Kobe Bryant was nodding his head in disbelief as the Lakers with only less than a minute is still trailing the Denver Nuggets by 2 points.
It was a typical Lakers game leading as much as 14 points in the initial quarter and allowed Denver to get back in the game late in the second. The Lakers bench was playing quite well and their collapsing Laker defense against Melo was executed well allowing guys like Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith some open opportunities but it was a different story when Kleiza was hitting his shots and Billups hitting unprecedented threes stopping and popping in the lane. The Denver Nuggets rallied against The Lakers who were 11-0 against them in the postseason dated back in 1985. The game was decided by a contested layup by Kenyon Martin and 3 out of 4 shooting by Billups in the free throw line.
The Lakers had some moments when Gasol and Billups got in tangled and was called a jump ball. Trevor Ariza who scored a career high 20 points got the jump ball but fumbled it on the way to the floor. Billups converted the free throws and with 4.3 seconds Fisher had a good look in the corner but failed to knock the trifecta.
The game was expected to be a thriller and when the game was on the line Kobe and Carmelo step it up to the next level. It was Kobe winning game 1 but Carmelo leveled the competition scoring 34 points and 14 rebounds and one significant play on an offensive rebound against Kobe late in the fourth quarter and scored a put back giving the Nuggets a five point lead. “We’re mentally tough and we showed that in this game coming off the loss that we gave away in Game 1.”said Carmelo.
They almost had game 1 but felt short but this time Billups came out and delivered. He took a technical when Nene got a no call by the referee. He regroups his team when the lead ballooned to 14 points and most of all he made crucial shots and knock the free throws that matter most in the game. Chauncy is the x-factor in this series the voice of a general who leads his team to victory.
Kobe and the Lakers will try to steal a game in Denver this Saturday. They will try to play atrocious defense against Carmelo and stop Billups dribble penetration. It’s gonna be a tough and physical series and the team who executes down the stretch will likely win the series…
“I think this is going to be a long series,” Denver coach George Karl said. Well coach you can say that again…

The defending champions Boston Celtics is out of the picture which logically a new NBA champion will be crowned this June. With four teams remaining and with only two tickets available for the finals teams are gearing up a notch higher. Two teams who had to battle it out to the limit and two well rested teams preparing for their conference battle.
How would each team fare it out on the court? Will we see a Kobe-Lebron duel? Carmelo-Lebron? Or a Howard-Gasol face off? Almost 70 plus percent would win the conference finals if they win game 1 and with Lakers and Magic winning the initial game it’s still not a clear indication that they are heading to an easy series with both teams struggling most of the entire game and got the go ahead baskets in the last 2 minutes of the game.
Western Conference:
Los Angeles Lakers – Denver Nuggets
It’s a different Denver Nuggets team with Chauncy Billups on their lineup. They are a complete team with balance offense and extremely good inside and outside defense. The Lakers inconsistency was clearly exposed against the undermanned Rockets team and the Nuggets are quick to capitalize on the Lakers weakness. Lakers drew first blood on a thrilling game 1 but it wasn’t that hopeful especially since they are trailing the Nuggets all game long. This would be a long series the Lakers are favored to win the Western conference but the Nuggets can clearly score an upset.
Lakers 4-3
Eastern Conference:
Cleveland Cavaliers- Orlando Magic
A very well rested Cleveland Cavaliers who went to the playoffs undefeated found no competition against Detroit and Atlanta and Lebron who won the MVP award is sky rocketing to his first NBA championship with the big guns from the East surrendering slowly to James throne. There’s no Kevin Garnet and Orlando lost Jameer Nelson during the season. There isn’t much to talk about in the East and frankly it’s a no contest to Cleveland’s supremacy. But Dwight Howard and company had to rewrite history on their own hands. They trailed 16 points in their first game and gave up 49 points to Lebron James but thanks to Rashard Lewis late game heroics the Orlando Magic gave the Cavaliers a taste of defeat. Cleveland has now found their match. They are no longer untested and this time it’s a series. How well Cleveland bounces back from this 107-106 heartbreaking loss remains to be seen. It’s now a matter of maturity, Orlando has gone through game 6 and 7 with Philadelphia and Boston respectively they knew how it is to loose and they knew clearly ways to win. Game 2 would be the gauge on how the series goes. Everyone thought it’s an easy cruise to the finals for Cleveland but maybe this is the time when we have second thoughts about it.
Cleveland 4-2

