a very rough road ahead comes the second half of the season. And worst, they may kiss their bid for a title retention goodbye. That would be tragic.

ON RED ANED GREEN

Ageless warrior Dikembe Mutombo finally made his comeback in the NBA not in a green uniform as many speculated but in his old fiery red Houston Rockets jersey. Months before his re-signing with the Rockets, Mutombo was being seriously courted by the Boston Celtics, who badly needs a veteran presence to back-up the “Big Three” just like what P.J. Brown did last season. But in the end, the 7-2 veteran pivotman just can not turn his back on the team which he had played for in the last four campaigns.

Despite limited minutes of playing time, Mutombo, 42, was an effective back-up to Rocket’s starting slotman Yao Ming last season after posting decent stats of 3.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 1.2 bpg in 39 games including 25 starts. Before joining the Rockets in 2004-05, he also saw action for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks. He had a career averages of 9.9 ppg, 10.4 rpg and 2.7 bpg in 1,187 outings.

The 17-year vet is happy to return to the Rockets and reunite once again with Ming and Tracy McGrady. He is also excited to play with the team’s two key additions in Ron Artest and Brent Barry. "I feel like it was something I had to do. I was getting pressure from my friends and of course from Yao and Tracy. They wanted me back on the team and I am happy to come back to the Rockets", Mutombo said.

It’s finger-wagging time again for the Rockets!


*****

Talking about color green, the defending champs Boston Celtics are presently on a crisis. Not the global economic crunch but in the way of an unexpected slump. They had won only five of their last ten outings and lost their last two games against lowly teams.

The Beantown's tailspin all started with the heartbreaking defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas day. Then they won only one game in their four-game western road swing and the recent setbacks to the New York Knicks and Charlotte Bobcats are bitter pills to swallow for this proud franchise. The losing spell brought down the men in green to a 29-7 win-loss card and surrendered the over-all league leadership to the Lakers and the surprising Cleveland Cavaliers, both with 27-6 slates.

The Celtics must make their move now and put their acts together. They better do something quickly to arrest this losing skid before anything else becomes too late, which may put their bid for a back-to-back title run in jeopardy.

TEAMS TO WATCH

The time may not be now but for sure it will not take too long before the Portland Trail Blazers and the Memphis Grizzlies become the new powerhouse teams in the NBA. These two teams had continue their massive rebuilding which is very promising as of now and the potential is likewise very intriguing indeed. Their current win-loss records this season does not truly reflect what is in store for both the Blazers and Grizzlies in the near future.

Between the two, the Rainy City squad seems on track for a better finish in the 2008-09 campaign. Portland is presently running second to the Denver Nuggets in the Northwest Division with a 20-14 slate. The Blazers had become a must-watch team in the league due to its exciting brand of play anchored on several young turks led by the ever-improving Brandon Roy. Coach Nate McMillan had assembled a young team which will be a force to reckon with in the near future. All the bases had been covered and it seems just a matter of time when they will figure prominently in the changing of powers in the Western Conference.

The Blazers had reloaded with the proper tools in all positions. Last year’s number one draft pick over-all Greg Oden starts at the pivot with veteran Joe Przybilla as the prime back-up. They had a young slew of dynamic frontline men in LaMarcus Aldridge, Channing Frye, Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum and Ike Diogu. Then they have a strong backcourt brigade composed of Roy, Steve Blake, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Jerryd Baseless and Martell Webster. Oden, Batum, Fernandez and Baseless are the rookies in the team.

So far, Roy is the key to the team’s sudden uprising this season. He had displayed an outstanding consistent performance on and off the court. His leadership too had incredibly improved not to mention his penchant for gutsy clutch plays which resulted into some big games won by the Blazers early this season.

On the other hand, the Grizzlies are struggling in the current season. They are occupying the cellar in the Southwest Division with an 11-23 mark. But the basketball pundits likes what they see in this young squad. It’s hard to believe but Memphis had three rookies on their starting five. Marc Gasol is the leading pivotman (in lieu of the injured Darko Milicic), Darrell Arthur is the starting small forward and the sensational O.J. Mayo is the permanent fixture at the off-guard spot. For sure, these three newbies will represent the face of the Grizzlies for the next several seasons. Mayo, who is the leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year honors, had surprised many with his veteran-like attitude towards the game. He has an A-game that is truly refined. His only weakness thus far is his shot selection in which he forces the issue sometimes.

Besides the freshmen, the Grizzlies had in their possession one of the most athletically-gifted pair of wingmen in the league in Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick. Both of them are a throwback from the old school. Watching these two high flyers in action is like seeing the NBA in the 80’s all over again wherein the likes of Julius Erving, David Thompson and Dominique Wilkins dominated the air waves with their electrifying hangtime, above-the-rim showtime and human highlight film acts.

Obviously, the only drawback of the Grizzlies is the lack of a locker room voice or in short, a leader. Someone to help nourish the development of Mayo, Gasol and Arthur. They had employed the services of Steve Francis and Darius Miles this season but clearly they do not fit to be leaders.

Once they find that missing link, beware of the Grizzlies as they will for sure contend not only for the Southwest Division title but as well as the Western Conference crown.

HOOPS FOREVER

As I turned a ripe 43 last month, I can’t imagine myself still deeply immersed in the world of basketball. Not anymore as a player as my gimpy knees would not oblige to its ever demanding physical contact but as a diehard fan and follower. Without any hesitation, Basketball had become an integral part of my life. I’ve seen the best and the worst ever since I was introduced into the game I truly loved as a wide-eyed eight year old boy.

