April 18, 2010 (Part 2); Hawks nails shorthanded Bucks in Game 1

The loss of Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut was really costly for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Atlanta Hawks exploited the undermanned Bucks as they won in Game 1, 102-92.

As expected, the core group of the Hawks performed like a well-oiled machine on their homefloor.

They were led by Joe Johnson who had 22 points along with 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Mike Bibby had 19 points, Al Horford had 15, while Josh Smith and Marvin Williams both had 12 points.

My chosen X-Factor for the series, Jamal Crawford, had a wonderful game, scoring 17 points off the bench, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

The Bucks on the other hand were led by rookie Brandon Jennings, who had 34 points in his playoff debut. John Salmons only had 16 points, while Ersan Ilyasova had 11 points, as they were the only guys who scored in double figures for the Bucks.

If the Bucks wants to move on to the next round, all their players should do their part by scoring some mofre points and hounding the players of the opposing team.

John Salmons should wake up, Carlos Delfino should play his game, all of them, plain and simple.

Game 2 of this series will be on Wednesday.

East Quarterfinals
Game 1
Milwaukee 92
Atlanta 102
Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
MIL: Brandon Jennings- 34 pts, 5 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl.
ATL: Joe Johnson- 22 pts, 7 rebs, 5 assts, 3 stls.
Hawks lead series 1-0.

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 18, 2010 (Part 1); Cavs beat Bulls in the premiere Playoff game this year

I told you guys the Cleveland Cavaliers are ready for this year's Playoffs.

After falling short against the Orlando Magic last year, the Cavs came back with the vengeance, adding Anthony Parker, Antawn Jamison and Shaquille O'Neal to an already strong lineup.

With their help, the Cavs have defeated the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of the best-of-seven quarterfinal series, 96-83.

"We," James said, "have the look of a champion".

And so they did.

LeBron James scored 24 points on 9 out of 19 shooting. He added 6 rebounds and 5 assists to his credit.

Mo Williams did a terrific job in the backcourt, finishing with 19 points on 8 out of 14 shooting and 3 out of 7 from the three-point line, along with 10 assists and 4 rebounds. Antawn Jamison, one of their new recruits from Washington, had a double-double, scoring 15 points and having 10 rebounds.

Shaquille O'Neal, playing for the first time since tearing a thumb ligament on Feb. 25, had 12 points, five boards, four dishes, and three rejections in the game, a living testament that the older statesmen in the NBA still could play ball. Shaq is now 38 years old.

The Cavs enjoyed a 22-point lead at one point via a 68-46 scoreline. But the Bulls refused to be blown out. They scored 12 straight points and were still within striking distance entering the fourth quarter trailing 60-73.

Chicago cut it to 82-75 on Brad Miller's basket, but King James converted a three-point play with 2:29 left, followed by a three-pointer by Mo Williams to put Cleveland on top, 94-81.

The Bulls were led by their sophomore sensation Derrick Rose, who's three rebounds shy of a triple-double, with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Luol Deng had 12, while Kirk Hinrich had 10.

Expect a much more motivated Chicago Bull team come Tuesday.

East Quarterfinals
Game 1
Chicago 83
Cleveland 96
Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
CHI: Derrick Rose- 28 pts, 7 rebs, 1o assts, 1 stl.
CLE: LeBron James- 24 pts, 6 rebs, 5 assts, 1 stl.
Cavs lead series 1-0.

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

God bless you guys! More news to come! The Wizard was here...:)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 17, 2010 (Part 1); NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

The real action in the NBA will start tomorrow morning Manila time as the 8 teams from each conference are set to battle for the right to be called champions.


The NBA Playoffs 2010 has finally come!


And now I'm here to preview the matchups, starting with the 1-8 clash between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls.


Last year, the Chicago Bulls pushed the then-defending champions Boston Celtics in a decisive seven-game series, wherein both teams showcased their talents. We also saw the brilliance of then-Rookie of the Year, Derrick Rose, as he broke the previous record for the highest scoring output by any rookie in his playoff debut, scoring an amazing 36 points, edging out Lew Alcindor (later on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).


This year would be different for the Bulls though. First off, they lost Ben Gordon to the Pistons, John Salmons to the Bucks and Tyrus Thomas to the Bobcats, ergo the scoring total would swagger off a bit, good thing guys like Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng have since stepped up their game to compensate the loss of those players.


They also got Ronald "Flip" Murray and Hakim Warrick from the trade, two players who are known for their scoring off the bench, and to provide energy down the stretch.


And energy is what they need for the Cavaliers, who finished with the best record in the East and the entire NBA with a 61-21 win-loss record, mostly due to their superstar forward LeBron James, who is having the best season of his NBA career, averaging 29.7 PPG, the second highest scoring output this year, behind the Thunder's Kevin Durant, who finished the regular season with a 30.1 PPG average.


The matchup to watch for in this series is in the point guard position, between D-Rose and Mo Williams. Mo could somehow stop the speed of D-Rose, and to deny the pick and roll. So let's all tune in for all the developments in this series.


Now, let's turn our head to the 2-7 matchup featuring the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.


As most analysts have said, the Orlando Magic is the only team that could beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Well, maybe true, but we could only determine it once they've matched up, given that they (Cavs and Magic) move on to the next round.

And even with the departure of Hedo Turkoglu to Toronto, the Magic haven't really lost their swagger, mostly because of the arrival of another superstar by the name of Vince Carter.

He averaged almost 17 PPG, complementing to Dwight Howard's 18.3 PPG average. He provided a big help to the team, who are known to be a threat from the outside.

Jameer Nelson, JJ Redick and Rashard Lewis should continue to shine from the outside. Nelson should also continue to spark the team with his decision-making skills, as the point guard.

The Bobcats on the other hand, are entering the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history. Larry Brown's system has finally sinked in to the players.

Gerald Wallace became an All-Star. Raymond Felton and Stephen Jackson are playing good basketball and things are looking up in Charlotte.

It also means one thing: Michael Jordan is being a good owner.

But, Michael's not a player anymore, so it won't matter. His players should be ready for the pressure of the playoffs.

Jackson has already won a championship with the Spurs before, so he knows how to handle things in the postseason, and that would help him with his matchup against Vince Carter in the 2 position.

Their big guys (Diaw, Ratliff and Chandler), should make Dwight Howard's job hard by containing his inside game with stiffling defense, or even by using the Hack-a-Dwight system, by sending him to the line more often than not, and as we all know, D-12 is not a good shot from the charity stripe.

Now, let's switch sides to the 3-6 matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Hawks, since the '03-'04 season, have steadly increased their wins, winning 53 games this season to grab the 3rd spot in the East. They've made the Playoffs for the past 3 seasons, but the thing is, they simply cannot move past the first round.

In the '08 Playoffs, they lost to the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics in seven games. In last year's Playoffs, they were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

So what lies beneath all the playoff woes of the Hawks? One answer: the players. They don't deliver that much during the postseason. It's like it's enough for them just to have made it to the postseason, which is a wrong mindset by a team.

They should all perform their very best, just like what they do in the regular season, or if not, the better. And I believe that if Jamal Crawford continues to do what he's doing off the bench, the Hawks will fly over the Bucks in this series.

Crawford, who is the leading candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year honor, has been playing great for the Hawks this season, complementing the run-and-gun style of the team. Joe Johnson should show consistency down the stretch. They need him to step his game up since it's Playoffs time already. Enough of being scared and all, just show 'em what you got J-J!

The Bucks on the other hand, should expect a much better scoring average from John Salmons. After losing Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut to injury, he is the lone scoring machine left in the team.

Ever since his arrival from the Bulls, his scoring average went uphill. From 12.3 PPG in his 51 games with the Bulls this season, he did a 19.9 PPG for the 31 games he played for the Bucks. For sure he would make this hard for the Hawks, since he's not just a one-dimensional two guard. He could penetrate his way inside, shoot in the perimeter and a pretty decent outside game, so this series should be exciting as well.

And now we're down to the final series in the East, featuring the 5th seeded Miami Heat going up against the 4th seeded team, the Boston Celtics.

Miami Heat has Dwyane Wade, a player who could singlehandedly lead a team to victory. He has this energy which is infective. Once he's hot, suddenly all his teammates get hot as well!

Dwyane Wade will be spectacular as usual. The thing is with his supporting cast. Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley should perform. Also keep an eye on Quentin Richardson, who is money from downtown!

