BOYET'S HOOP-WATCH: MY NEW BLOGSITE

Come and visit my new blogsite at http://boyetshoops-watch.blogspot.com. The said blogsite will cover not only the NBA but other pro cage leagues around the globe as well. So, thank you very much for all those who supported BOYET'S NBA CORNER and hope to see the same support at BOYET'S HOOPS-WATCH..... 

BACK TO SQUARE ONE; MORE FROM “THE DEAN”

Game four of the NBA finals saw another classic of a ballgame as the Boston Celtics escaped from falling behind 3-1 as their bench made the big difference in dismantling the Los Angeles Lakers, 96-89.

Quinito ”The Dean” Henson shared anew with this writer his vivid observations in the crucial game four victory by the men in green (as posted on my Facebook wall) wherein the Celtics bench outplayed their Lakers counterparts, 36-18:

“Holding the Lakers to less than 90 was a feat and the Celtics did it in game 4. It was a must-win for Boston and the Men In Green got the job done.

Kobe and Pau got big numbers, as usual, but the Celts made sure they had little support. Fish went cold in game 4. Ray Allen still struggling from 3-point distance and was 0-12 in games 3 and 4. He's got to step up big time in game 5. as i mentioned before, bench will play a key role in a war of attrition. Boston's bench showed up in game 4----Big Baby and little boy were awesome. Boston was more aggressive getting to the boards and that, too, was critical.

If the Lakers win game 5, they get 2 chances to close out at home while pushing the Celtics back against the wall. If the Celtics win game 5, they've got to do it again in game 6 to clinch----if not, the Lakers will seal it in game 7. It's not only Kobe who wants to win badly, it's also Phil Jackson. The Zen Master, aka Ichabod, aka Action Jackson, likes to win titles in 3s. If the Lakers win it this season, he'll be back for sure to go for another grand slam next season. That's what he lives for----and Jeanne Buss.”

TAKE IT FROM "THE DEAN"

Quinito “The Dean” Henson, the country’s original NBA authority, recently posted a message on my facebook wall and shared his views in the ongoing NBA finals between the 2008 champs Boston Celtics and the 2009 winners Los Angeles Lakers:

“Hi Boyet. Detroit in 2004 and Miami in 2006 won all three middle games they hosted. Hmmm, can Boston do it?

They'll have to if they want to clinch at home. Tough to beat the Lakers four straight, counting back to game 2 in LA. It will likely go to a game 6.

Maybe, Celtics in six or Lakers in seven. I wonder if Kobe will continue to defend Rondo because Allen makes mincemeat of Fish's defense.”

BASKETBALL TV (BTV) NBA FINALS SCHED

CELTICS-LAKERS: THE DREAM FINALE

The past two winners of the Larry O’Brien trophy or more popularly known as the NBA championship meets anew for all the marbles as the 2008 kingpins Boston Celtics and the defending champs Los Angeles Lakers clash in a best-of seven title showdown which starts on June 4 (Manila time).

Both teams are fresh from winning their respective conference finals series against the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns in six games apiece.

The 2010 NBA finals will mark the 12th title series confrontation between this two storied franchises. Boston is still tops in the number of NBA titles at 17 with the Lakers a close second with 15. Below is the complete breakdown of their championship series meetings:

Post Season Meetings 36-27 (BOS)

1959 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-0

1962 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3

1963 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-2

1965 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-1

1966 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3

1968 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-2

1969 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3

1984 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3

1985 NBA Finals Lakers won, 4-2

1987 NBA Finals Lakers won, 4-2

2008 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-2

Additionally, herewith are some interesting historical sidelights to the Celtics-Lakers rivalry:

 The Celtics and the Lakers first played each other on November 9, 1948.

 The Celtics and the Lakers last played each other on February 18, 2010.

 The Celtics lead their all-time regular season match-up with the Lakers, winning 152 of 272 games played over-all or a winning percentage of .559.

 The Celtics hold the biggest winning margin of 44 points against the Lakers in a game played on November 11, 1955.

 Frank Selvy was known as a great shooter as he once scored 105 points in a college game. But he missed this potential series winner for the Lakers during game seven of the 1962 finals against the Celtics.

 Sam Jones was near the end of his career, but he still had this one clutch shot left in him as he scored the winning basket for Boston in game 4 that even up the 1969 finals series vs. the Lakers at 2-games apiece.

