April 30, 2009 (Part 4); Nuggets end Hornets playoff run

For me, Chris Paul and the New Orleans never got over the 58-point blowout last Tuesday.

They now depart the Playoffs as they were defeated by the Denver Nuggets, 107-86, to end the series at 5 games.

With this win, the first semi-final action will finally be seen in West as the 2nd seeded Nuggets face off with the 6th seeded Dallas Mavericks, who took care of the San Antonio Spurs yesterday.

Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Nuggets with the game-high 34 points, on 13 of 25 shooting from the field and 7 out of 7 from the free throw line, along with 6 rebounds. The supporting cast for the Nuggets were led by J.R. Smith with 20 points and 3 rebounds. Former Net Kenyon Martin had 15 points and 7 boards. Former Piston Chauncey Billups finished with 13 points and 11 assists, while Brazilian Nene Hilario ended up with 10 points and7 rebounds.

The Hornets were led by All-Star forward David West with 24 points and 9 rebounds. James Posey scored 18 points and grabbed 3 rebounds, coming off the bench. Chris Paul and Peja Stojakovic scored 12 points each for them, with Paul ending the game with a double-double, notching 11 assists, while Stojakovic posted 4 rebounds.

Tyson Chandler didn't play in today's ballgame due to a swollen left ankle.

Game 5
New Orleans 86
Denver 107
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
NOH: David West- 24 pts, 9 rebs, 2 assts, 2 stls.
DEN: Carmelo Anthony- 34 pts, 6 rebs, 3 assts, 4 stls.
Nuggets win series 4-1
Nuggets will face the Dallas Mavericks in West Semi-Finals.

And now here are the results from last night's PBA action from the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City!

1st Game
Purefoods 92 (5-4)
Coca-Cola 85 (2-6)
PUR: Marquin Chandler (import)- 30 pts, 12 rebs, 3 assts.
COK: James Penny (import)- 17 pts, 13 rebs, 4 assts, 1 stl.

2nd Game
San Miguel 98 (8-0)
Talk 'N Text 87 (5-4)
SMB: Gabriel Freeman (import)- 24 pts, 18 rebs, 2 stls.
TNT: Jimmy Alapag- 15 pts, 6 rebs, 5 assts.

Later on tonight at 6:00 PM, there will be a PBA game, featuring the Barako Bull Energy Boosters against the Burger King Whoopers, from the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. It will shown via delayed telecast at 11:00 PM on C/S 9 and BTV.

So there you have it! You guys have just been fed!

It's another wet day guys. So if y'all have any plans of going out somewhere, make sure to bring raingears just in case the rain gets heavy.

God bless you guys! Stay safe! Peace out! The Wizard was here... :)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 30, 2009 (Part 3); Hawks clobbered Heat on a night of hard fouls

Dwyane Wade banged his head on the court on one play. Al Horford hobbled back to the Hawks' locker room. Jamaal Magloire shoved, and Josh Smith pushed him back.

This night was indeed physical. But the thing is, this is just Game 5.

The Hawks won on their homefloor, edging the Miami Heat, 106-91, to be a game away from advancing to the East Semi-Final to face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Joe Johnson led the Hawks with his best performance in the postseason by far, scoring 25 points, on 6 out of 15 from the field, and adding 6 rebounds. Flip Murray added 23 points and 5 rebounds off the bench. Josh Smith made 20 points and 8 rebounds, while Mike Bibby contributed to the Hawks' cause with 17 points and 3 rebounds.

The Heat on the other hand were led by Dwyane Wade, scoring a game-high 29 points and grabbing 4 rebounds. Michael Beasley came off the bench, scoring 18 markers and having 5 rebounds. Jermaine O'Neal finished with 14 points and 3 rebounds, while Udonis Haslem added 11 points and 8 rebounds.

Game 6 will be played on Saturday, May 2 from Miami.

Game 5
Miami 91
Atlanta 106
Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
MIA: Dwyane Wade- 29 pts, 4 rebs, 4 assts.
ATL: Joe Johnson- 25 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assts.
Hawks lead series 3-2
Game 6 on Saturday, May 2, time to be announced, from the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

The game between New Orleans and Denver is still on-going. Results coming up later on! Eat your lunches first guys!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 30, 2009 (Part 2); The latest Idol to be cut is...Matt Giraud!

Today is the elimination day for American Idol. And here are the results!

Spoilers! This is to be shown later on tonight at 6:00 PM on QTV and Star World.

There are only five Idols left, who will be leaving?

But before that, here are the artists who performed on thisn edition of Idol.

First up, it's Natalie Cole, daughter of the legendary Nat King Cole, who sang her rendition of "Something's Gotta Give".

Next up was, believe it or not, Taylor Hicks! Yes! The grey-hair dude who won the 5th season of Idol, who has fans called the "Soul Patrol". He performed the newest release from his new album, "The Distance", the title of the song is "Seven Mile Breakdown".

And last but not the least is the Idol's mentor for this week, Grammy and Oscar awardee Jamie Foxx. He performed his latest track entitled "Blame It (On The Alcohol) from the album "Intuition". His song is currently rulling the Billboard Hot 100 song charts.

And now, the final verdict.

The bottom three for this week are Kris Allen, Matt Giraud, and Adam Lambert.

Don't believe it? Watch it.

Then, Ryan Seacrest announced that Kris Allen was safe for this week, keeping the pressure to Mr. Giraud and Mr. Lambert.

And with all said and done, it was the time for Matt Giraud to finally say goodbye to his fans.

It now boils down to three guys and a girl.

Next week, the theme is "Rock 'N Roll", with Slash being the mentorn of the Idols. Slash is the former lead guitarist for the legendary "Guns 'N Roses" band, and is now the lead guitarist for "Velvet Revolver".

There you go! NBA updates coming up!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 30, 2009 (Part 1); O'Shea gives United edge over Arsenal

Photo courtesy of MANUTD.com

Let me start by telling you guys that John O'Shea is United's defender.

But that wasn't the case this morning.

On the eve of his birthday, John O'Shea scored the only goal of the game at the 17th minute as they cruise into a 1-0 first leg victory against Arsenal.

Six Alex Ferguson said that he would be delighted if United would lead 1-0 on the first leg of the semi-final, therefore, his team delivered.

Ryan Giggs also set another milestone for United. He appeared on his 800th fixture as a player for Manchester United. He is really the fitting person to receive the PFA Player of the Year award.

The second leg of the semi-final action will be played next week, May 6th at 3:00 AM.

UEFA Champions League

Semi-Finals (First Leg)

Manchester United 1

Arsenal 0

Old Trafford, Manchester, England

74,733 fans

MANU: John O'Shea (17")

More updates coming up guys!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 29, 2009 (Part 5); Blazers avoid elimination, defeats Rockets

Most people say that the 4th quarter is the most important part of the game.

In this game, the Portland Trail Blazers made sure that the argument is true.

They dominated the fourth quarter en route to a 88-77 win against the Houston Rockets, thus avoiding elimination, and stayed alive in the Playoffs, now trailing the series, 3 games to 2.

The game was pretty close for the first 3 quarters, with the Blazers leading by just 2 points. But during the fourth period, the Blazers made sure that the Rockets can't celebrate in Portland.

The Blazers were led by the 1-2 punch of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, producing 25 points each for their team. Roy added 4 rebounds while Aldridge put up 7 rebounds. Point guard Steve Blake contributed with 15 points and 7 boards, while Travis Outlaw had 10 points and 5 rebounds off the bench.

Luis Scola led the Rockets with 21 points and 6 rebounds. Yao Ming had an off-night, but finished in double-double, with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Aaron Brooks had 13 points and 5 rebounds, while "The Warrior" Ron Artest capped off the night with 10 points and 5 assists.

The Rockets will yet again try to finish the series in Game 6, to be played on Friday. The Rockets will try to advance out of the first round for the first time in six tries since 1997 come Friday.

Game 5
Houston 77
Portland 88
Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
HOU: Luis Scola- 21 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assts.
POR: LaMarcus Aldridge- 25 pts, 7 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.
Rockets lead series 3-2
Game 6 on Friday at 1:00 AM, from the Toyota Center in Houston.

There you have it! You guys have just been fed!

Hope you guys are having a good day!

God bless! Stay safe! Peace out! The Wizard was here... :)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 29, 2009 (Part 4); Mavs oust Spurs in five games

The Mavericks looked like they were the higher seeded team in this series.

They defeated the San Antonio Spurs in just five games, ending it today, with the score of 106-93.

This marks the first first round exit by the Spurs in nine years, and this also marks the Mavs' first playoff series win in three years.

The Spurs are now having a championship drought, based on their standards. They are now denied of an NBA Finals trip for three seasons, including this one, the longest gap they had since winning the 1999 and 2003 titles. The Spurs have won 4 titles in 9 years, winning in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

The Mavericks are led by former MVP Dirk Nowitzki with 31 points and 9 rebounds on 11 out of 17 from the field and a perfect 8 out of 8 from the free throw line. Sixth man of the year Jason Terry had 19 points and 4 assists off the bench. Josh Howard produced 17 points and 8 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 12 points and 5 assists. Erick Dampier had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while J.J. Barea finished the game with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

The Spurs on the other hand were led by Tim Duncan with 30 points and 8 rebounds. Tony Parker added 26 points and 12 assists. And that pretty much says it all for the Spurs, whose role players are not a factor for this series. Michael Finley and George Hill both had 9 points while sharpshooter Roger Mason Jr., finished the game with just a single point, coming from a free throw basket.

The Mavs will now move on to the West Semis. They will face the winner of the Denver-New Orleans series. The Mavs now join the Lakers and the Cavs as the first three teams to move on to the second round.

Game 5
Dallas 106
San Antonio 93
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
DAL: Dirk Nowitzki- 31 pts, 9 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl.
SAS: Tim Duncan- 30 pts, 8 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl.
Mavericks win series 4-1
Mavericks moves on to West Semis; faces winner of Denver-New Orleans series.

One more to come!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 29, 2009 (Part 3); Bulls vs. Celtics= Classic

I posted it as the title of this post simply because it exemplifies it all. For me, it is the best series for this year's Playoffs.

Game 5 was simply a thriller. And guess what guys, it went into another overtime, thus producing their 3rd game which featured an extra period.

As we also know, one member of the Big 3, Kevin Garnett, in unavailable for this Playoffs due to an injury. But could the Celtics survive if another member of that group got down?

The answer is a resounding yes.

Ray Allen fouled out of the game with 5:27 left in regulation, making Paul Pierce the only Big 3 member active for the game.

Pierce never thought of this as any distraction, but rather used it as a motivation factor to carry his team to victory.

And so it is.

Paul Pierce did his job, hitting the jump to force overtime, and hitting three more in the final 77 seconds of the extra period, catapulting his team to victory, 106-104. The Celtics are now a game away from eliminating the Bulls and moving on to the second round.

Pierce finished the game with 26 points and 7 rebounds. But the biggest surprise of this game was Rajon Rondo, who wowed the crowd en route to 28 points and 11 assists. Glen Davis also had great night, scoring 21 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. Their center, Kendrick Perkins, capped off the night with a double-double, scoring 16 points and having 19 big rebounds.

And I think that my theory for the Chicago Bulls is indeed correct.

I wrote the other day that, if Derrick Rose does not score 20 points or more, it will spell trouble for the Bulls, and so, I'm on a right track.

Derrick Rose just scored 14 points tonight. Given that he scored 20, they should have won the game.

The Bulls were led by Ben Gordon with 26 points and 6 assists. Kirk Hinrich had 19 points and 4 rebounds off the bench. John Salmons chipped in 17 points and 5 rebounds, while Tyrus Thomas pinched in 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Game 6 of the series will be played on Friday, May 1, back in Chicago.

Game 5
Chicago 104
Boston 106
TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachussetts
CHI: Ben Gordon- 26 pts, 3 rebs, 6 assts.
BOS: Rajon Rondo- 28 pts, 8 rebs, 11 assts, 2 stls.
Celtics lead series 3-2
Game 6 on Friday, May 1, time to be announced, from the United Center in Chicago.

I will be back for more!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 29, 2009 (Part 2) Idol spoilers; Champions League result

For all you American Idol junkies, here are the performances made by your top five. Hot and fresh from Hollywood! Remember, this will be shown later on tonight at 6:00 PM, on QTV and Star World. Here it is!

Their mentor this week's theme, "Standards", is award-winning actor and singer Jamie Foxx.

1. Kris Allen- "The Way You Look Tonight" by The Lettermen
2. Allison Iraheta- "Someone To Watch Over Me" by George & Ira Gershwin
3. Matt Giraud- "My Funny Valentine" from Babe in Arms
4. Danny Gokey- "Come Rain Or Come Shine" from St. Louis Women
5. Adam Lambert- "Feeling Good" by Muse

4 guys, 1 gal. Who will bag the title this year? I don't know. Haha! It's up to the American people to decide. We can't do anything, except watching them. So there.

And now, for all the football fans, here are the news from this morning's UEFA Champions League semi-final action!

For the second consecutive year, FC Barcelona were frustrated by an English opposition as they forced to a goalless draw by a good effort from Chelsea FC.

Tough strikes were made by Barca's Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Thiery Henry and Chelsea's Didier Drogba, but were saved by Victor Valdes of Barca and Petr Cech of Chelsea brilliantly, obtaining a clean sheet.

The second leg of this semi-final will be held on May 7th, from Stamford Bridge in London, the home of the Blues.

The Wizard was here... :)

April 29, 2009 (Part 1); One win away for the Magic

The Magic are just a breath away from bidding farewell to their first round playoff woes.

And even though Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis are having family problems and personal injuries, they, along with the team, are going along well.

The Orlando Magic defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 91-78, to lead their best-of-seven playoff series, 3-2, much to the delight of their hometown fans inside the Amway Arena.

Dwight Howard, the Defensive Player of the Year, showed his dominance inside the court, finishing with yet another 20-20 performance, finishing with 24 points and 24 rebounds on 37 minutes of playing time. Rashard Lewis alsi scored 24 for them, adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists, while Rafer Alston had 14 points and 4 assists.

Their starting shooting guard, Courtney Lee, a rookie out of Western Kentucky, suffered an injury early on in the first quarter. He was inadvertedly hit by an elbow to the head from his teammate Dwight Howard. Howard attempted to block the shot of Sixers guard Willie Green, but the big man came down on his teammate. His return was unquestionable according to the Magic.

Nevertheless, the Magic held on to victory.

The Sixers were led by Andre Iguodala with 26 points and 5 rebounds. Andre Miller added 17 points and 6 assists, while Willie Green poured in 16 points and a couple of rebounds.

The Sixers and the Magic are heading back to the City of Brotherly Love for Game 6 of their series on Friday, May 1. Could the Magic wrap up the series there? Or could the Sixers force a decider on Sunday? Let's all find on Friday.

Game 5
Philadelphia 79
Orlando 91
Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida
PHI: Andre Iguodala- 26 pts, 5 rebs, 4 assts, 1 stl.
ORL: Dwight Howard- 24 pts, 24 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl.
Magic lead series 3-2
Game 6 on Friday, May 1, time to be announced, from the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

More updates to come guys!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 28, 2009 (Part 3); Lakers move on to the second round

This is Kobe Bryant statement to LeBron James.

A day after the Cavs swept the Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers also moved on to the second round of the Playoffs as they pounded the Utah Jazz, 107-96, winning series 4 games to 1.

Kobe Bryant, who made every three-point shot and fadeaway jumpers while falling on his backside, led the Lakers with the game-high 31 points on 75% shooting from beyond the arc. He also had 4 assists and 4 steals. Lamar Odom was the Lakers' secondary offensive option for tonight, scoring 26 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, while Spanish center Pau Gasol finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

The Jazz on the other hand were led by Paul Millsap with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Deron Williams and Andrei Kirilenko both had 14 points. Williams also had 6 assists while Kirilenko also had 4 steals. Big man Carlos Boozer chipped in 10 points and 9 rebounds for his team, who are headed to the off-season.

The Lakers will now have a few days to rest and prepare for their second round opponent. They will face the winner of the series between the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers, with the Rockets leading it, 3 games to 1.

And in the back of the mind of Kobe, he's probably saying, "Take this LeBron".

Game 5
Utah 96
LA Lakers 107
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California
UTAH: Paul Millsap- 16 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assts, 2 stls.
LAL: Kobe Bryant- 31 pts, 2 rebs, 4 assts, 4 stls.
Lakers win series 4-1
Lakers move on to the West Semi-Finals, facing the winner of the Portland-Houston series.

So there you have it! You guys have just been fed!

God bless you guys! Stay safe! Peace out! The Wizard was here... :)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 28, 2009 (Part 2); A HUGE win for the Nuggets!

The Denver Nuggets threw out a party that the New Orleans Hornets, along with their fans, will never forget in a long time.

The Nuggets' performance tonight was well beyond compare. There's only one word to describe it. It's avalanche.

They tied the record for the most lopsided victory in NBA Playoff history, defeating the Hornets in Game 4 of their playoff series, 121-63. The matched the record set by the Minneaopolis Lakers back in the 1956 Playoffs when they defeated the St. Louis Hawks, 133-75.

The Nuggets were lightning quick in this game, stopping the wrath of Chris Paul, whose four points and six assists were his lowest outputs in a game, ever since entering the league in 2004. He never entered in the fourth quarter as well. And another fact, he never scored lower than 14 points in all of his playoff games, making this his lowest playoff output.

The New Orleans Arena was almost empty by the end of the third quarter, due to the lackluster performance of the Hornets, who trailed 89-50 at that point.

Seven players for the Nuggets scored in double figures, led by Carmelo Anthony who had 26 points, in just 3 quarters of play. He also had 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Chauncey Billups had 17 points and 8 assists. Lithunian international Linas Kleiza poured in 14 points. Brazilian Nene scored 13. Dahntay Jones and J.R. Smith both had 12 points, while "The Birdman" Chris Andersen scored 11 points and had 8 rebounds.

The Hornets were led by David West, who scored the first basket of the game, with 14 points and 3 rebounds. James Posey had 12 points, on 50 percent shooting from the field, with 7 rebounds, while Peja Stojakovic poured in 10 points and 5 rebounds on an embarassing game.

The Nuggets can wrap up the series in Game 5, which will be played on Thursday, April 30 at 10:30 AM, infront of the entire Denver crowd.

Game 4
Denver 121
New Orleans 63
New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
DEN: Carmelo Anthony- 26 pts, 6 rebs, 7 rebs, 2 stls.
NOH: David West- 14 pts, 3 rebs.
Nuggets lead series 3-1
Game 5 on Thursday, April 30 at 10:30 AM from the Pepsi Center in Denver.

The game between Utah and LA is up next!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 28, 2009 (Part 1); Hawks finally won a road playoff game

The road is now clear for the Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks finally overcame the hump as they won their first road playoff game in nearly 12 years, beating the Miami Heat, 81-71, to tie up their series at 2-2.

Zaza Pachulia, played a vital role for the Hawks, scoring 12 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. He, along his teammates, frustrated Dwyane Wade, who is wincing from a back injury.

Five other Hawk players scored bigtime, led by Mike Bibby who finished with 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Joe Johnson had 14 points and 5 assists. High-flyer Josh Smith produced 13 points and 7 rebounds. Flip Murray contributed 11 points and 5 rebounds, while Maurice Evans poured in 10 points and 2 rebounds.

The Heat were led by their MVP candidate Wade with 22 points, on just 9/26 from the field, credit that to the defense shown by the Hawks. He also had 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Jermaine O'Neal had 20 points and 6 rebounds, while James Jones had 19 points, 10 of which came from the first-half surge made by the Heat, but to no avail.

Michael Beasley, this year's second overall draft pick, was the weak link for today's game, scoring just a solitary basket on 11 minutes of playing time. Given a good game from this guy, the Heat would have the commanding 3-1 series advantage.

Game 5 of this series will be played on Thursday, April 30 at 10:00 AM, from Atlanta.

Game 4
Atlanta 81
Miami 71
AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Florida
ATL: Mike Bibby- 15 pts, 3 rebs, 3 assts, 2 stls.
MIA: Dwyane Wade- 22 pts. 6 rebs, 7 assts.
Series tied 2-2
Game 5 on Thursday, April 30 at 10:00 AM from the Philips Arena in Atlanta.

More news to come so just stick around!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 27, 2009 (Part 6); New champs on every brand; Other sports news!

Now, let's move outside of the basketball world as we focus on the other sports that this world could offer.

First up, for all you wrestling fans, here are the fresh results from the WWE Backlash from the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Center.

1. (Dark Match) Kofi Kingston def. Dolph Ziggler.
2. Christian def. Jack Swagger to capture the ECW World Championship.
3. Chris Jericho def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
4. Kane def. CM Punk.
5. Jeff Hardy def. Matt Hardy in an "I Quit" match.
6. Santina Marella def. Beth Phoenix for the title "Miss Wrestlemania".
7. The Legacy (Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, Jr.) def. Triple H, Batista and Shane McMahon in a six-man match. Randy Orton pinned Triple H to become the new WWE Champion.
8. Edge def. John Cena in a Last Man Standing Match to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.

Nice card made by the WWE. I believe that they did this to somehow divert the attention of fans back to them after they saw Mick Foley winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Sting on TNA's Lockdown: Six Sides of Steel pay-per-view.

And now, for all you baseball fans, here are the results from today's action!

Philadelphia 13
Florida 2

Minnesota 2
Cleveland 4

Washington 8
NY Mets 1

Atlanta 2
Cincinnati 8

Texas 5
Baltimore 8

Milwaukee 2
Houston 3

Toronto 4
Chicago White Sox 3

Detroit 3
Kansas City 2

Chicago Cubs 10
St. Louis 3

LA Dodgers 4
Colorado 10

Seattle 0
LA Angels 8

Pittsburgh 8
San Diego 3

San Francisco 4
Arizona 5

NY Yankees 1
Boston 4

And now, here are the results from the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix!

1 Jenson Button- Brawn Mercedes- 10 pts.
2 Sebastian Vettel- RBR Renault- 8 pts.
3 Jarno Trulli- Toyota- 6 pts.
4 Lewis Hamilton- McLaren Mercedes- 5 pts.
5 Rubens Barrichello- Brawn Mercedes- 4 pts.
6 Kimi Raikkonen- Ferrari- 3 pts.
7 Timo Glock- Toyota- 2 pts.
8 Fernando Alonso- Renault- 1 pt.
9 Nico Rosberg- Williams Toyota
10- Nelson Piquet- Renault
11- Mark Webber- RBR Renault
12- Heikki Kovalainen- McLaren Mercedes
13- Sebastien Bourdais- STR Ferrari
14- Felipe Massa- Ferrari
15- Giancarlo Fisichella- Force India Mercedes
16- Adrian Sutil- Force India Mercedes
17- Sebastien Buemi- STR Ferrari
18- Robert Kubica- BMW Sauber
19- Nick Heidfeld- BMW Sauber

Kazuki Nakajima of Williams-Toyota was the only driver not to be classified in the Grand Prix. He had an oil pressure problem in the 48th lap, causing his downfall.

Now for the football fans, here are the results from the Barclays Premier League!

Arsenal 2
Middlesbrough 0
Emirates Stadium, London, England
ARS: Cesc Fabregas (25", 67")

Blackburn Rovers 2
Wigan Athletic 0
Ewood Park
BLA: McCarthy (45"), Nelsen (60")

And now, here are the fixtures for this week!

Note: Teams on the left are the home teams.

April 29, 2009
UEFA Champions League Semifinals-First Leg
FC Barcelona vs. Chelsea
Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
1:45 AM

April 30, 2009
UEFA Champions League Semifinals-First Leg
Manchester United vs. Arsenal
Old Trafford, Manchester, England
2:45 AM

May 2, 2009
Middlesbrough vs. Manchester United
Riverside Stadium
7:45 PM

Chelsea vs. Fulham
Stamford Bridge
10:00 PM

Manchester City vs. Blackburn Rovers
City of Manchester City Stadium
10:00 PM

Portsmouth vs. Arsenal
Fratton Park
10:00 PM

Stoke City vs. West Ham United
Brittania Stadium
10:00 PM

Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Bromwich Albion
White Hart Lane
10:00 PM

Wigan Athletic vs. Bolton Wanderers
The JJB Stadium
10:00 PM

There's pretty much everything you guys! You guys have just been fed!

Hope you had a great day, even though it's rainy.

God bless you guys! Stay safe! Peace out! The Wizard was here... :)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 27, 2009 (Part 5); Rockets take rare 3-1 series lead

Yao Ming's dreams of moving on to the next round of the Playoffs are well within their reach.


The Rockets defeated the Blazers on just a solitary point, 89-88, to take the 3-1 series lead.


The Rockets is showing that even without star guard Tracy McGrady, they are capable of winning in the Playoffs. But does that mean that there's really a "T-Mac curse" is Houston? Nobody really knows...


Yao Ming led the way with a double-double performance. He scored 21 points and 12 rebounds. Luis Scola had another clutch performance with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Shane Battier finished with 14 points, hitting two clutch three-point baskets in the 4th quarter. Von Wafer and Ron Artest each had 12 for the Rockets.


The Blazers were led by Brandon Roy with 31 points, but that wasn't enough for them to beat the mighty Houston team. LaMarcus Aldridge had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Travis Outlaw had 14 while Steve Blake poured in 11 points on a losing effort.

Game 5 will be played on Wednesday at 10:00 AM back at the Rip City.

Game 4
Portland 88
Houston 89
Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
POR: Brandon Roy- 31 pts, 5 rebs, 5 assts, 3 stls.
HOU: Yao Ming- 21 pts, 12 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.
Rockets lead series 3-1
Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29 at 10:00 AM from the Rose Garden in Portland.

Sit tight! There's more!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 27, 2009 (Part 4); Magic upends Sixers, forces another tie

Another tie was set today as Dwight Howard and company delivered a victory.