The Celtics on the other hand, are not as good as they were during the first half of this season. They're up and down this past few weeks, and they can't do that once they play Miami. The Big 3 of Pierce, Garnett and Allen should outperform their counterparts so as to dominate the game.

I'm not sure of Ray-Ray though. Since he's appointed to guard D-Wade, I guess with the age, Ray would tire off early on because of Wade's movement from one place to another, so that's my only doubt for the guys in green.

Rasheed Wallace and Kendrick Perkins should be a force to reckon with come the playoffs. They will thrive against the likes of Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony.

So there you have it! We're done previewing all the games for the East!

Tomorrow, the Playoff action will begin with these games, staring at 3:00 AM Manila time.

3:00 AM East 1st Round Game 1: Bulls @ Cavaliers LIVE on ABC
5:30 AM East 1st Round Game 1: Bucks @ Hawks LIVE on ESPN and BTV
8:00 AM East 1st Round Game 1: Heat @ Celtics LIVE on ESPN and Solar TV
10:30 AM West 1st Round Game 1: Jazz @ Nuggets LIVE on ESPN

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 12, 2010 (Part 2); Bulls clinging to 8th place

"How bad do we want it?"

This is the message written on the whiteboard inside the locker room of the Chicago Bulls.

And it went to show as the Bulls blew out their adversary, via a 104-88 scoreline.

Derrick Rose led the way for the Bulls, scoring 26 points, along with 4 rebounds and 7 assists.

Joakim Noah had a double-double performance, finishing with 18 points and 19 rebounds. Luol Deng had 14 points, Taj Gibson had 11, while Flip Murray and Hakim Warrick both had 10.

The Raptors were led by Sonny Weems and Andrea Bargnani, who had 18 points each. Jarrett Jack had 14, while Amir Johnson pinched in with 10.

Chris Bosh is still not with the team as he is recuperating from his recent facial injury.

With that win, Chicago now sits on the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.

Chicago 104 (39-41)
Toronto 88 (38-42)
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CHI: Derrick Rose- 26 pts, 4 rebs, 7 assts, 1 stl.
TOR: Sonny Weems- 18 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assts, 2 stls.

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 12, 2010 (Part 1); Edgar detrones Penn, takes UFC lightweight crown

It was the first UFC event to be held outdoors, and also the first to be held in the United Arab Emirates. Live from a crowd of 11,008 at the Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, it's UFC 112: Invincible.

Two titles are on the line in one night of mixed-martial arts inside the octagon!

Here are the results from yesterday's action!

Preliminary Card (not seen in the pay-per-view)
1. Heavyweight bout: Jon Madsen def. Mostapha Al-Turk via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

2. Lightweight bout: Paul Kelly def. Matt Veach via guillotine choke at 3:41 of Round 2.

3. Welterweight bout: DaMarques Johnson def. Brad Blackburn via TKO at 2:08 of Round 3.

4. Welterweight bout: Rick Story def. Nick Osipczak via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

5. Light Heavyweight bout: Phil Davis def. Alexander Gustafsson via anaconda choke at 4:55 of Round 1.

Main Card
1. Middleweight bout: Mark Munoz def. Kendall Grove via TKO at 2:50 of Round 2.

2. Lightweight bout: Rafael dos Anjos def. Terry Etim via armbar at 4:30 of Round 2.

3. Welterweight bout: Matt Hughes def. Renzo Gracie via TKO at 4:40 of Round 3.

4. Lightweight Championship bout: Frankie Edgar def. B.J. Penn via unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 49-46) to become the new UFC Lightweight Champion.

5. Middleweight Championship bout: Anderson Silva def. Demian Maia via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) to retain the UFC Middleweight Championship.

With that win, "The Spider" broke the record for most consecutive title defenses at 6, and his own record of consecutive wins inside the octagon with 11.

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 9, 2010 (Part 2); Just another day in the office for a Tiger

It was like Tiger Woods never left golf in the first place.

After the first day of play in Augusta, Woods was just two strokes away from leader Fred Couples.

Couples had a six-under 66 performance Friday morning, while Woods made two terrific eagles, powering a four-under 68, his personal-best opening round in the Masters.

He is currently tied for seventh place.

"Guess I need a longer layoff, then", Tiger joked.

Some, if not most of the players in the field were surprised of how good Tiger still is after all the intrigues, controversies and the layoff.

