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Yao Ming could miss ‘09-’10 season or more

June 30, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Around the NBA, Basketball News

It’s still early in the summer and the Houston Rockets have already announced last week that Yao Ming’s foot isn’t healing well and it also looks like that he might miss the whole of next season. This foot had been bothering him in the past and required three pins to be inserted but it cracked when they were against the Los Angeles Lakers in last year’s playoff.

Initially the Rockets told us that Yao’s foot will be healed in 8 to 12 weeks but right now they don’t have an exact timeline when he would be able to play again. Read the rest of this entry →

The Cavaliers Pre-Game Rituals Will Be Crazy This Season

June 26, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Basketball Videos

With Shaquille O’neal traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, certain questions may arise like will this be the Cavs year of winning it all? Or how will the Lebron James and Shaq work together? Or is Shaq the Dwight Howard stopper? There are just too many questions right now but for us, the most important one is…What kind of pre-game ritual will they do?

As most of us know, Lebron James started their family picture pose before their home games and interestingly, Shaq created his own pre game pose, which was directed at Lebron’s, where the Phoenix Suns players were like bowling pins and Shaq throwing an imaginary ball at them.

So with these two superstars and “clowns” in one team, I’d like to hear what you think will these two come up with. Let’s hear your suggestions in the comments below.

For inspiration, check out their own pre game ritual: Read the rest of this entry →

NBA Finals: All Access Game 5

June 16, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Basketball Videos, Playoffs

Check out this youtube video on Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. As we all know, the Lakers won it in 5 games in such a dominating way. So all Lakers fans, enjoy this video and relive the moment of your Lakers winning. Read the rest of this entry →

The Los Angeles Lakers are the ‘09 NBA Champs

June 15, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Playoffs

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for winning the 2009 NBA Champs. Kobe Bryant and company did it. Yes they’re the best team in the NBA right now as they beat the Orlando Magic in 5 games with a 99-86 win in the Magic’s home court.

I’ve never been a fan of Kobe Bryant but I must say that I was impressed by his performance, leadership and the attitude he brought in this series and into the game of basketball as a whole this season. He was more mature and he really deserves respect for what he has accomplished.

As a whole, the Lakers were really the more experienced and the hungrier team this series. Coming from a tough loss to the Boston Celtics a year ago, they knew what had to be done in order to win the championship. They knew that it would take more than Kobe’s offense or even the triangle offense to finish off their opponents. They knew that it would also take defense and discipline among the whole team. And they did what they realized that’s why they’re now the NBA Champs.

As for the Orlando Magic, you really have to give these guys credit. They weren’t favorites to reach the NBA Finals with the defending champs Boston Celtics and Lebron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers trying to dominate the East. But as always they were just a resilient team who didn’t give up. They will still be strong next year but Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis will be 30 years old once the season starts and they’ve already reached their ceiling. They would have to find other ways to help improve their lineup if they would still want to compete next year for the championship.

Here’s a clip of game 5 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic

Kobe Bryant’s Top 10 Plays from 2009

June 08, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Basketball Videos

Kobe Bryant may not be the MVP this year but he is in the NBA Finals and he is trying to lead his team to the championship. In the 13 years that Kobe has been in this league, we have seen MVP-like performances and amazing moves that we just can’t get enough of right? He has constantly impressed both fans and haters of the Lakers and his moves are something that a lot of people idolize.

Thanks to the NBA’s youtube channel, they’ve taken all the best plays of Kobe Bryant in the 2009 season and compiled it in one video. So to all Kobe and Los Angeles Lakers fans I’m pretty sure you will love these Kobe highlights: Read the rest of this entry →

So I was wrong in predicting the Orlando win but…

June 08, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Playoffs

At least I was right in choosing them? Well, as I was pretty confident that the Magic would win game 2 of the NBA Finals, I put some money on them and they were able to cover the +6.5 as they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 101-96.

I really thought that the Magic would actually win this game and not just in the odds. Well, they could have won it if Courtney Lee made his layup with less than a second remaining. But of course, we can’t put all the blame on him, could we? It was a total team effort and the best team would win that game. And so the Lakers did.

Even if my predictions in Orlando getting the win went wrong, I’m still quite happy with the predictions that I’ve made the other day. Some became reality like how Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu would bounce back. 

The two of them combined for 56 points on 20 of 38 shooting from the field and they combined to make 9 three pointers, which is four more than the whole Lakers team. Lewis scored 18 points in the 2nd quarter too keep the Magic close to the Lakers.

We also saw that the defense of the Magic improved as evidenced by them forcing Kobe Bryant to 7 turnovers and blocking his last second shot in regulation. While there defense improved, the Lakers also had a steady defense to force the Magic to commit an alarming 20 turnovers. 

Dwight Howard was there and he had a monster game in trying to lead his team past the Lakers. He finished with 17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks. He had a great shooting night too going 7-9 from the free throw line. However, he was also forced to 7 turnovers, which just cancels Kobe’s.

The thing that I might be wrong was Rafer Alston’s maturity. Well, it’s clear that he is being affected by the return of their real starting point guard, Jameer Nelson. He hasn’t voiced out anything yet, but it’s quite obvious in the way he has been playing. In game one, he said that there won’t be any problems, but it’s clear that he was affected. Yes, he sat the whole second quarter and you could lose your rhythm but you’re a proffesional. You have a job to do and he has to remember that this is the NBA Finals. You’ve got to play like you deserve to be here. If only Alston and Nelson could have just played better then the Magic could have won this game.

If you ask me who’s going to win game three I still don’t know. But one thing’s for sure, if they lose game three it’s over. That’s quite obvious especially against the Lakers. I’ll let you know by tomorrow who I think will win game three. I’m quite excited how about you?

Why the Orlando Magic will win game 2 of the NBA Finals

June 07, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Playoffs

The Orlando Magic were beaten by the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of the NBA Finals. It wasn’t just another loss because we are now in the Finals and every thing counts. Both teams have worked so hard this year that you wouldn’t want to give your opponent even the slightest chance of getting a win. That is what the Lakers did in game one but I’m doubting that it will happen in game 2. I like Orlando’s chances of winning game two even if it’s not in their home court and even if the odds are against them. Here’s why: Read the rest of this entry →

Lil Wayne’s song called Kobe Bryant

June 06, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Basketball Videos

In time for the 2009 NBA Finals, rapper Lil Wayne made a song about Kobe Bryant. Claiming to be the greatest on the verse (as can be heard in his song), he really impressed me with his lyrics. I love it when he said “I call him King Bryant now let the crown show.” This is really for the championship and in a way, I believe, is taking a shot at Lebron James that maybe Kobe should be “The King” and not him.

Well, maybe this might start a battle between rappers about them rapping about their favorite player. