When the Los Angeles Lakers held a Super Bowl party last February at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia, Chris Ballard, a Sports illustrated senior writer, wrote that everyone was there to relax and watched the game, except for one: Kobe Bryant. (article in Sports illustrated vault)

Kobe preferred to stay on a corner as his therapist worked on his limbs. With so many things to do and with so little time in Kobe’s world, the clock is always ticking.

LA has 16 NBA championships, and Kobe has five of the 16. At 33 years old, Kobe is relentlessly chasing his sixth championship. He would do anything to get another ring, even if he travels to Germany to pump new blood on his legs, even if it takes forever to get there. He would always try.

Their last outing was a blowout game against the Oklahoma City Thunders. It was a 29-point loss, although many believed that OKC would win the game, however, nobody thought that the Lakers would get humiliated. That is not what Kobe envisioned his team’s direction to be in the second round of the playoffs.

LA, as a franchise, has only won two out of 17 in losing the first two games of a best-of-7-series, and Game 2 would be a crucial game for them.

Losing to the Dallas Mavericks last year was a realization that brought Kobe to think that his playing days are nearing to an end. His arthritic knee has become seemingly impossible to repair. He couldn’t move without experiencing unbearable pain, and most of all, he couldn’t deliver when his team needed him to. His experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy in Germany gave him a second chance and an opportunity for another championship run, and that is why losing to OKC was never an option.

The turnover-prone OKC had only four in the game, and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 25 and 27 points respectively. The Lakers need to defend the pick and roll more to close the gap. They need to use their size and impose it more. For Kobe, the team needs to play good defense.

Offense wins games, but defense gives you championships.

This is not the time to push the panic button, although the Lakers are having multiple blowouts throughout the season. However, this would be the first time they were convincingly defeated.

Kobe knows they need to bounce back. They need Game 2 more than ever. It’s not going to be about how the franchise struggled after being down two games, and it’s not going to be about leveling the series when they are playing at home. This is all about knowing if they ever get a chance against OKC.

So many things to do, yet so little time.

Kobe’s clock is ticking.

One championship left before basketball immortality.

Tick, tick…Tick.

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John Wall would throw the ball as high as he could, and he knows JaVale McGee would catch it every time…

The seven-foot center, JaVale, was the same player who stuffed three balls at a time, and dunked two balls on one side in a slam-dunk contest.

He is a special player. He can play defense and can dominate any talented center with his 7’6” wingspan and 32-inch vertical leap. However, he never gets to maximize his talents.

Most of the time it was on him, attempting free throw dunks and goofing around on big leads. Twenty-four years old and yet maturity seemed far-fetched. A YouTube clip entitled, “Javale McGee top 8 dumb plays” that garnered over a million views, has shown JaVale’s decision making.

Two of the “dumbest” plays? The part when he wasn’t able to post up against the 5’9” point guard Isiah Thomas and the time when he ran to the opposite side while they were still on offense. People have been so used to seeing him fail that people are already calling him “Jafail.”

On the last part of the YouTube clip, JaVale was called for a technical foul, for hanging on the rim for too long. However, it was his 11th points that gave him an unusual triple-double with 12 rebounds and 12 blocks. It was a feat that was last made 14 years ago by Shawn Bradley (22 points, 22 rebounds and 13 blocks). Everybody is so focused on his weaknesses that they failed to see his strengths.

He’s a rough stone who needs a lot of work.

The Denver Nuggets see something in him that made them trade their most defensive and polished player on their team (Nene). They saw a raw talent that needs a lot of work, but could be very beneficial to them in the long run.

Maturity will always come with experience; JaVale needs the guidance of a George Karl. He needs the environment of a winning team that strives on teamwork rather than individual plays.

The Denver Nuggets are poised to clinch a playoff spot, and with their current position (seventh place), they would be facing the power house Oklahoma City Thunder (second place). They need McGee’s defensive presence, but most of all, they just need him to finally grow up.

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Marshon Brooks ran as fast as he could on the open court and saw a running Gerald Green.

Green was way ahead of Luis Scola and Samuel Dalembert, who both stand a couple of inches short of seven feet. As Brooks lobbed up the alley-oop, Green went up high, caught the ball in mid-air and went into a freakish windmill slam, soaring way above the rim.

The crowd cheered and applauded Green as he scored two of his 26 points that night against the Houston Rockets.

For a moment, Green was transported way back five years ago, when he was the slam-dunk champion and a scoring threat. He was a far better player back then.

At 26 years old, Gerald played with a total of 11 teams in a seven-year span. He traveled all the way to the D-league and to Russia. Last December, Green was released by the Forshan Dralions in China without ever getting chance to prove his worth.

Nobody has given him a chance…nobody dared and nobody cared. He was always the player with good skills, but he was never the coach’s favorite. His former coach Doc Rivers said (via The New York Post): “I think there still is a very good chance for Gerald Green. He was just so young when he was here,” Rivers said. “He’s skilled. People look at Gerald and they just saw this freak athlete that won the dunk contest. Gerald can make shots. He can really shoot the basketball. He just hadn’t been taught how to play basketball.”

When you hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up. However, Green would have to go through a series of heartaches before getting back. Backing up two steps before moving three steps forward… this has been the life presented to Green.

Gerald has finally found his way back in the NBA. The New Jersey Nets didn’t have to worry about any risk in signing him. But nonetheless, it was an opportunity for Green to get his redemption.

The windmill slam clearly represents Green —turning the ball in a cycle —sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down.

He soars above on top for now, and he intends to stay that way.

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Just a few ticks before the end of regulation, Tim Duncan scored a fade away 18-foot shot.

The deafening sound of raging decibels went into crackling window panes as the crowd cheered in appreciation. With less than a second to go, the dome came into an abrupt silence when Derek Fisher struck the dagger.

0.4 of a second remaining, and Fisher delivered that famous shot eight years ago at the Alamo dome.

And that’s the funniest thing about noise—it eventually dies down.

Five NBA titles in a 16-year career, Derek was always the reliable veteran who would sacrifice everything for the team. The voice that echoes all throughout the locker room while everyone listens.

209 playoff games and hundreds of victorious battles later, somehow the once sturdy and reliable leader has slowly lost a step, like a light bulb that has gradually faded.

With the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring Ramon Sessions, Fisher knew his time in LA was up.

The Lakers were moving forward, and it was clear that he was not part of the plan. A year or two would have been a perfect time to retire for Fisher. He would have wanted to end his career where it all started.

But anyone becomes dispensable, even All-stars Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum have been in constant trade discussions.

Derek was traded to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill and a first-round draft pick. We knew that this would happen—favoring a young, athletic point guard in Sessions against a veteran who is just two steps away from retiring. However, you can still feel the pain, like a marriage bound for separation.

Thursday night will be such an awkward night for Fisher. His new team, the Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing against the Lakers, and all those screaming fans, those championship banners and the bond that he had tediously built for 16 years will become a distant memory.

Oklahoma City is Derek’s home now. He wanted a young and championship-contending team; he wanted a team who needs him more than he needs them.

It would have been a good fairytale ending if he and Kobe were gunning for their sixth NBA championship and both ended up swinging. But reality has its way of waking us up. Derek will have to ride his final journey on his own, guiding his young team to its first championship.

0.4 of a second, and everything changes in a snap. The noise might die down but the memories continue to echo around on Basketball history.

Derek Fisher, at 37 years old, will continue to deliver championships.

Don’t blink, though, because it could happen fast.

From my bleacher report

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Kobe Bryant shrugged everything off as he puts on his protective mask. He was like a gladiator putting up his gear before going to battle.

“The man with the mask,” and this time, the hero shows no anonymity, Kobe had only one battle cry—this is going to be war!

Bryant had the sense of urgency that nobody in the NBA has. After undergoing an experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy last year and an ongoing torn ligament on his right wrist before the season began, Kobe has endured the pain, brushed everything off and still played effective basketball.

This is not going to be all about titles this time…Kobe will have to deal with one player whom nobody could ever guard—father time.

