Hawks Flying High!

Better get your super friends super man, we've got J-Smoove flying and rejecting your drives!

3-1.

Playoff Madness

Just one of the game-clinching plays in todays roster of NBA playoff games.

I love this game!

Jamal goes to the bank!

I call that a lucky shot.

Nevertheless, it takes a lot of guts to take that shot.

My Thoughts on the NBA Playoffs

It's that time of the year again when men start spending a lot of time on the couch in front of the television or the internet, watching, reading, or even listening to the NBA's version of March Madness. Only this time, it takes more than a month. Games are spaced out. Teams face each other at least 4 times. And a whole lot of drama.

It's that time of the year, that after 82 games of the regular season, the league is shrunk to just 16 teams and a moratorium of getting knocked out when you are beaten four times by your playoff rival. Seldom do you hear the words "it's just one game." because in this setting, it may be your last game of the season. Or in this year's case, last game before an improbable league lockout.

And as always, it's the most exciting part of the NBA season.

As with the type of hype it had for the past 5 or so years, this year's edition seems like it won't disappoint. The league has an open race for the championship. The western conference has always been up there as a tough tough division with the guys in purple and yellow labeled as default favorites - even if we all know that anybody can beat anybody. In the east, we have 4-5 LEGIT contenders - not just for the east crown, but for the chip as well - probably the deepest playoff cast in years.

Let's do a quick run down of the matchups:

EAST:

1 vs 8. Bulls vs Pacers

I like the heart and the youth of these Pacers. It's been a while since a team from Indiana made noise in the post-season. But this sub-.500 team who barely made the playoffs will just challenge these Bulls early on but won't even get a glimpse of a showdown with the winner of the Magic-Hawks series. Even if they make things interesting, it will only benefit the D.Rose-led Bulls. Remember the Celtics-Hawks series few years back?

Bulls in 5.

4 vs 5. Magic vs Hawks

This series is actually quite interesting. Remember last year when the Hawks looked primed to make a lot of noise in the second round? They were coming of a 50-win season but got exhausted versus the deers from Milwaukee. They got beaten down by the Magic badly that they didn't even contend! This year could be payback. With the Magic relying too heavily on Dwight, it could basically become a one-man team vs a formidable 5 from Georgia. We all know that superstars can win games for you but bonafide teams have better chances at winning a series.

Unless the rest of the Magic helps Dwight, Hawks in 7.

2 vs 7. Heat vs 76ers

The resurgence of the sixers may have been overlooked but Doug Collins may just win the Coach of the Year award. Elton Brand's leadership has been great for them but these boys from Philly are not yet primed for an upset. The Big Three from Florida won't even need to be at full force to beat these guys. This only serves as a warm up drill for Miami.

Heat in 4.

3 vs 6. Celtics vs Knicks

Again, another interesting matchup. It's two of the more popular franchises in the league. One of them, slowly going downhill after reaching it's peak these past few years and the other, yearning to get up there after 10 years of disappointment. The C's are back in the playoffs but are once again, unhealthy. With Perkins traded and Shaq not even on the floor, the C's need to stop making excuses and just will themselves back on top. I don't effin' care if you guys haven't lost a series with your old "starting five". Come on, that was 2 years ago. As for the Knicks, they'll need their own version of the Big Three to click with their not-so-deep team in order to make it seem like a 4 vs 5 series. I say we'll see this series go the distance.

Celtics in 7.

WEST

1 vs 8. Spurs vs Grizzlies

Finally, the Grizzlies are back in the playoffs with new and old faces. At the same time, the Spurs are back on top of the west with both new and old faces. It's kinda funny how these two teams have changed in the past year. Who expected them to be facing each other at 1 and 8? Nevertheless, as in the west, the first and the eight seed have less separation compared to the east. Eight seeds in the west can actually contend in the east. The Grizzlies are legit playoff contenders but aren't the type of guys who can pull off an upset against a championship-caliber team.

Spurs in 6.

4 vs 5. Thunder vs Nuggets

Another surprise matchup. Who would have thought the Nuggets would be in this position late in the season? This is actually a very typical 4 vs 5 matchup. Both young and up and coming teams trying to get over the hump. Both teams are legit teams but the only difference is that the Thunder has also has a legit star. Throw Westbrook in and you have two all-stars on one-side of the matchup. Unless K-Mart gets J.Kidd to play along side him and bring back their glory days, these Nuggets has nobody who can dominate and probably close out games.

Thunder in 6.

2 vs 7. Lakers vs Hornets

They say Lakers got the best draw here. With the Blazers, Hornets and the Grizzlies rounding out the west playoff picture, we all know the Lakers matchup best against the Hornets. But then again, the boys from the Big Easy has CP3 - another quick guard which the Lakers may have a hard time guarding. With DFish manning the point, looks like it will be another tough grind for the defending champions. But then again, the Lakers always adjusted and actually never lost a series against these so-called "quick guards". Westbrook? DWill? Nash? Brooks? - all of their teams were beaten in 7 games or less.