 Also during game 7 of that 1969 finals series and the shot clock approaching zero, Boston’s Don Nelson picked up a loose ball that was knocked away by the Lakers' Keith Erickson, and threw up this desperation shot that hit the back of the rim, bounced high in the air, and went through the hoop to clinch the victory and the title for the Celtics.

 Jerry West won the MVP award of the 1969 NBA finals by averaging over 30 points per game in the series. He was the first player to win the award on the losing team.

 During game 2 of the 1984 finals, Gerald Henderson of the Celtics stole the inbound pass and made a layup to tie the game and sent it into overtime paving the way for a miraculous Boston victory. After Henderson's layup, the Lakers still had time to attempt a game winning shot. But Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled around until time ran out without even attempting a shot. After the game, Johnson admitted he lost track of the game situation, and thought the Lakers were still up by a point.

 Boston recorded the Memorial Day massacre by winning game one of the 1985 finals, 148-114. The Lakers went on to win the series however, by winning 4 of the next 5 games.

 In 1985, Kareem Abdul Jabbar won the finals MVP for the second time in his career. The first time was in 1971 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Magic Johnson won this award in 1980, 82, and 87, while James Worthy won it in 1988.

 In 1987, the Lakers led the series 2 games to 1, and in game 4 had cut a Celtics' 19 point lead to one with just seconds to go when Magic Johnson dribbled into the lane, and made what he called a "baby, baby sky hook."

 In game 6 of the 1987 finals, the Lakers led 3 games to 2, but trailed the Celtics in the 3rd quarter. On a ball that seemed certain to go out of bounds near mid court, Laker James Worthy sprinted and dove head first to slap the ball back in to a teammate. This play changed the momentum, and the Lakers stormed to a victory and the NBA title.

 Paul Pierce left Game 1 of the 2008 NBA finals with 6:49 left in the third quarter after colliding with teammate Kendrick Perkins. Pierce returned with 5:04 left in the quarter and not only inspired the Celtics' to a win, but also outscored league MVP Kobe Bryant.

 The Boston Celtics were down 18 points at halftime but came back to beat the L.A. Lakers in Game 4 on the 2008 NBA Finals, 97-91. The Celtics clinched the title in game six with a 131-92 rout of the Lakers.

For sure, there will be more dramatic moments that will transpire and be forever entrenched in the minds of the most avid basketball followers as the 2010 NBA finals unfolds.

In the world of the NBA, there is nothing like a Celtics-Lakers finals.

THE BEST HOOPS-PLAYING CABINET IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Past US Presidents were widely known for their love of baseball such as the Bush family, who were once co-owners of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. Current US President Barack Obama is of different breed. His passion for basketball is an open secret thus making him the first-ever Chief Executive to have hoops as his favorite sport.

President Obama was a basketball player during his high school days in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was nicknamed “Barry O'Bomber” because of his devastating "jump shot" and likes to dribble and bounce a ball as he walked between classes.

An interesting sidelight to President Obama’s inclination to basketball is his current roster of cabinet members. Believe it or not, most of his appointees has hoops background. Just consider the following:

Arne Duncan (Education Secretary)

 6’5” tall.

 A former co-captain of Harvard's basketball team

 Played pro ball in Australia

Gen. James Jones (National Security Adviser)

 6’4” tall

 Played forward for Georgetown University

Eric Holder (Attorney General)

 A co-captain with New York Peglegs High School Team

 Played college ball at Columbia University

Susan Rice (United Nations Ambassador)

 Nicknamed “Spo” which is short for “Sporting”

 Played prep ball at National Cathedral School

And did you know that President Obama developed a ritual of playing a game of basketball during the 21-month election campaign leading to his D-Day victory. "Although I will say that I think we are putting together the best basketball-playing cabinet in American history. And I think that is worth noting," Obama said.

It will not be long when the US White House will be called a place “Where Amazing Happens”.

WHAT'S WRONG?

If you watched the Denver Nuggets closely in their must-win game five victory over the Utah Jazz (116-102), there is really something missing in their game. Despite making big shots down the stretch, the fire in their eyes that had led them to the NBA Western Conference finals last year is evidently gone.

This first round series with the Jazz was supposed to be a walk in the park for the favored Nuggets. Utah entered the playoffs without two reliable starters in center Memo Okur and forward Anrdrei Kirilenko, who are both in sickbay. But the Nuggets had found themselves in a deep hole, falling behind 3-1 in the series before surviving game five.

Ever since assistant coach Adrian Dantley filled-in for cancer-stricken head coach George Karl, things has dramatically changed from better to worst in the Mile High City. Karl led the Nuggets to a 41-20 win-loss card before taking an indefinite leave of absence for cancer treatment. Dantley finished the regular season job with a 12-9 slate.