Manny Pacquiao has continuously surprise and exceed expectations. His devastating win against top pound per pound opponents Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton was a validation if not a statement of his greatness. So what’s next for Manny? With the return of former pound per pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the continuous calling of Juan Manuel Marquez and other Marquee fighters, Manny is likely to fight again before the year ends. Floyd and Marquez lock a deal this July and that makes Manny in the waiting game. There are suggestions that Manny should keep himself active and after careful deliberation team Pacquiao narrowed their options to Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto. Manny I think they should go for Shane Mosley for the following reasons…

1. Age is still a factor – Shane Mosley is a 37 year old fighter who is passed his prime 7 years ago. His win against Margarito was his biggest achievement in his boxing career at this stage when he gave Margarito a boxing lesson and neutralizes Antonio’s strong offense. He has good hand speed but a younger Pacquiao can dominate him in many ways. And even though Mosley has good defense I just don’t know if he can keep up an energizer bunny like Manny. Eventually Age would be a factor.
2. Mosley’s southpaw problem – He lost twice to a defensive southpaw Ronald “Winky” Wright although he had won most battles against a lefty but he is in trouble if being paired by a defensive one. Manny’s defense is underrated but as he progress he has develop into a complete fighter. He’s no more the offense is defense type but the other way around. Mosley would be in for a bigger problem facing a defensive southpaw with power in both hands.
3. Mosley is beatable compared to a younger Cotto – Miguel Cotto dominated Mosley by moving and boxing with angles and Manny can surely duplicate if not surpass Cotto’s act. Cotto would be a high risk low reward fight and is a much dangerous opponent for Manny. Although Mosley dominated the fighter who gave Cotto’s first defeat but Margarito’s credibility for now is still a question. Cotto clearly was dominating Margarito at that time before a stubborn Margarito had his second wind back. Manny should be fighting Mosley because he has a bigger chance of winning rather than risking a dangerous Cotto. If not Mosley then he waits for the winner of the Mayweather-Marquez bout.

Fighting Mosley would be huge hit among boxing fans but unfortunately there are also downsides to this bout. Cotto-Pacquiao is much more feasible compared to Mosley-Pacquiao since Cotto and Manny are both Top rank fighters. The rift between two promotional kingpins’ Top rank and Golden boy seems to be patching up but they would rather see their own fighters head to head in the ring than sharing revenues with each other. Other thing would be the catch weight which is unlikely for Pacquiao to be fighting in the welterweight division. He had done it once but a bigger and smart fighter like Mosley is certainly a no-no. They could meet half way at 142 lbs in which an old Mosley is uncertain in making that weight. Discussions are ongoing Mosley or Cotto? Either way it’s still an exciting fight to watch.

The Boston Celtics took two game 7s last year to bag the crown but this time they felt short in closing the Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglo leading the way. The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves a sense of urgency when they were put to the limit extending their series to a game 7.
Boston could have close the series 2 to 3 games ago if they have a healthy roster with Garnet and Powe back in the lineup and Rockets could have scored an upset if Yao and Mcgrady were on the floor. The Celtics and the Rockets still could put their heads up high because despite being undermanned they still took their respective opponents to the maximum game of the series.
The Lakers could have close their series earlier with Mcgrady and Yao sideline for microfracture injuries but Battier, Artest and Scola refuses to fold and gave LA a beating. Shocking them in Game 1, trashing them in Game 4 and took them in a blitzkrieg in Game 6. LA has the deeper bench with Kobe and two seven footers in their lineup but the Rockets fought their way muscling every loose ball every opportunity they could pounce on the Laker team.
The Orlando Magic on the other hand proved that defense win games as their defensive stopper Dwight Howard owned the board and push Celtics guards in awkward shots seeing Dwight on the air.
The Lakers will face the no.2 seed and a well rested Denver Nuggets while the Magic will have to deal with Lebron and the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.

The games ended with both teams from the East and West exchanging hugs, rubbing elbows and taps to the back. The Rockets power forward Luis Scola on the replay was shown pushing and giving Pau Gasol a hard time in the post despite having a 30 point deficit. The Rockets and Celtics might be done for now but at least they went on fighting…next year would be a different story. Hey it’s the NBA… when amazing happens

“My brother couldn’t train a dog,” -Roger Mayweather on Ricky Hatton’s devastating loss

“Marquez ain’t nothing but a tune-up” -Floyd Mayweather Sr. on his son’s opponent this July 18