So little time and so much to do…he is now one title short of tying Michael Jordan’s six NBA titles and after scoring 27 points in the All-Star game, he moved past Jordan as the career scoring leader. However, he had to undergo a broken nose and a concussion coming from a hard foul by Dwayne Wade.

This has become a realization, as we get older, it gets a little bit harder. Being the Alpha dog means you are a walking target. But Kobe delivered a sterling message—even with a broken nose; a concussion or a torn ligament, nobody could stop him.
He wanted to win…and with injuries and so much uncertainty, winning has become his haven.

All roads lead to June…with bigger and stronger competition, there is no time to rest…endure the pain now, rest later.

Nobody will stay in the game forever…and sooner or later, Kobe will have to pass his baton. But as long as he can play competitive basketball, we won’t be seeing him hanging up his jersey in the rafters any time soon.

The man with the mask steps into the court and goes to battle, dropping 31 points against Minnesota and 38 points against Sacramento. And with just a few hours left before the Lakers plays Miami, Kobe has only one mindset—this is going to be war! And everybody should be ready.

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A sturdy tree stood right in the center of the busy New York City, unmindful of the tall buildings around it. The tree had his roots, spread out mostly on the foundations where those buildings were built. It was different from the outside, but it was unknowingly connected beyond everyone’s sight…

Jeremy Lin, on his first day of training camp, was waived by the Golden State Warriors. It was not a popular decision, but it was a risk that they had to do to free some salary cap in luring DeAndre Jordan from the L.A. Clippers. The Houston Rockets claimed Lin’s waiver, only to waive him again for Samuel Dalembert. After constant trips to the D-league and a pile of frustrations, Lin’s NBA dream was slowly drifting away.

The Asian-American, who was a Harvard graduate and a college standout, was never given the chance to prove himself. Frankly, nobody really thought that he could make it. He was too small and skinny. Many doubted him.

But Lin was never fazed about how everybody treated him. He just looked around the bleachers and saw some of the people who believed in him and all the doubts went away. This was an added pressure. However, it gave him strength to move on and never quit.

He never craved attention and he never talked more about himself—always crediting others for their win.

Just weeks ago, Lin had an unguaranteed contract. He even slept on his brother’s couch just to secure him a shelter. He was virtually a nobody. New York Knicks coach Mike D’ Antoni had seen how Lin worked so hard in practice. But being the fourth point guard in the team, Lin was dispensable. He was the first one to be out or waived if the team went shopping for marquee players elsewhere.

This was before D’Antoni started to use Lin when two of his superstars, Amar’e Stoudemire and Camelo Anthony, were unavailable.

After Baron Davis’ injury got extended and with shortage of point guards, Lin finally got the chance that he had been waiting for. Three straight games he scored an average of 23.3 points and eight assists per game.

This was a Cinderella story where the “happy ever after” still continues.

On the biggest game and right in front of a hometown crowd, Lin’s ultimate test came from one of the NBA’s greatest player, Kobe Bryant. Kobe and the Lakers had just won a one-point game against their bitter rival Boston Celtics. And without Carmelo and Amar’e the Lakers wouldn’t have any problem in winning against the Knicks. Except they failed to hand out the script to Lin.

Lin scored a career-high 38 points and outshined the game’s biggest star. This was a testament of his greatness, a seemingly touching message that everyone can make it.

As a fan waived his placard with the message L.I.N. (Legend In New York), I remembered that tree standing right in the center of the busy New York City.

Greatness comes in different sizes and form. We may be different but somehow connected.

submitted also in bleacher: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1063613-new-york-knicks-the-jeremy-lin-connection

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Sir Isaac Newton got the idea of the law of gravity from a falling apple. It is through a simple natural event that came out very special.

Andrew Bogut might have learned a lot from falling—no matter how high you got up, there’s always the possibility of going down. He had been in and out of the injured list since 2006. There were a lot of promises and talent.

However, somehow everything falls short of what was expected. In his sophomore year when he was averaging close to a double-double performance, he sprained his left foot and missed the final 15 games of the season.