Well, guys, just do your thing and play, 'cause the Tiger came out to play, and not just play, but to win his fifth Masters jacket.

Second round of play with resume tomorrow morning Manila time, at around 3AM on Solar TV :)

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 9, 2010 (Part 1); Blessing in disguise for the Bulls

It was a much needed victory for the Chicago Bulls.

They won this morning against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played without the services of their All-Star forward LeBron James, via a 109-108 thriller.

The win tied them with the Toronto Raptors for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 38-40 win-loss record.

The Bulls were led by Derrick Rose with a double-double performance. He finished the game with 24 points, along with 10 assists and 3 rebounds.

Kirk Hinrich was right with him in scoring, with a total of 23 markers, along with 2 boards and 2 dishes. Luol Deng also came off big with 22 points, together with 10 rebounds.

The Cavs, on the other hand, were led by Mo Williams, who had a monster game, scoring 35 points on 12 out of 24 from the field, along with 10 assists and 3 rebounds.

The Cavs were also without the services of Delonte West and Shaquille O'Neal.

They also lost the services of forward Antawn Jamison, who severely twisted his ankle in the fourth quarter of the game. He finished with 23 points.

Nonetheless, the Cavs still holds the best record in the East and in the entire NBA at 61-18.

Cleveland 108 (61-18)
Chicago 109 (38-40)
United Center, Chicago, Illinois
CLE: Mo Williams- 35 pts, 3 rebs, 10 assts.
CHI: Derrick Rose- 24 pts, 3 rebs, 10 assts, 1 stl.

And now here are the results of all the other games from today's NBA action!

LA Clippers 94 (27-52)
Sacramento 116 (25-54)
ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California
LAC: Chris Kaman- 23 pts, 6 rebs, 1 stl.
SAC: Tyreke Evans- 28 pts, 6 rebs, 7 assts, 2 stls.

LA Lakers 96 (55-23)
Denver 98 (52-27)
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
LAL: Pau Gasol- 26 pts, 13 rebs, 5 assts.
DEN: Carmelo Anthony- 31 pts, 4 rebs, 4 assts, 1 stl.

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 7, 2010 (Part 1); Wiz' deny Nellie of milestone

This morning, Golden State Warriors' head coach Don Nelson was denied by the Washington Wizards on pursuing his dream of being the all-time winningest coach in NBA as his team was crushed via 112-94 scoreline.

He is now tied with Lenny Wilkens with 1,322 career wins.

The Wizards were led by Nick Young who finished with 29 points, along with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. JaVale McGee came off the bench and had a career game, with 25 points and 15 rebounds, while big man Andray Blatche posted 21 points and 6 rebounds.

But the main difference of the ballgame was Shaun Livingston, the newly acquired point guard of the Wizards who controlled the team all throughout the game, finishing with 21 points, along with 5 rebounds and 8 assists.

The undermanned Warriors were led by Stephen Curry with 27 points, together with 4 assists and 2 steals. Corey Maggette finished the game with 20 points. Reggie Williams had 18, while Anthony Morrow finished with 17.

Not with the team were Monta Ellis and Ronnie Turiaf (flu), Vladimir Radmanovic (sore right achilles), Anthony Randolph (sprained left knee).

Kelanna Azubuike, Antoine Wright and Andris Biedrins are still on the inactive list for the Warriors.

Golden State 99 (23-54)
Washington 112 (24-53)
Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
GSW: Stephen Curry- 27 pts, 1 reb, 4 assts, 2 stls.
WSH: Nick Young- 29 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst, 2 stls.

And now here are the results from all the other games today!

Atlanta 100 (49-28)
Charlotte 109 (41-36)
Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
ATL: Maurice Evans- 20 pts, 4 rebs, 1 stl.
CHA: Gerald Wallace- 28 pts, 6 rebs, 1 asst.

Toronto 101 (38-39)
Cleveland 113 (61-17)
Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
TOR: Jarrett Jack- 23 pts, 2 rebs, 6 assts, 1 stl.
CLE: Antawn Jamison- 20 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl.

Detroit 124 (24-53)
Philadelphia 103 (26-51)
Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DET: Charlie Villanueva- 25 pts, 3 rebs, 1 asst, 2 stls.
PHI: Marresse Speights- 21 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.