“I am not wasting any time with a tune-up fight,” said Mayweather. “I’m going straight to the top. Marquez called me out immediately after his victory over Juan Diaz in February and now he gets his wish. What he is going to find out is that you should be very careful what you wish for.” – Floyd Mayweather Jr. on their press conference announcing their head to head battle against Marquez…

So what’s up about the Mayweather’s? Aside from their trash talking and supreme confidence their making noises around the boxing circle and sometimes it’s starting to be annoying in some ways. It’s either you love them or hate them they are just doing what
They should be doing… being a villain in an army of good men.
Boxing needs them and they create a different marketing strategy not everyone could understand. Superman needs a Lex Luthor, Spider man needs a Dr. Doom and Batman needs the Joker they provide the other side of the coin and the more people hate them the more people watch them fall. They generate the Pay per view buys in those trashy mouths…
The arrogance and bad mouthing can really get into your skin and I’m not a fan of trash talkers myself. They don’t get any sympathy from people and more so the respect they clamor…
How can Hatton be compared to a dog when he was racking 47 wins with two defeats against two pound per pound best?
How can a no.2 pound per pound fighter be a tune up fight? Marquez who still fights in bundles can clearly give Jr. Problems in some ways…
Jr. was quick to call a fighter who was fighting all his life below the 135lb limit… What happened to Cotto, Margarito and Mosley who were calling his name after their respective victories?
The Mayweather’s can talk all they want. They can humiliate any fighter who gets on their way… they can claim they are the best in the business but they should remember the real talking is done in the ring… Ask Manny Pacquiao…

A troubled Dennis Rodman, a running feud between two superstars Kobe and Shaq a unhappy Lamar Odom and the list goes on and on with Phil Jackson’s core of hardcore ballers. The Zen master was never rattled and would rarely push the panic button even if his team is on the verge of breaking loose. When Michael Jordan was scoring at will but still end up in the loosing end Phil together with Tex Winter invented the triangle offense so that Michael would learn how to pass and get more involvement with the team.
There would be times when Phil would have yoga session with his team and giving inspirational books for those troubled souls. It’s how Phil Jackson operates and it’s how he motivates his team in which resulted with 9 NBA championships.
He is the master of mind games and after their game four loss against Houston who paraded a roster without two of their main offense Yao and Mcgrady, Jackson boldly said he is not concerned…
The Lakers were complacent about their chances after Yao was out of the playoffs with a hairline fracture but what they didn’t know that they are fighting a wounded tiger. Aaron Brooks was all over the court scoring a career high 34 points and Shane Battier held up Bryant to a measly 15 points. The Lakers have to gather their act and start playing as a team. Losing their opening game wasn’t a coincidence and losing in game four was a validation that the Rockets won’t give up that easily.
Phil Jackson knows it’s going to be a tough series but still he is firm about his team’s confidence. Being down 10 points in the first half Phil could easily call a timeout to remind his team about defense but he let them play through and let them find a solution to the hole they’ve dig in.
Phil went into his bag of tricks and had a pep talk with his team after the game four loss and resulted with a 40 point trashing in game five.
Phil has been through situations far worst than what he is into… The Zen Master is not concerned… if you have a former MVP and two seven footers with a loaded bench why should he be…

She carried us nine full months unmindful of the seeming danger that lies ahead while giving birth. Nurture us with her endless love and sacrifices willing to give everything even her life for us…

Carol had to be comforted by Ray as their son Ricky Hatton is on a familiar situation on that fateful night on Dec.8, 2007 when Hatton was floored by Floyd Mayweather Jr. but unlike his previous fight when he gave Floyd some headache there was little resistance when he fought Manny Pacquiao and was caught with a perfect left hook which was so vicious that I could hear the nagging sound in a boisterous environment while watching it on pay per view. Tears rolled down on Hatton’s mom while Ricky’s fiancé started to cry on his own while watching a hopeless Ricky lying on the cold canvass.

On the other side, Dionesia the famed pound per pound king’s mother was rejoicing on her son’s victory. It was her first time to set foot in US soil but while his son preferred to see her mother on ring side mother Dionesia insist she stays in the hotel praying for divine intervention hoping her son would win and give glory to his country.

I could see the pain Ricky’s mother felt seeing her son unconscious for two minutes and I could felt the joy, pride and happiness of Manny’s mother seeing her son raise his hands in victory.
Mom, Mama, Mother and Mum they have been there for us guiding and loving us in the most darkest times of our lives and in the most happiest moments in life. Mother Carol and Dionesia felt in some ways the same. They were just happy to see their sons ok… I guess it’s all what mother’s really pray for.
Happy Mother’s Day to all……..