The Orlando Magic made it 2-2 today as they defeated the Philadelphia Sixers, 84-81, via the three-point shot by Hedo Turkoglu over Thaddeus Young with 1.1 seconds left in the game.

Turkoglu has long forgotten his missed shots from the past 3 games. This one is for the books.

Dwight Howard led the Magic with 18 points and 18 rebounds. The rest of the starters contributed well for the Magic. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu had 17 points each. Courtney Lee had 15 while Rafer Alston made 13 points.

The Sixers were led by Andre Miller's 17-point performance. Thaddeus Young had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Andre Iguodala had an off-night with 13 points on 4/13 from the field. Willie Green and Louis Williams both had 11 while Samuel Dalembert had 10 point for the Sixers.

Game 5 of the series will be on Wednesday at 7:30 AM, from the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida.

Game 4
Orlando 84
Philadelphia 81
Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ORL: Dwight Howard- 18 pts, 18 rebs, 1 stl.
PHI: Andre Miller- 17 pts, 5 rebs, 4 assts.
Series tied 2-2
Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 AM from the Amway Arena in Orlando.

There more to come!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 27, 2009 (Part 3); Cavs sweep Pistons

Another superhuman effort by LeBron James made the trick.

James, along with his teammates, have swept the Detroit Pistons infront of the whole city of Detroit, 99-78, to move on to the Eastern Conference semi-final round. They now await the victor of the series between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks.

That also means that Cleveland will have a long time to wait and prepare for their next opponent.

Cavs' coach Mike Brown had the luxury of having every active player in his roster playing in the game. MVP candidate LeBron James finished the game with a near triple-double performance, 36 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. The assist game of James have stepped up big time this season.

Mo Williams scored 24 points, setting a new playoff career high, with 4 assists and 2 steals, while guard Delonte West had 12 points and 5 assists.

The Pistons, who are having their first long off-season since 2001, where led by Antonio McDyess with 26 points, tying his playoff career high when he was still playing in Phoenix back in 1998. Will Bynum had 22 points and 2 steals while point guard Rodney Stuckey finished with 14 points and 6 assists on the Pistons' last game for this season.

This off-season is the best time for the Pistons to rebuild their team. The downfall started when Chauncey Billups was traded to Denver in exchange for Allen Iverson. Iverson wasn't the AI we knew all along. Injuries pulled him back, thus making him inelligible to play for this playoffs. His contract, along with Rasheed Wallace's will out of the Pistons' books after this season, so that means more salary cap for the Pistons. They could get a more experienced and more versatile player in the free agent pool with that much money. So better be happy Piston fans, Detroit will return next season with a vengeance.
Game 4
Cleveland 99
Detroit 78
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
CLE: LeBron James- 38 pts, 13 rebs, 8 assts, 2 stls.
DET: Antonio McDyess- 26 pts, 10 rebs.
Cavs win series 4-0
Cavs moves on to East Semi-Finals to face winner of MIA/ATL series.

Part 4 is coming up guys!

The Wizard was here... :)

April 27, 2009 (Part 2); Bulls tie with Celtics in 2OT

Paul Pierce wasn't able to save the Celtics this time.

The Celtics, continuing to worry due to KG and Leon Powe's injuries and death threats to guard Tony Allen, lost to the Chicago Bulls in double overtime, 121-118, to tie the series at 2 a piece.

For me personally, I believe that when Derrick Rose pours in 20 points or more, it would be a major factor for a Bulls win. And so it is. The Rookie of the Year finished just one assist shy of a triple-double, having 23 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Ben Gordon was side by side with him, adding 22 points. Everybody else, except for Lindsey Hunter, who just played for 15 seconds, finished in double figures.

John Salmons had 20, Kirk Hinrich had 18, Tyrus Thomas had 14, Joakim Noah had 12 and Brad Miller had 10.

The Celtics on the other hand, were led by Pierce's 29 points. Ray Allen poured in 28, while Rajon Rondo had 25.

The series will shift back to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday at 7:00 AM.

Game 4
Boston 118
Chicago 121
Final/2OT
United Center, Chicago, Illinois
BOS: Paul Pierce- 29 pts, 7 rebs, 1 asst, 2 stls.
CHI: Derrick Rose- 23 pts, 11 rebs, 9 assts.
Series tied 2-2
Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:00 AM from the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston.

Part 3 will be coming up.

The Wizard was here... :)

April 27, 2009 (Part 1); PBA All-Stars proved too much for RP 5

Yesterday, I was there at the Araneta Coliseum for the PBA All-Star Week's culmination.

The Skills competition started at around 4 pm with the Obstacle Challenge. Many players joined the contest, including LA Tenorio, Egay Billones, Warren Ybanez, Bonbon Custodio, Paul Artadi and more, along with defending champion Willie Miller, who set the record on last year's All-Star at 25.4 seconds.

But this year, it's the year of the King. Paul Artadi won the challenge and winning himself P20,000 cash.

Next up was the Three-Point Shootout, where "Big Game" James Yap poured in 21 points in the final round, tying the record set by Will Antonio in the 2006 installment of the All-Star. He beats Dondon Hontiveros and Gary David in the finals, scoring 15 and 8, respectively.

And finally, the dunk contest. This year is different, because there are 2 divisions, the imports and the local. For the Imports, Sta. Lucia's Anthony Johnson, San Miguel's Gabe Freeman and Ginebra's David Noel were picked to be contestants while Talk 'N Text's Jared Dillinger, Purefoods' KG Canaleta and Rain or Shine's Gabe Norwood were for the locals.

David Noel surprised everyone with a cartwheel and backward somersault capping off a 360-degree two-handed dunk to win the import's division, while Gabe Norwood won the locals' division with an imitation of what David Noel did. A mini-cartwheel followed by a toss-up from teammate Sol Mercado.

The main event of the evening was the game between the Powerade Team Pilipinas and the PBA All-Stars backed up by PBA imports Jai Lewis, David Noel, Anthony Johnson and Gabe Freeman.

The PBA All-Stars were made up of the best from the North and South All-Stars. Jimmy Alapag, Paul Artadi, MacMac Cardona, Dondon Hontiveros, Enrico Villanueva, Eric Menk, Jay Washington and Dorian Pena composed the locals for the PBA All-Star selection.

The game was exciting, with points being scored all almost all possession. Arwind Santos was the hot man for the Nationals, scoring back to back three-point baskets in the first quarter, finishing with 18 points.

But the reinforcements of the All-Stars proved to be the difference as they tallied a total of 48 points en route to a 97-89 victory.

David Noel led the selection with 18 points. Jay Washington followed suit with 15. Gabe Freeman had 12, Anthony Johnson made 10 while Jai Lewis capped 8 points.

This marks the first loss in 5 outings for the National team since making its debut against the Australia-Hoopdreamz team.

The All-Stars received a cash prize of P75,000 for their win, while David Noel received a bonus P20,000 for bagging the Best Player honors. He bagged a total of P40,000, after receiving P20,000 more after his Slam Dunk contest victory.

Final Score
Powerade Team Pilipinas 89
PBA All-Stars 97
RP: Santos 18, Yap 13, Pennisi 13, Miller 11, De Ocampo 8, Raymundo 7, Dillinger 5, Norwood 4, Taulava 4, Helterbrand 3, Thoss 2, Baguio 1, Reyes 0.
All-Stars: Noel 18, Washington 15, Freeman 12, Alapag 12, Johnson 10, Lewis 8, Cardona 6, Artadi 5, Pena 4, Menk 4, Villanueva 3, Hontiveros 0.

The Wizard was here... :)

April 26, 2009 (part 5); Lakers bounces back, defeat Jazz

The LA Lakers survived a late run made by the Utah Jazz, winning the game, 108-94, to have the comfortable 3-1 series lead.

The Utah Jazz outscored the Lakers 25-20 in the final quarter, capped off by the amazing plays made by Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Brewer and Carlos Boozer, but that wasn't enough as the Lakers pounded them in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Derek Fisher's 3-point basket with 1:23 left in the game made the difference for the Lakers. It stopped the Jazz' run, and ultimately, their hopes of winning the game.

It was a good night for Kobe Bryant, finishing the game with the game-high 38 points, adding 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom both capped a double-double performance, with Gasol having 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Odom had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

The Jazz on the other side, were led by the tandem of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, who had 23 points each. Williams also had 5 rebounds, 13 assists and 2 steals, while Boozer had 16 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

Game 5 of this series will be on Tuesday, April 28 at 10:30 AM, with the series shifting back to Los Angeles.

Game 4
LA Lakers 108
Utah 94
EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
LAL: Kobe Bryant- 38 pts, 6 rebs, 1 asst, 2 stls.
UTAH: Carlos Boozer- 23 pts, 16 rebs, 5 assts, 3 stls.
Lakers lead series 3-1
Game 5 on Tuesday, April 28 at 10:30 AM from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

So there you have it!

Later on tonight, it will be the culmination of the the PBA All-Star Week from the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City as the Powerade Team Pilipinas tangles with the PBA All-Stars. The Skills competition will precede before the big game. Festivities will start at 4:00 PM, and yours truly will be on hand to watch it live :)

God bless you guys! Stay safe! Peace out! The Wizard was here... :)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 26, 2009 (part 4); Heat blew off Hawks; Mavs' Terry is Sixth Man of the Year

The Miami Heat showed an overall performance as they pounded the Hawks en route to a victory, 107-76, infront of the whole Miami crowd who cheered them on.

All starters from the Heat scored in double figures, led by Dwyane Wade with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal. Jermaine O'Neal had a monster game with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 3 block shots. Mario Chalmers added 15 points and 5 rebounds. Udonis Haslem also had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while James Jones had a hot night with 11 points on 3 out of 3 from the three-point area.

The Hawks on the other hand were led by Mike Bibby, Al Horford and Josh Smith, who had 13 points each. Bibby also had 3 rebounds and 2 assists, Horford added 7 rebounds and 2 assists, while Smith contributed 8 rebounds.

Joe Johnson had an off night, scoring 10 points on 5/17 from the field, with 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

Game 4 of the series will be on Tuesday, April 28 at 8:00 AM, still from Miami.