The first round series against Utah has opened a can of worms for the Nuggets as dissention slowly creep in within the team. Disgruntled guard J.R. Smith started the ball rolling with his tweeter post saying “You play selfish you lose selfish that's all I'm saying about the game!"

Superstar Carmelo Anthony is frustrated by the lack of firepower help from his teammates. "I'm trying, I'm trying to beat them. I'm trying to do everything I can in my power to beat the Jazz," Anthony said. "But, at the end of the day, I need some help. I'm not sitting here pointing fingers or nothing. As a unit, we've got to do this together. I can't do this by myself." Game four saw Anthony loudly chastised teammate Chris Andersen on the bench for taking an ill-advised outside jumper that missed the target. "I'm in a battle. I don't have time to worry about people's feelings right now," Anthony further exclaimed. "I'm trying to win."

And then there is veteran guard Chauncey Billups, who added more fuel to the fire by openly stating that the team is starting to miss Karl’s voice and leadership in the ongoing playoffs. "It's frustrating to lose, and people can say what they want, but at any rate, when we win, we win together", Billups said. "That's with all due respect and no slight to A.D. because I think A.D.'s done a great job trying to maintain and handle all the guys we have on this team. But, yeah, definitely. I think you would see that from any team that lost their head coach for the second half and the playoffs. I think it would be a major effect to anybody. George won over 900 games, man. A.D.'s just been coaching like 9, 10, 12 games."

Dantley obviously felt uncomfortable with all these negative developments hounding the team. "I don't know what to say about that, there's always some comments made by a player. And usually when you lose a game, we're going to have that type of statements," Dantley said.

Now that the Nuggets has lived for another day following their latest win over the Jazz, the next game still remains a big question mark. Starting center Nene will miss game six with an injured knee and it’s also difficult to score a win at Energy Solutions Arena. But Billups (buoyed up by the game 5 win) is feeling confident of a possible game six win and extending the series to a deciding do-or-die game. “We gave great effort for the whole game, and we just stayed with it. Now we have a chance to put the pressure back on them. The pressure is on them to win in...”, Billups said.

But Jerry Sloan, Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and the rest of the Jazz are also feeling the same way.

MY CRYSTAL BALL

The moment of truth is finally here as the battle for the Larry O’Brien trophy gets underway for 16 NBA hopefuls.

And as a yearly tradition, herewith are my first round playoff predictions according to my crystal ball:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

 CLEVELAND (1) VS. CHICAGO (8)

Both the Cavaliers and the Bulls won two games apiece in their regular season series. The LeBron James-led Cavs has become lethal with the addition of Antawn Jamison while the Bulls struggled to nail the last playoff spot in the East. It will be another walk in the park for Cleveland, 4-0.

 ORLANDO (2) VS. CHARLOTTE (7)

The Magic easily took three out of their four regular season outings against the Bobcats. Not even the presence of “His Airness” can help propel Larry Brown’s charges to the next round. Charlotte has no answer for Orlando’s big man, Dwight Howard. The Magic will end the series in five games.

 ATLANTA (3) VS. MILWAUKEE (6)

The Hawks won the season series, 2-1, despite the presence of Andrew Bogut. Now with the injured Bogut out of the Bucks playoff roster, the Hawks will eat them alive. Atlanta looms as the darkhorse in the Eastern Conference. It will be the Hawks via a 4-0 sweep.

 BOSTON (4) VS. MIAMI (5)

LeBron James once said that the Celtics looks bored playing in the regular season. For sure, the men in green plays with more savvy in the post-season. Boston swept the Heat in three games during the regular season wars. And the opening round verdict goes to the Celtics in six games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

 LA LAKERS (1) VS. OKLAHOMA CITY (8)

The Tinseltown outfit won three games to one in the season series against the upstart Thunder. The Lakers struggled towards the end of the regular season campaign while the Thunder finishes as one of the hottest teams in the league during the same span. Experience though will carry the Lakers to the next round but not after surviving a big scare from OKC in seven games.

 DALLAS (2) VS. SAN ANTONIO (7)

There is more at stake in this series other than just an opening round match-up. The prestige of being the better Texas squad is up for grabs. The Mavericks won the season series against the Alamo outfit, 3-1. But with the Spurs playoff experience, Dallas will find it more difficult this time. But still, Mark Cuban’s fair-haired boys will come out victorious in six pulsating games.