Boston 101 (48-29)
New York 104 (28-49)
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
BOS: Ray Allen- 17 pts, 1 asst, 1 stl.
NYK: Danilo Gallinari- 31 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assts.

Milwaukee 79 (43-34)
Chicago 74 (37-40)
United Center, Chicago, lllinois
MIL: John Salmons- 26 pts, 3 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl.
CHI: Luol Deng- 16 pts, 10 rebs, 1 asst.

Houston 113 (39-38)
Memphis 103 (39-38)
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
HOU: Kevin Martin- 29 pts, 3 rebs, 2 assts, 3 stls.
MEM: Zach Randolph- 22 pts, 7 rebs, 1 asst, 2 stls.

Oklahoma City 139 (48-29)
Utah 140 (51-27)
Final/OT
EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
OKC: Kevin Durant- 45 pts, 7 rebs, 4 assts, 2 stls.
UTAH: Deron Williams- 42 pts, 3 rebs, 10 assts.

San Antonio 95 (48-29)
Sacramento 86 (24-54)
ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California
SAS: Richard Jefferson- 18 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.
SAC: Tyreke Evans- 22 pts, 9 rebs, 6 assts.

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 5, 2010 (Part 1); Wilkens now has company

And he goes by the name of Don Nelson.

Finally, after seven long years of waiting, Hall of Famer coach Lenny Wilkens now has somebody with in the record books. Wilkens retired from coaching with 1,322 career wins. Now, with the Golden State Warriors beating the Toronto Raptors, 113-112, Nelson ties his long standing record.

"What a game to tie a record, huh? Unbelievable," Nelson said, "It had about everything that you'd want, from good to bad to playing great to wetting the bed and we did about all of it. Somehow we prevailed."

Corey Maggette had a big night for the Warriors, scoring 31 points, with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Stephen Curry almost had a triple-double, with 29 points, with 8 rebounds and 12 assists, while Anthony Morrow contributed with 25 markers, along with 10 boards and 4 assists.

The Raptors on the other hand were led by Chris Bosh, who missed an open lay-up that should've won them the game in overtime. He finished with 42 points and 12 rebounds.

Jarrett Jack had 19 points, while Andrea Bargnani had 18 in a losing effort.

Golden State 113
Toronto 112
Final/OT
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
GSW: Corey Maggette- 31 pts, 4 rebs, 4 assts, 1 stl.
TOR: Chris Bosh- 42 pts, 12 rebs, 5 stls.

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 3, 2010 (Part 2); Ginobili's 43 catapults Spurs past Magic, and more!

Manu Ginobili scored a season-high 43 points as his San Antonio Spurs pounces the frustrated Orlando Magic, 112-100 Friday night.

Dwight Howard was hacked all night by Spurs players, as he was forced to take his shots from the charity stripe. He finished the game with 10 points on just 2 out of 11 from the free-throw line. He went irate at one point when he was continuously fouled during the fourth period.

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected on just the first half of the game.

But even with the loss, the Magic still holds the 2nd playoff spot in the East, behind the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ginobili also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists on the game.

Tim Duncan had 23 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Matt Bonner provided the spark of the bench with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.

The Magic were led by Rashard Lewis and Mickael Pietrus with 18 points each, while Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick both scored 15 for the losing team.

Orlando 100 (53-23)
San Antonio 112 (46-29)
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
ORL: Mickael Pietrus-18 pts, 6 rebs.
SAS: Manu Ginobili- 43 pts, 6 rebs, 5 assts, 1 stl.

And now here are the other scores from today's games!

Milwaukee 86 (41-34)
Charlotte 87 (40-35)
Final/OT
Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
MIL: John Salmons- 28 pts, 5 rebs, 5 assts, 2 stls.
CHA: Stephen Jackson- 32 pts, 5 rebs, 5 assts, 1 stl.

Miami 105 (42-34)
Indiana 96 (28-48)
Final/OT
Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
MIA: Dwyane Wade- 43 pts, 9 rebs, 6 assts, 3 stls.
IND: Troy Murphy- 29 pts, 15 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.

Chicago 95 (36-39)
Washington 87 (22-53)
Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
CHI: Derrick Rose- 24 pts, 4 rebs, 5 assts.
WSH: Andray Blatche- 18 pts, 13 rebs, 7 assts, 2 stls.