Lakers in 6.

3 vs 6. Mavericks vs Blazers

Some people say that the Blazers actually have a chance against these Mavs. They do but I think they're not deep enough to beat this team from Texas. I still do think these Mavs haven't proven anything. I want to see them make some noise against the Lakers. If not, I think they should start thinking if Dirk really is the guy they want to build their franchise around. I'm getting too used to hearing the Mavs lose in the playoffs.

Mavs in 5.

Coming out party for the Phenom

TJ Manotoc said it best: "This Phenom is FOR REAL"

I haven't seen a rookie dominate his debut game so well that he became the best player of the game with an amazing stat line: 25 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. He was so great that Greg Slaughter's performance was almost overshadowed.

Watch out UAAP. Barring any injury, this kid's going to be big! He is FOR REAL!

2011 FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup schedule

A repost from inboundpass.com (by Christian Soler):

The 17 competing teams are split into two groups. Squads from the same group play each other in a round-robin format. The top four teams from each group advance to the crossover, knockout quarterfinal round. The semifinals and finals are also knockout affairs. All games will take place at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City

April 9, Saturday

1 pm: Opening Ceremonies
2 pm: *Ateneo vs San Beda
4 pm: *DLSU vs UST

April 13, Wednesday

1230 pm: EAC vs Letran
215 pm: San Beda vs Arellano
4 pm: NU vs UST

April 15, Friday

1230 pm: Mapúa vs CSB
215 pm: UP vs Letran
4 pm: UE vs JRU

April 16, Saturday

1230 pm: UST vs San Sebastian
215 pm: FEU vs Adamson
4 pm: NU vs San Beda

April 25, Monday

145 pm: UP vs FEU
330 pm: San Beda vs Lyceum
515 pm: Arellano vs DLSU

April 27, Wednesday

1230 pm: Adamson vs UE
215 pm: Lyceum vs Ateneo
4 pm: DLSU vs San Sebastian

April 29, Friday

1230 pm: Arellano vs NU
215 pm: FEU vs Mapúa
4 pm: JRU vs Letran

April 30, Saturday

1230 pm: UE vs EAC
215 pm: Adamson vs UP
4 pm: Ateneo vs UST

May 2, Monday

1230 pm: EAC vs FEU
215 pm: NU vs Lyceum
4 pm: CSB vs JRU

May 4, Wednesday

1230 pm: Arellano vs Ateneo
215 pm: Letran vs Adamson
4 pm: San Sebastian vs NU

May 6, Friday

1230 pm: Letran vs CSB
215 pm: Lyceum vs Arellano
4 pm: UP vs JRU

May 7, Saturday

1230 pm: EAC vs Adamson
215 pm: UE vs FEU
4 pm: Ateneo vs NU

May 11, Wednesday

145 pm: CSB vs Adamson
330 pm: JRU vs EAC
515 pm: San Sebastian vs Ateneo

May 13, Friday

130 pm: EAC vs UP
315 pm: Mapúa vs Letran

May 14, Saturday

1230 pm: UE vs CSB
215 pm: Lyceum vs San Sebastian
4 pm: FEU vs JRU

May 18, Wednesday

1230 pm: JRU vs Mapúa
215 pm: CSB vs EAC
4 pm: UE vs Letran

May 20, Friday

130 pm: CSB vs FEU
315 pm: Arellano vs San Sebastian

May 21, Saturday

1230 pm: UST vs Lyceum
215 pm: UP vs UE
4 pm: Adamson vs Mapúa

May 25, Wednesday

130 pm: Mapúa vs UE
315 pm: DLSU vs NU

May 27, Friday

130 pm: UP vs CSB
315 pm: Arellano vs UST

May 28, Saturday

1 pm: Mapúa vs EAC
3 pm: FEU vs Letran
5 pm: San Beda vs DLSU

June 1, Wednesday

1230 pm: UP vs Mapúa
215 pm: Lyceum vs DLSU
4 pm: San Sebastian vs San Beda

June 4, Saturday

2 pm: *San Beda vs UST
4 pm: *Ateneo vs DLSU

June 6, Monday

11 am: A2 vs B3
2 pm: *A1 vs B4
4 pm: *B1 vs A4
6 pm: B2 vs A3

June 8, Wednesday

2 pm: *A1/B4 vs B2/A3
4 pm: *B1/A4 vs A2/B3

June 12, Sunday

4 pm: *Finals

*- Game to be broadcasted live over Studio 23

NCAA DUNK CHAMPION

Check on this. This guy comes from Illinois College - a Division III school. If you guys have no idea what that means, let's just say he comes from a lower tier school that doesn't get much attention in the NCAA probably either because a) the school is too small to have a comprehensive sports program, or b) the school probably isn't that good in sports.

What's amazing is he's only 5'11.

and he has a 50 inch vertical leap.