 PHOENIX (3) VS. PORTLAND (6)

The Trailblazers will live and die with Brandon Roy. But with Roy suffering a serious injury towards the culmination of the regular season campaign, his absence in this opening round series could spell the big difference. Phoenix in five games.

 DENVER (4) VS. UTAH (5)

The Nuggets won the season series against the Jazz, 3-1, but it will be a lot tighter this time around. This is the series to watch in this opening round. It’s anybody’s series but I can still smell a Denver victory in seven games (George Karl will be the rallying point for the Nuggets).

Thoughts for the second round are being reserved for future discussions.

HERE WE GO

With just a day left in the NBA regular season calendar, some playoff-bound teams are just going through the motions in their remaining games to avoid unnecessary injuries which may jeopardize their chances of going deep into the post-season play which starts on Sunday, April 18 (Manila Time). While those in the lower bracket are still pushing it hard to gain a better spot in the so-called “NBA second season”.

This year’s NBA playoffs are expected to garner the biggest TV coverage in league history. Here in the Philippines, there will be four TV carriers of NBA playoff games this year. Basketball TV (BTV) will air daily live games every morning with encore telecast in primetime. Solar TV will bring live games every Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. ESPN-Philippines will have NBA playoff games live on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while Starsports will have its regular Friday schedule. ESPN and Starsports will cover the NBA playoffs up to the conference finals and during the finals, BTV and Solar TV will have the exclusive coverage for Philippine TV.

Over in the United States, Turner Sports, now on its 26th year of NBA playoffs coverage, has announced its multi-platform plans for the 2010 NBA Playoffs across television, online, and mobile. Cable TV giant TNT and NBA TV will combine to air approximately 50 live playoff games, including TNT's exclusive coverage of the entire Western Conference Finals. 305 hours of original programming during the network’s 62 days of playoff coverage will be provided by NBA TV.

Set to stream one billion videos worldwide since the end of last season (a record for video views for the site), NBA.com will include companion coverage with mosaic live video streaming of three games in the first round, eight games in the second round, and the Western Conference Finals on TNT OverTime on NBA.com. NBA Mobile will offer NBA Game Time Playoff Edition featuring a playoff bracket and live play-by-play text.

So start piling up those ice cold beers and popcorns, then sit back and relax as the world’s greatest pro basketball competition comes to your living room live beginning this Sunday.

THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE FINLEY-SPURS SPLIT

No one expected that Michael Finley will eventually leave the San Antonio Spurs. Not after tasting his first-ever NBA championship with the Alamo outfit in 2007. But he did.

This is the true story behind Finley’s surprising move to the Boston Celtics late in the current season. A move that truly surprised coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs even more than Finley himself.

Herewith is a reprint of Julian Benbow’s article which appeared in the March 29, 2010 issue of the Boston Globe:

“It happened quickly, as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich recalled.

He had chosen not to play Michael Finley in favor of younger talent, but he didn’t expect the classy veteran to say anything about it, much less ask to have his contract bought out.

But there they were, in Popovich’s home, the weekend before the March 1 deadline for players to be waived and still remain eligible for playoff rosters, and Finley told him that’s what he wanted to do.

The Spurs were playoff-bound again, but Finley wanted to play an active role on a team in the postseason. So he asked if he could part ways with the team he won a championship with in 2007.

“He asked, and he decided to do it and to do it the right way,’’ said Popovich, whose team beat up on the Celtics last night, 94-73, at TD Garden. “I was surprised when he asked that. I didn’t think that would be something Michael Finley would ask to do.

“I think one has to be realistic and put oneself in those shoes. And if you are toward the end of your career, and somebody’s not going to play you, and you still want to play more basketball, what’s wrong with asking to play elsewhere and trying to play as long as you can if that’s what you want to do?’’

Finley played just 25 games with the Spurs, missing 27 with an ankle injury and spending the others behind Keith Bogans and George Hill. In 12 games with the Celtics he’s quickly found a niche, averaging 4.2 points.

Seeing the 37-year-old marksman fit in so quickly with the Celtics doesn’t surprise his former teammates.

“This league is funny,’’ said Roger Mason. “There’s times when maybe the situation isn’t quite working out in one place, but it doesn’t mean it won’t in another. That’s why there are 30 teams and different guys have success in different places. I’m glad it’s working out for him.’’

In some ways, leaving the Spurs to join the Celtics was not much of a change. Each team is loaded with veterans and championship ambitions, making the transition easier.