Houston 119 (38-37)
Boston 114 (47-28)
Final/OT
TD Garden, Boston, Massachussetts
HOU: Aaron Brooks- 30 pts, 1 reb, 9 assts, 3 stls.
BOS: Paul Pierce- 27 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.

Phoenix 109 (50-26)
Detroit 94 (23-52)
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, Michigan
PHX: Amar'e Stoudemire- 29 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assts.
DET: Ben Gordon- 21 pts, 2 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl.

New Orleans 96 (35-42)
Memphis 107 (39-36)
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
NOH: Marcus Thornton- 19 pts, 5 rebs.
MEM: O.J. Mayo- 27 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.

New York 117 (26-49)
Golden State 128 (22-53)
Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
NYK: David Lee- 37 pts, 20 rebs, 10 assts. (first player to do a 30-20-10 effort since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1976)
GSW: Anthony Morrow- 35 pts, 6 rebs, 3 stls.

Utah 92 (50-27)
LA Lakers 106 (55-21)
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California
UTAH: Carlos Boozer- 20 pts, 18 rebs, 2 assts.
LAL: Lamar Odom- 26 pts, 10 rebs, 3 assts.

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 3, 2010 (Part 1); Cavs made it sixty back-to-back

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won their 60th game today, as they defeated the Atlanta Hawks at home, 93-88.

This marked their second consecutive 60-win season, their first time in franchise history.

In their first 38 seasons, the Cavs have won 50 or more games for just five times. That means this Cleveland lineup is something.

After acquiring Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards and having Zydrunas Ilgauskas back into their lineup made it more easy for LeBron James and his crew to operate in the paint.

Mo Williams and Delonte West have been brilliant in the backcourt for the Cavs, providing good dishes inside, some outside shooting, and some penetrations as well.

James finished the game with 27 points, along with 13 rebounds and 6 assists. Mo Williams provided the spark from the backcourt with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, while Antawn Jamison had 12 points and 7 rebounds.

The Hawks were led by Josh Smith with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Jamal Crawford had 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Marvin Williams had 15 points, while Al Horford and Joe Johnson had 13 points each.

The Hawks are still holding on to the third playoff spot in the East, with 48 wins and 27 losses. They are second in the Southeast Division.

The Cavs meanwhile holds the best record in the Eastern Conference and the entire NBA with 60 wins and just 16 defeats. 6 games remain, could they still improve on their good record? Let's all find out!

Atlanta 88 (48-27)
Cleveland 93 (60-16)
Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
ATL: Josh Smith- 20 pts, 7 rebs, 4 assts.
CLE: LeBron James- 27 pts, 13 rebs, 6 assts, 2 stls.

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 2, 2010 (Part 2); Nuggets bounces back, wallops Blazers

Playing with a sense of desperation, the Denver Nuggets, led by acting head coach Adrian Dantley, defeats the Portland Trail Blazers at home, 109-92, to end their recent woes.

In a matter of nine days, the Nuggets went from eying the No.1 seed in the Western Conference to fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. A 1-4 road trip following a bad home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks dropped them from No. 2 in the conference to fifth.

Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets' charge with 25 points, along with 5 rebounds.

Nene also had a big night, with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, while Chauncey Billups catapulted with 21 markers, 4 boards and 6 dimes.

The Blazers were led by point guard Andre Miller, who had 24 points and 3 rebounds. Martell Webster was his immediate backup with 17 points along with 4 rebounds.

The Nuggets are feeling desperate, but today's win helps. They pulled within a game of Utah in the Northwest Division and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. With the season wrapping up in 11 days, there's no time to relax, especially for those teams fighting for their postseason lives.

Portland 92 (46-30)
Denver 109 (49-27)
Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
POR: Andre Miller- 24 pts, 3 rebs, 1 asst.
DEN: Carmelo Anthony- 25 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.

So there you have it! Done with the NBA news! 10 games to be played, so keep tuned in to the Wizard for updates!

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

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)

April 2, 2010 (Part 1); Orlando prevails against Dallas in the batlle of the 2nd best!

The number 2 seeds for both conferences battled today, as the Orlando Magic faced the Dallas Mavericks from the AmericanAirlines Center in downtown Dallas, Texas.

Players wore something green today in recognition of the NBA's "Guard the Planet" night, but for the Orlando Magic, it was the "Guard the Dallas Mavericks" night.