My two greatest NBA heroes were Rick Barry and Chris Mullin which incidentally made their mark as members of the Oakland-based Golden State Warriors, respectively. Barry during my pre-teen years in the 70’s and sweet-shooting Mullin during the 80’s and early 90’s. But I also do have other NBA favorite players through the years as I admire the likes of Julius “Doctor J” Erving, Bernard King, George “Iceman” Gervin, Joe Barry Carroll, Larry “Mr. Mean” Smith, Wes Unseld, Ralph Sampson, Joe Hassett, Rex Chapman, Tracy Murray, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, JJ Reddick and Vince Carter to name a few.

During my elementary and high school days when internet is still is an alien word and cable TV is totally non-existent, I would only rely on the daily broadsheets and sports weekly magazines to follow the NBA. I can still recall in my high school class that I’m the only one who can name all the NBA teams and their respective homecourts even when I’m asleep.

In the local front, I’ve witnessed the many battles during the MICAA days at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, the prestigious National Seniors Championships and the annual Dona Josefa Cup at the Loyola Center and the eventual birth of Asia’s first play-for-pay loop, the PBA at the Araneta Coliseum in 1975. I’ve seen the four PBA grand slams (Crispa 1976 & 1983, San Miguel Beer 1989 and Alaska 1996), the emergence of Manila Bank, Imperial Textile Mills (ITM), APCOR and YCO in amateur caging and the countless free-for-all fights between Toyota and Crispa in the mid 70’s.

My ultimate hero is Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez and I considered myself a true-blooded Toyota fan. Other great pinoy cagers which caught my fancy in the PBA includes Ompong Segura, Fort Acuna, Francis Arnaiz, Abe King, Arnie Tuadles, Emer Legaspi, Abet Gutierrez, Abe Monzon, Bert Dela Rosa, Rudy Lalota, Jess Migalbin, JB Yango, Frankie Lim, Ricardo Brown, Chip Engelland (he is a naturalized pinoy then), Jojo Lastimosa, Alvin Patrimonio, Jun Papa, Gary Vargas, Itoy Esguerra, Ed Cordero, Naning Valenciano, Cho Sison, Joel Banal, Manny Victorino, Jojo De Guzman, Rudy Hines, Rudy Kutch, Arthur Herrera, Danny Florencio, Bong Alvarez, Benjie Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc and Fritz Gaston.

Among the coaches, Tim Cone is my all-time fave but not far behind were Dante Silverio and Chot Reyes.

Andy “The Dip” Fields remains as my number one PBA import but there are others whose exploits can not be easily forgotten like Byron “Snake” Jones, Bruce “Sky” King, John “Doctor I” Irving, Carlos Terry, Stan Cherry, Jim Hearns, Frank Gugliotta, George Trapp, John Q. Trapp, Perry Moss, Jeff Collins, Harry Rogers, Butch Hays, Jose Slaughter, James Lister, Jimmy Allen, Ansley Truitt, Paul Mills, James “Cowboy” Cornelius, Carl Bird, Larry Pounds, Otto Moore, Jim Zoet, Stewart Granger, Ron Anderson, Carlos Clark, Sean Chambers, Devin Davis, Byron Houston, Russell Murray, Bernard Harris, Dan Knight, Lee Haven, Howard Smith, Dean Tolson, Larry McNeil, Paul McCracken, Jeff Wilkins, Glenn Hagan, James Hardy, Donnie Ray Koonce, Ira Terell, Charlie Floyd, Norman Black, Bobby Parks, Dexter Shouse, Michael Young, David Thirdkill, Donnie Ray Koonce, Lamont Strothers, Michael Phelps, Darren Queenan, Andrew Moten, Don Collins, Kenny Fields, Lewis Lloyd, Kenny Redfield, Tony Harris, Rob Williams and Andre McKoy.

I was oozing with excitement when an NBA-Salem selection in 1974 led by the diminutive Calvin Murphy and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe played the then Teheran Asian Games-bound RP team, which also saw action against the visiting University of North Carolina Wolfpacks powered by David “Skywalker” Thompson and towering center Tom Burleson in a series of tune-up matches. Then came the barnstorming 32-man NBA squad led by Walt “Clyde” Frazier which played in a mini-PBA tournament in 1975. How about the World Basketball Championships which was done simultaneously with the ABC youth cagefest in Manila in 1978. Yugoslavia featuring Drazen Dalipagic won the World tourney at the expense of the USSR team anchored by 7-4 behemoth Vladimir Tkatchenko in a thrilling finale at the big dome. The 1979 one night stand of the Washington Bullets led by legends Elvin “Big E” Hayes, Wes Unseld and Kevin Porter, which played against a PBA selection reinforced by imports. Next came the 1980 Philippine tour of a ragtag NBA selection organized by Raymond Townsend, the only Fil-Am to play in the NBA.

I also saw the winning campaigns of the RP Nationals during the 1973 ABC at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum against the Shin Dong Pa led- South Korea team and the big upset of the RP Youth squad mentored by Ron Jacobs against China in 1982 at the big dome. 1974 also saw the first-ever international game played by the then People’s Republic of China in a friendly series in Peking (now Beijing) against the Philippine team.

Now if you think that the first ever trading cards featuring pinoy cagers was that of Purefoods in 1988, you are absolutely wrong. In 1974, Coca Cola released trading cards featuring the players of the RP National team in action during the World Basketball Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Memories, memories, memories… Basketball maybe just a game for others but it is also a religion to many.