“For somebody like Mike, he’s a vet,’’ Mason said. “I’m sure he could adapt to any type of setting, but it’s definitely easier coming to a mature group like the Celtics coming from the same type of setting here.’’

Playing against Finley for the first time since letting him go, Popovich made two things clear: the matchup was not with Finley alone, and that there are no hard feelings.

“I don’t blame him a lick,’’ Popovich said. “He’s one of the greatest guys I’ve ever coached, but he wanted to keep playing. He didn’t want to sit on the bench for the rest of the season. There’s nothing wrong with that. He wanted to play.’’

While Celtics coach Doc Rivers was wrapping up his playing career in San Antonio, Popovich was general manager. Recalling a Spurs team that was on the cusp of greatness when he was there, and then how the franchise won three titles this decade, Rivers said he can see how the Spurs became the league’s model franchise.

“[Popovich] did it in the right way: with character players,’’ Rivers said. “The organization’s first-class. No one would have thought 10 years ago that San Antonio would be the organization that most of the league — and not only in basketball — model themselves after, and they do.’’

The Celtics are no exception.

“We would like to be [them], and that’s where we want to be,’’ Rivers said. “They’ve been consistent with it. They’ve done a great job with it. Everyone has their own way, but there are a lot of things that I do as a coach, there’s a lot of things that we do as an organization, that we got from them.’’

This season the teams have dealt with similar issues. They both were pegged as potential NBA Finals teams, but injuries and chemistry issues hamstrung them both.

“Obviously when the season started, both teams were labeled as contending teams, teams that had a chance to win championships,’’ Mason said. “Boston’s done it the last few years, so those similarities come. We’ve had injuries, they’ve had peaks and valleys within their season as well, so the similarities are definitely there.’’

Both teams are starting to play their best. The Spurs were 10-4 in March coming in and the Celtics were 11-4, having won five straight at home. Aside from health, the key for the Spurs might be the same for the Celtics: trust.

“Trust is a very intangible thing, but you know when it’s there and you know when it’s not there,’’ Popovich said. “People have to have time to play together to establish that. People have to respect and feel confident about each other and their own games and their own roles and in that regard it took us a lot longer than usual to establish that.’’

Now, it's time to move on for both Finley and the Spurs.

COLLEGE HOOPS: THE FINAL FOUR

After all these years following hoops action, I can honestly say that I am no big college basketball fan. I always prefer the pro game no matter what. Even here in the Philippines, I would rather choose the PBA anytime of the day than waste my time watching the UAAP and the NCAA. That is because of my belief that the best basketball is being played in the play-for-pay loop.

Only until now and out of curiosity did I decided to give it a try and follow the “March Madness” and the rest I can say is history. I’ve been glued to the boob tube since the US NCAA tourney began and watch countless battles unfolds. There is nothing like the college spirit. The atmosphere is so pure and the way these kids played the game is truly remarkable. It seems that they are willing to die on the court just to advance to the next round.

I already knew beforehand that US College ball is a cut above the rest. I can still recall how the Tim Cone-mentored Centennial Team Pilipinas was made mincemeat by various American collegiate squads during a US tour in preparation for the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. The Nationals lost all their games with an average margin of more than 30 points per game.

The local sports cable TV network, Basketball TV (BTV), has done a great job of bringing the March Madness to Philippine TV. Now everybody is excited and looking forward for the culmination of this 64-team spectacle starting off with the “Final Four” this Sunday morning (Manila time). The last four teams standing will square off in a penultimate day pairings in Indianapolis with Midwest winners Michigan State playing surprise West kingpins Butler and the ever-popular South champions Duke meeting the East pacesetters West Virginia. The winners will clash for all the marbles on Tuesday morning (Manila time) for the 2010 US NCAA Championship.

It is the time of the year when the NBA takes a backseat.

Z RETURNS TO THE CAVS

The prodigal son is back. 7-3 center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was re-signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the remainder of the season after being waived by the Washington Wizards.

Ilagauskas, 34, has played all his 13 NBA seasons with the Cavaliers. He was part of the three-team trade last February that brought Antawn Jamison to Cleveland. The Wizards subsequently bought out his contract before he ever played a game, making him a free agent. Ilgauskas immediately drew interest from other teams who are hoping to sign the Lithuanian behemoth to bolster their frontline rotations. But the man they called “Z” had only one team in mind and that is the only team that he has ever played for. "If I would've left and the team won a championship without me," he said, "I don't think I could've ever forgave myself."

Ilgauskas signed to play for the rest of the season in Cleveland, with his new contract calling for him to receive $925,000. Forward Darnell Jackson was waived by the Cavaliers in order to make room for Ilgauskas.