Game 3
Atlanta 76
Miami 107
AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Florida
ATL: Josh Smith- 13 pts, 8 rebs, 1 blk.
MIA: Dwyane Wade- 29 pts, 7 rebs, 8 assts, 1 stl.
Heat lead series 2-1
Game 4 on Tuesday, April 28 at 8:00 AM from the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

Meanwhile, the NBA awarded Dallas Mavericks' guard Jason Terry with the Sixth Man of the Year award. He was voted unanimously as no other sixth man in the league performed that good as Terry did this season. He averaged 19.6 points, his 2nd highest average to date and his highest as a Maverick.

He joins Roy Tarpley (1988) and Antawn Jamison (2004) as the third Maverick player to win this said award.

The Wizard was here... :)

April 26, 2009 (part 3); Parker's 43 no effect as Mavs beat Spurs

Tony Parker's game-high 43 points made no effects for the Dallas Mavericks as they cruised on to beat the Spurs, 99-90, to take the commanding 3-1 series lead.

Josh Howard led the way for the Mavs with 28 points and 4 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki, whose performances are below par for this series especially in the points area, scored just 12 points, but managed to grab 13 rebounds on 4/9 shooting from the field. Jason Kidd had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

Parker added 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals to his stellar performance. Tim Duncan had a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds, plus 7 assists. They were the only two Spurs players who scored in double digits, one factor why they lost the game.

Game 5 of the series will be on Wednesday, April 29 at 9:30 AM, with the series shifting back to San Antonio, who are on the brink of elimination.

Game 4
San Antonio 90
Dallas 99
AmericanAirlines Center, Dallas, Texas
SAS: Tony Parker- 43 pts, 5 rebs, 3 assts, 4 stls.
DAL: Josh Howard- 28 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl.
Mavs lead series 3-1
Game 5 on Wednesday, April 29 at 9:30 AM from the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The Wizard was here... :)

April 26, 2009 (part 2); Hornets hold off Nuggets at home

The New Orleans Hornets held on as they defeated the Denver Nuggets at home, 95-93, to stay alive in their best-of-seven quarterfinal, they now trail the series 2 games to 1.

The Hornets are led by their Olympic gold medalist Chris Paul, who scored 32 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and dishing out 12 assists. David West provided 19 points and 9 rebounds while off-guard Rasual Butler finished with 17 points on 3/4 from beyond the arc, along with 5 rebounds.

Carmelo Anthony was almost the hero for this game, just missing a 3-point shot on the buzzer. He finished the game with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Chauncey Billups had 16 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Game 4 of this series will be on Tuesday, April 28 at 8:30 AM, still from New Orleans.

Game 3
Denver 93
New Orleans 95
New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
DEN: Carmelo Anthony- 25 pts, 8 rebs, 5 assts, 1 stl.
NOH: Chris Paul- 32 pts, 5 rebs, 12 assts, 1 stl.
Nuggets lead series 2-1
Game 4 on Tuesday, April 28 at 8:30 AM, from the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans.

The Wizard was here... :)

April 26, 2009 (part 1); Results from yesterday's NBA Playoff and Premier League action!

Here are the results from yesterday's NBA Playoffs action! I wasn't able to post because I went out yesterday with my parents. So there.

Let's get back to business with this one!

April 25, 2009

Game 3
Cleveland 79
Detroit 68
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
CLE: LeBron James- 25 pts, 11 rebs, 9 assts, 3 stls.
DET: Rip Hamilton- 15 pts, 8 rebs, 6 assts, 2 stls.
Cavs lead series 3-0
Game 4 on Monday, April 27 at 9:30 AM from The Palace of Auburn Hills at Detroit.

Game 3
Orlando 94
Philadelphia 96
Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ORL: Dwight Howard- 36 pts, 11 rebs.
PHI: Andre Iguodala- 29 pts, 7 rebs, 4 assts, 2 stls.
Sixers lead 2-1
Game 4 on Monday, April 27 at 6:30 AM from the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

Game 3
Portland 83
Houston 86
Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
POR: Brandon Roy- 19 pts, 7 rebs, 2 assts, 2 stls.
HOU: Luis Scola- 19 pts, 9 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl.

And now, here are the results from last night's Barclays Premier League fixtures!

Bolton Wanderers 1
Aston Villa 1
Reebok Stadium
BOL: Cohen (59")
AST: Ashley Young (43")

Everton 1
Manchester City 2
Goodison Park
EVE: Gosling (90")
MANC: Robinho (35") Steven Ireland (53")

Fulham 1
Stoke City 0
Craven Cottage
FUL: Nevland (28")

Hull City 1
Liverpool 3
Kingston Communications Stadium
HUL: Geovanni (72")
LIV: Xabi Alonso (45"), Dirk Kuyt (62", 89")

West Bromwich Albion 3
Sunderland 0
The Hawthorns
WBA: Olsson (39"), Brunt (58"), Menseguez (88")

West Ham United 0
Chelsea 1
Boleyn Ground
CHE: Kalou (54")

Manchester United 5
Tottenham Hotspur 2
Old Trafford
MANU: Cristiano Ronaldo (57" pen., 68"), Wayne Rooney (66", 71"), Dimitar Berbatov (78")
TOT: Darren Bent (28"), Luca Modric (32")

So, Manchester United still leads the Premier League standings with 77 points, 3 points clear and with a game on hand against rival Liverpool. Chelsea is close behind at 3rd place with 71 points. Arsenal and Aston Villa round out the top five.

So there you have it! I will be back later on to post the NBA Playoff results for today!

The Wizard was here... :)