He also missed the end of the 2009-10 season when he dislocated his right elbow and broke his right hand in a fall. He was also sidelined for 43 games with an injured back in the 2008-09 season.

It seems like a never-ending list of injuries throughout his career. It was inevitable for a seven-foot, 260-pound giant to get injured—the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Bogut knew the risk of going after loose balls or grabbing a rebound on top of everybody. He knows that his physical play will surely take its toll eventually. But this is all about playing your best. And Bogut knew what he had to do to contribute to the team.

This is all about self-worth and no one puts more pressure on him than himself.

Bogut was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, and his position (center) has required full attention—center of the offense and center of hope on a struggling franchise that had constantly failed on a championship run.

In their January 25 game against the Houston Rockets, Bogut was more motivated than ever. This was the team that has continuously dominated them since 1999. And while a driving Kyle Lowry went straight to the basket, Bogut was prepared to get up and block the shot.

For a moment, he was successful, however, when he came down his foot landed awkwardly on Carl Landry’s foot. Bogut will miss eight-to-12 weeks with a fractured left ankle in a compressed season. Bogut now has another setback and another pile of frustrations on his promising career.

For 12 games, he was leading his team in blocks and was averaging 11.3 points with eight rebounds, and now he will spend again more time on the bench and in rehabilitation.

Bogut is hoping something good will come out of his injury. If Newton came up with gravity on falling apples, why not on a falling Bogut?

Lesson learned: There are failures more triumphant than victories.

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Six years ago, people would laugh at the thought that Tracy McGrady would end up as a role player in the future.

A seven-time All-Star, a two-time NBA scoring champion and a future Hall-of-Famer, it was never a question, not even an inkling of doubt on Tracy’s greatness.

However, with an injury-laden career, those glory days are seemingly over.

Tracy was like a veteran boxer who refused to accept defeat and continued to fight, hoping for that one redemption to get him back on top.

Bounced around for four different teams in two seasons, quitting was never an option. It was about getting back and proving everybody wrong.

This was the same player who scored 13 points in 35 seconds on a game against the San Antonio Spurs, including a steal and the game winning three-point shot in the 2004-2005 season.

He had always been a leader, a clutch shooter…and when it mattered, Tracy became the game’s biggest closer.

He could drop 62 points and averaged 28 points per game, but he never got past the first round in the playoffs. This was his Achilles heel—a label that somehow haunted him throughout.

T-Mac wanted that chance—redemption that could somehow prove his legacy that he is just more than skills and empty promises.
Tracy Mcgrady’s 13 points in 35 seconds

The NBA is on a shorter season—a shorter route to a championship, and this could be that one magical run for McGrady. This could be the promise of going deep into the playoffs, and maybe winning a ring in return.

Everyone thought his career was over until Atlanta took the risk and signed him up. The team knew how fragile and risky Tracy is with all his injuries. However, they knew that sometimes little steps can get you back on top…you just have to let them try.

For Tracy, he got another opportunity…another shot on that elusive first round.
He had been in the benched for too long, mostly in street clothes and this has become a reality check for him—one man could not carry a team.

Tracy McGrady knows his role in Atlanta. He would be having limited minutes and sometimes get to stay more often in the bench. But he could help this team to reach their true potential. He could be the big brother and the guiding voice.

Although he won’t be the scoring champion anymore, somehow being there can be equally effective.

This time, last chance entails a definite promise.

“You should have seen me when I put on my uniform. I felt like a kid all over again.” -Tracy McGrady

Jess Matthew Beltran is also a blog contributor of Gold Star Games, a tailgate gear company.

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The sold-out Target Center electrified as the crowd anticipated a new season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is the new-look Wolves—a new promise to a team full of frustrations and disappointments. This is the new beginning, the small flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.

Ricky Rubio knows he had to carry loads of expectations on the team. It has been four years since the last time the Target Center had a sold-out season home opener, and all eyes are on the 180-pound Spaniard.