"Z" has been a good friend of mine and others in the organization," said Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry, who played with Ilgauskas in Cleveland. "We're excited to have the Ilgauskas family back in Cleveland. This is where they really wanted to be."

When Shaquille O’Neal joined the team last summer, Ilgauskas came off the bench for the first time in his pro career. He is averaging a career-low of 7.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 53 games with Cleveland prior to the said trade.

"With a guy that is his size and with his skill level and ability to shoot the ball, he has a lot of years left in him," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "We only bring positives to the organization and to our team with him in the mix."

Ilgauskas was overwhelmed by the support of Cavaliers fans who begged him to return once he became available. "The way people in Cleveland and the fans have reacted has really humbled me in a positive way," Ilgauskas said. "Their support has been unbelievable. I'm from Lithuania and I'll always be proud of it, but this has become a home to me."

And of course, Cleveland’s main man LeBron James is truly elated to welcome Ilgauskas back into the fold. "He's a good friend of mine and a great teammate," James said. "If that's the case of him coming back ... I'm excited."

It may indeed be a timely return for Ilgauskas as the Cavaliers remains the top favorite to win it all come June.

*****

Herewith are the completed transactions for the period March 16 to 24:

Wednesday, March 24

Houston signed forward Mike Harris.

San Antonio signed guard Curtis Jerrells.

Sacramento named Matina Kolokotronis president of business operations, John Rinehart senior vice president for business operations and Jason Levien senior vice president and assistant general manager.

Tuesday, March 23

San Antonio signed guard Garrett Temple for the remainder of the season.

Cleveland signed center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and waived forward Darnell Jackson.

Minnesota signed forward Brian Cardinal.

Monday, March 22

Golden State waived guard Raja Bell and signed guard Reggie Williams for the remainder of the season.

Minnesota waived forward Alando Tucker.

Houston named Sam Hinkie executive vice president of basketball operations.

Friday, March 19

Washington signed guard Shaun Livingston for the remainder of the season.

Thursday, March 18

Washington signed guard Alonzo Gee to a second 10-day contract.

Tuesday, March 16

Miami signed guard Kenny Hasbrouck to a 10-day contract.

Oklahoma City signed guard Mustafa Shakur to a 10-day contract.

Portland fired vice president of basketball operations Tom Penn.

THE LEBRON JAMES SWEEPSTAKES

July 1, 2010 might just be the D-Day as far as the future of LeBron James in the NBA is concern. Pundits are strongly divided in their opinions as to when and where “King James” will land if he opts out of his current contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which expires on June 30, 2011. Some thinks it maybe the New York Knicks all because of LeBron’s open-book admiration of the Yankees. Others think it will either be Miami Heat or the LA Clippers. While many still believes James will not leave Cleveland at all.

Even US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton can not hide her excitement on the LeBron issue as she shared thoughts during her Manila visit last November. “Now, the Knicks are trying maybe to get LeBron James. Now, that would make it very exciting in New York. So I’ll watch that. I’m not sure exactly what will happen,” Clinton remarked. That shows just how big the “LeBron James Sweepstakes” is.

Dave Johnson, head bookmaker at playblackjack.com, had the following to say regarding the current odds on this prop bet: “Lebron James is arguably the greatest NBA player on the planet. He very well may be the greatest to ever play the game. He automatically makes any NBA team a championship contender. With that in mind there are many teams this season trying to create cap space with the hopes of possibly acquiring Lebron in the off-season. There are only a few teams who realistically have a shot at the superstar. The Cavaliers are the current favorite to re-sign James next season. They have taken necessary steps like bringing in Shaq as well as signing Jamison at the deadline. We have them listed as a -300 favorite at the current time. However, the New York Knicks are also a viable contender. James loves to play at MSG and a big-market team like New York will appeal to his desire to be recognized as the greatest NBA player of all-time. We have the Knicks listed at +400.”

Playblackjack.com has released the following odds on Lebron James’ team in 2010-2011:

Cleveland Cavaliers -300 Risk $300 to win $100

New York Knicks +400 Risk $100 to win $400

Miami Heat +800 Risk $100 to win $800

LA Clippers +1200 Risk $100 to win $1200

Field(any other NBA team)+ 600Risk $100 to win $600

• The above odds are based on which team Lebron James will play for on opening day of the season in 2010-2011.

• If Lebron James for any reason does not play for any NBA team next season then all bets are deemed cancelled and money is returned.