Nobody from the Mavs could stop Dwight Howard's 17 points (and his 20 rebounds, plus his 5 blocks), even Vince Carter's 19 points, not even Jameer Nelson's 14 points.

But what's most surprising was the bench scoring, especially Mickael Pietrus, who scored the team high 24 points, on 7 out of 8 shooting.

But even with the loss, the Mavericks still has something to cheer on. Last night's victory against Memphis marked their 50th win of the season, making history by having 10-straight 50-win seasons. Congratulations to you guys!

Orlando stayed 2nd in the East, while Dallas still sits 2nd in the West, behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

Orlando 96 (53-22)
Dallas 82 (50-26)
AmericanAirlines Center, Dallas, Texas
ORL: Dwight Howard- 17 pts, 20 rebs, 1 asst, 1 stl, 5 blks.
DAL: Dirk Nowitzki0 24 pts, 6 rebs, 1 stl.

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 1, 2010 (Part 2); Wizards secures first win in a month, beats Hornets

Finally, the Washington Wizards got over a Mt. Everest-type of hump.

Their 16-game losing streak was over as they defeated the New Orleans Hornets, 96-91, from the New Orleans Arena.

Mike Miller exploded for 27 points for the Wizards, while big man Andray Blatche scored 23 points, making his presence known.

Newly acquired Shaun Livingston meanwhile scored 18 points for them, who are now with 22 wins against 52 defeats.

David West led the opposition with 18 points along with 5 rebounds. Marcus Thorton had 15 points, Darren Collison had 14, Aaron Gray had 12, Darius Songaila had 10, while team captain Chris Paul only had eight points.

This marked Washington's first victory after a month. The last time they earned a W was against New Jersey on February 28th, after which, they lost 16 straight, almost losing all their games for the month of March.

With that being said, "March Madness" is over for the Wizards.

Washington 96 (22-52)
New Orleans 91 (35-41)
New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
WSH: Mike Miller- 27 pts, 7 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.
NOH: David West- 18 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assts, 3 stls.

And now here are the other scores from the league today!

LA Lakers 92 (54-21)
Atlanta 109 (48-26)
Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
LAL: Kobe Bryant- 28 pts, 3 rebs, 4 assts.
ATL: Joe Johnson- 25 pts, 3 rebs, 8 assts.

Philadelphia 84 (26-49)
Charlotte 103 (39-35)
Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
PHI: Andre Iguodala- 14 pts, 6 rebs, 4 assts, 1 stl.
CHA: Gerald Wallace- 24 pts, 12 rebs, 3 assts, 3 stls.

Milwaukee 98 (41-33)
Cleveland 101 (59-16)
Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
MIL: John Salmons- 28 pts, 5 rebs, 7 assts, 1 stl.
CLE: LeBron James- 23 pts, 9 rebs, 7 assts, 1 stl.

LA Clippers 92 (27-48)
Toronto 114 (37-37)
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
LAC: Chris Kaman- 22 pts, 13 rebs, 3 assts.
TOR: Chris Bosh- 34 pts, 11 rebs, 1 asst.

Oklahoma City 109 (46-28)
Boston 104 (47-27)
TD Garden, Boston, Massachussetts
OKC: Kevin Durant- 37 pts, 8 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.
BOS: Kevin Garnett- 18 pts, 9 rebs, 4 assts.

Miami 98 (41-34)
Detroit 81 (23-51)
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, Michigan
MIA: Michael Beasley- 28 pts, 9 rebs, 3 assts, 2 stls.
DET: Rodney Stuckey- 18 pts, 2 rebs, 5 assts, 3 stls.

Phoenix 116 (49-26)
New Jersey 105 (10-65)
IZOD Center, East Rutherford, New Jersey
PHX: Steve Nash- 24 pts, 7 rebs, 14 assts.
NJN: Terrence Williams- 21 pts, 5 rebs, 9 assts.

Dallas 106 (50-25)
Memphis 102 (38-36)
FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
DAL: Jason Terry- 29 pts, 1 reb, 6 assts, 4 stls.
MEM: O.J. Mayo- 27 pts, 5 rebs, 1 asst, 2 stls.

Sacramento 99 (24-52)
Minnesota 108 (15-60)
Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
SAC: Carl Landry- 22 pts, 7 rebs, 1 asst, 3 stls.
MIN: Al Jefferson- 19 pts, 12 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl.

Houston 102 (37-37)
San Antonio 119 (45-29)
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas
HOU: Aaron Brooks- 21 pts, 5 rebs, 3 assts.
SAS: George Hill- 30 pts, 2 rebs, 7 assts, 5 stls.

New York 90 (26-48)
Portland 118 (46-29)
Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
NYK: David Lee- 20 pts, 10 rebs, 5 assts.
POR: LaMarcus Aldridge- 21 pts, 3 rebs, 5 assts, 1 stl.

Golden State 104 (21-53)
Utah 128 (50-26)
EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah
GSW: Corey Maggette- 22 pts, 3 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl.
UTAH: Carlos Boozer- 25 pts, 13 rebs, 2 assts, 2 stls.

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 1, 2010 (Part 1); Back to the motherland

Last Sunday, just a day after the conclusion of our semester in UST, me and my parents flew to the republic of Singapore, a country which is smaller than Quezon City but has 4 airports (Terminal 1, 2, 3 and the Budget Terminal).

It's my dad's second time in the said country, the first being in 1998, when he, along with my grandpa and some of their friends went on a business trip, whilst it's our (me and my mom) first time.

I must say that the moment our plane landed in the Changi airport, I felt that the country was something. I was organized, clean, and there were NO policemen around the city. And when I say no, as in I didn't see a single policeman in the entire city. Later did I knew from our shuttle driver that the Singaporean policemen were all in civilians so you won't be able to see them. So, if you made a violation, whether you like it or not, you'll still be caught.

The trains were also amazing, because their were CCTV cameras installed on all coaches for the safety of all the passengers. And the value of your trip is actually a dollar less than what you've paid for. For example, from Orchard to Marina Bay, it will cost you S$2.20, but in reality, it's just S$1.20, the excess dollar can be refunded once you have arrived on the station. Cool isn't it? Hahaha!

Another thing with Singapore is that a LOT of Filipinos are there busy working. Some are very approachable, but for some...hahaha! I wouldn't want to comment anymore :P

The hangout place for Filipinos down there is Lucky Plaza at Orchard Road, right beside Tang Plaza and Marriott Hotel and right across Wisma Atria. It's their local version of Central/Victoria Park in Hong Kong. Hahaha!

Our hotel was good! The lobby smells terrific! It was the first hotel lobby that I could vividly remember that smelled that good! Hahaha! Our room was big enough for us three. And get this, the mini bar is complementary! So, everything that was there were free! Hahaha!

Universal Studios is the place to be, especially when its fully functional come the latter parts of this month. Warm staff, good people, nice rides, good food and entertainment!

You guys should try the Singapore Flyer once you visit the city. It's the world tallest observation wheel, at 365 meters high, 5 meters higher than the London Eye in England, beat that! The view from up top is amazing I must say :)

The Night Safari is also a good attraction not only for the youngsters, but for the young-at-heart as well. After the tram ride along the secondary rainforest, you either watch an animal show, a tribal dance, or traverse its three walking trails. You'll enjoy, learn and get fit all at the same time!

I guess the only downside of the country was its cost of living. The goods were priced high, so as the food. Imagine one Singapore dollar is approximately PHP32-33, depending on the stock exchange, and the typical rice + viand meal will cost you around S$4, which is about PHP128-132 pesos. Wehw! So, whenever you want to visit the country, my tip is that you sholud be ready to burn some cash, because, ika nga sa Tagalog, sa pagkain pa lang, ubos na pera mo. Hahaha! Literally, because Singapore is ranked as third most expensive cities to live in here in Asia, just behing Tokyo and Osaka in Japan.

Even in the bargain center at Bugis, the prices are still not that low, like for example, 12 keychains are being sold for S$10, so it would be equal to PHP320-330. Imagine that.

But the thing is, based on looks alone, Singapore is more appealing than Manila, because their streets are clean and they are really organized. How I wish that one day, Manila, or the entire Philippines, would be just as clean and organized like Singapore. We just need to vote wisely this upcoming May 10 elections.

So help us God.

So there. I hope you are all enlightened about Singapore. And I also hoped that I have given you enough guidelines before you visit the said country :)

The Wizard was here...:)