The people in Minnesota have been waiting for two years, losing 132 games and losing fans in return. Heartaches are already an understatement…dreams and hopes have been continuously crushed that they already became numb to failures. Two years of anticipation, and they don’t care if Rubio doesn’t live up to their expectations, they just wanted change…they wanted Ricky to try. They have been a laughing stock and in the rock-bottom for too long, and for once they crave something that had been so elusive…winning.

As starting point guard Luke Ridnour drew his second foul, the Wolves new coach, Rick Adelman, called Rubio. The crowd all pumped up, rose to their feet and started clapping. Ricky, who looks nervous, blew some wind on his closed fists. For years, Ricky has lived up to high expectations; he has been a pro since he was 14 years old, and he had been accustomed to critics and failures. This is his moment, the part when all great players take their baptism of fire.

As Ricky holds the ball, everything was swept aside. He was playing like he had been in the NBA for years. His passing was flashy, and yet it was so accurate and précise. His one-hand pass to a Derrick Williams over-the-back dunk drew some “ohhhs and aahs” in the crowd.

Six assists and six points on top of his five rebounds were quite impressive for a rookie debut. J.J. Barea, the flashy play-making point guard, also was impressive and together with Rubio creates an exciting backcourt tandem.

It was a close game, and the crowd this time got excited for their new Wolves. Although they lost to a stronger and more jelled team in the Oklahoma City Thunders, they have seen the confidence and resiliency that they have been waiting for all along.

A championship may be a long shot to the moon or even a playoff spot since 2004. However, they are just content knowing they are done with losing and are slowly getting back up. It was a painful and discouraging process, but with Rubio and the new-look Wolves…it’s all worth it. Welcome to the Rubio Show.

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It’s final. The 27-year-old who is still in his prime, Brandon Roy, just announced his untimely retirement.

It wasn’t how anyone wanted his career to end—not like this, not without a fight…one season, one last stand for a championship. However, Brandon knew his borrowed time was up.

A warrior not only fights, but knows when to stop the fight. He could go down swinging, or he could walk out while he still can—literally.

All his life was all about basketball. All those last-second clutch shots, the playoffs, All-Star appearances and head-to-head matchups with Kobe and other stars in the NBA are now part of a distant memory. Portland will always be his home, and the people in Oregon will always be his family.

However, two torn ACLs and no cartilage on both knees leaves him with no other choice.

He came into the NBA with no fanfare, no self-proclaiming, no tattoos or outrageous hair styles. He was old school or an old soul that came to the league with just one intention─to be the best.

Now Brandon Roy exits the same way he entered.

Roy plays beyond his age, a cerebral player whose moves are very calculated. He knows when to pass, when to shoot and plays in the clutch. He was always pushing himself to be better.

That is Brandon’s greatest strength that eventually became his weakness. Even with his injury, he pushed himself past the limit. This wasn’t just for stats or his career; this was for the people in Portland, who always believed in him.

After injuring his right knee in April 2010, he was expected to miss at least the first round of the playoffs, but instead played in Game 4 after only eight days of recovery time. Portland won that game with Roy putting his team on his back, despite his ailing knee.

His injured knees were a problem since he was in college, but it never really mattered as long as his team was winning; as long as everybody was happy.

His encore performance came unexpectedly. It was against the then-defending champions Dallas Mavericks, who were leading by a wide margin. Roy scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a four-point play that tied the game. With the game tied and with still 49 seconds left in regulation, Brandon scored a bank shot from the middle of the paint.

The crowd went wild as Roy pumped his fist in the air. It was his way of saying goodbye, although nobody thought it was his last game, but Roy subconsciously knew his time was up. His journey had come to an end, but his legacy lives on.

Brandon Roy had to give up his dreams; he had to give up basketball. As he ended his career, he made one big sacrifice─he gave Portland hope amidst Greg Oden’s injury and Lamarcus Aldridge’s recent heart surgery. His retirement gave Portland an “amnesty clause” to get Jamal Crawford in return.

Yes, Brandon Roy has just retired with no media hoopla and no circus. He exited the way he started. That’s what old school players do.

Brandon Roy was victorious during his final curtain.

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