So which NBA team will win the Lebron James sweepstakes? Only time will tell.

FINAL PUSH

With 15 games left in their regular season schedule, the Miami Heat are closely battling it out with five other teams for the last four playoff slots in the Eastern Conference. They have won 11 of their last 16 games including the last three to occupy the sixth position (35-32) in the East in a tie with the Charlotte Bobcats.

What is remarkable in this final stretch run is that Miami is winning despite some turmoil the past week. Currently on the suspension list of the team were Rafer Alston (out indefinitely) and Dorell Wright (2 games). Sophomore sensation Michael Beasly is also out of commission with an injury (deep thigh bruise). The current three-game winning streak saw the Heat posting impressive victories over the Los Angles Clippers (108-97), the Chicago Bulls (108-95) and the Philadelphia 76ers (104-91). Likewise, Miami is playing tremendous defense lately as evidenced by their last five outings wherein the Heat limited their opponents to below 100 points.

Aside from the consistent play of resident superstar Dwyane Wade, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has maximized the use of his bench players most notably Quintin Richardson and Jermaine O’Neal. In the last six games Richardson is 25 for 50 on 3-pointers. During the Heat's current five-game home winning streak he's 23 for 43, a .535 percentage. "Q has been shooting the ball amazingly for this stretch we've been playing well," Wade said. The Heat needs everything Richardson has in these final 15 games. "I'm really getting comfortable in the arena and starting to feel like I'm used to the building," Richardson uttered. One of Richardson’s most memorable games was during the Heat’s 114-111 overtime win over the Los Angles Lakers wherein he drained a season-best seven 3-pointers. "He's sensing the moment right now," Spoelstra said. "He's one of the guys in that locker room I call a 'Big Moment' player."

O’Neal is playing splendidly this season after battling various injuries during the past seasons. He has become once again a dominant force inside the paint. Spoelstra has crafted a role that would benefit the 6-11 South Carolina native and has also called plays for him this season. The Filipino-American mentor has made O’Neal the offensive anchor of a second-quarter unit filled mostly with reserves. “Sometimes it takes a while to get comfortable,'' O'Neal said. “Sometimes you don't quite understand your situation as far as position. Also, you got a coach trying to figure out a way to get you involved without breaking down the system. That took a while.''

Spoelstra has commended O’Neal’s big improvement this season. “He's one of the better centers in the Eastern Conference. All I know is he's helping us win. And it's establishing a game that we need. We need to play inside out. It helps us control tempo, getting easier opportunities playing through him.”

Wade, Udonis Haslem and Wright are the only remaining members of the 2005-06 Heat championship team. It will be another uphill climb for Miami to duplicate such feat. But who knows, maybe another surprise run is awaiting Spoelstra and the Heat in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

At the moment, the Heat can not afford to think beyond the final 15 games of the regular season wars before entertaining any thoughts on a possible post-season appearance.

It must be first things first.

*****

Herewith are the completed transaction for the period March 2 to 14:

Sunday, March 14

Utah signed guard Othyus Jeffers to a second 10-day contract.

Saturday, March 13

Charlotte signed guard Larry Hughes for the remainder of the season.

San Antonio signed guard Garrett Temple to a 10-day contract.

Friday, March 12

Golden State signed guard Reggie Williams to a second 10-day contract.

Wednesday, March 10

San Antonio signed guard Cedric Jackson to a 10-day contract.

Tuesday, March 9

Los Angeles Clippers fired general manager Mike Dunleavy and and named Neil Olshey general manager.

Washington signed guard Shaun Livingston to a second 10-day contract.

Sunday, March 7

Washington signed guard Alonzo Gee to a 10-day contract.

Saturday, March 6

Boston signed guard Michael Finley for the remainder of the season.

Friday, March 5

Oklahoma City signed guard Antonio Anderson to a second 10-day contract.

Wednesday, March 3

Portland signed guard Travis Diener.

Sacramento signed guard Garrett Temple to a 10-day contract.

Utah signed guard Othyus Jeffers to a 10-day contract.

Tuesday, March 2

Chicago signed forward Chris Richard for the rest of the season and waived guard Lindsey Hunter.

Golden State signed guard Reggie Williams to a 10-day contract.

Houston signed guard Will Conroy to a second 10-day contract.

IS SIMPSON THE REAL DEAL?

Let us take a timeout from the exciting world of the NBA. With less than two weeks left before the curtain rises up for the PBA Fiesta Conference, all ten teams are now scampering up for their respective foreign reinforcements or in short, imports. The coming conference calls for a 6’6” height limit for imports.

Gabe Freeman and Anthony Johnson are returning once again to help San Miguel Beer and Sta. Lucia Realty, respectively. Other teams are looking for fresh faces to bring more excitement to Asia’s first play-for-pay loop.

According to league insiders, one import who is looking very impressive in his initial team practices is Diamon Simpson of the Alaska Aces.

“He is obviously very skilled,” remarked Alaska coach Tim Cone. “He is tall. He is long. He is young. He has got a lot of skills. He has got a lot of knowledge of the triangle so those are the key things for us in bringing him along”.

On his part, Simpson likewise has good things to say about the Aces. “I am very excited to be playing with the Alaska Aces,” Simpson said. “They are very athletic. They are very competitive. I like it a lot. I enjoy working with them and I know we can get the job done.”

“He (coach Tim) told me to come in and help them win. So I am going to do my best”, Simpson further stated. “I know that this team wants to win a championship this conference and I hope to help them achieve that goal. I cannot wait to compete at that level.”

But who is Diamon Simpson?

Simpson, 22, is fresh from a stint with the Los Angeles D-fenders of the NBA D-League. He played in 30 outings with the Lakers affiliate, averaging 15.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg and 2.2 apg in 31.8 mpg. He joined the D-fenders after seeing action for the Washington Wizards in the NBA summer league and with Golden State Warriors in the 2009-10 pre-season games. He was not selected in the 2009 NBA draft.

He played four years with St. Mary’s College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. He submitted norms of 13.8 ppg and 10.8 rpg during his senior year. Simpson starred for Hayward High School in California during his prep days.

Did the Aces found a gem of an import in Simpson? We will know the answer once the Fiesta Conference unwraps on March 21.

RISING STAR

While watching the replay telecast of the Dallas Mavericks-Chicago Bulls tiff over Basketball TV (BTV) last night (the Mavericks defeated the Bulls, 122-116 for its 11th straight win), there was something special in the game which left me in awe and in a state of disbelief. That something special points to the very impressive performance of a lean and long-limbed rookie named Rodrigue "Roddy" Beaubois from Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe playing alongside Jason Kidd in the Mavs backcourt.

Beaubois pumped in 24 big points including an incredible 18 markers in the 3rd canto alone which helped Dallas built a comfortable lead at the United Center. It was the 3rd straight career night for the 2009 first round draftee (25th pick over-all) of the Oklahoma City Thunder, after scoring 22 and 17 in the two previous contests. Dallas acquired the 22-year-old wonder and a future second round pick from the Thunder for the rights to B.J. Mullens last June.

What is truly amazing about Beaubois is that he plays with a veteran composure rarely seen in a newbie without US college hoop experience. The unheralded Beaubois is currently pitching in for the injured Jason Terry. Coach Rick Carlisle gave him his vote of confidence in the Bulls game as Beaubois was named a starter for the first time in his NBA career and played a total of 35 minutes. The highlight of Beaubois game against Chicago came during the 3rd quarter when he executed a difficult running reverse lay-up off three Bulls defenders. He also had a decent defensive stand against Bulls star guard Derrick Rose all throughout the game.

“He’s a talent,” said Kidd, who had 15 assists and 11 rebounds. “He’s going to be a special player in this league. He’s a great student.”

On his part, Beaubois gladly appreciated his legendary teammate’s comment. “It’s incredible,” Beaubois said. “You know J-Kidd knows the game. He knows everything. He really has tried to help me, give me advice. I really appreciate it.”

And it’s not only Kidd in which he is very thankful but the whole Dallas team itself. "It feels pretty good," Beaubois further exclaimed. "I've gotten the opportunity to play so I'm trying to be aggressive, just play. My teammates have given me good passes. My coaches, everybody, have been helpful."

Overall, Beaubois is averaging 6.2 points-per-game, 1.3 rpg and 1.3 apg in 39 outings with the Mavericks.

Dallas is the hottest team in the league to date and with new reliable reinforcements like Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson plus the emergence of Beaubois, it looks like there will be a new three-corner fight for supremacy in the West alongside the defending champs Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.

The scary thing is that Dallas has yet to reach its peak.

*****

Kudos to my good friend Eileen Copon of Toronto, Canada, who took time to send me the latest issue of the Raptors Magazine….. Likewise to Joan Policarpio of Emerald Headway for sending me last Thursday, the April issue of SLAM magazine accompanied by two complementary issues of HOOP magazine. Thank you very much.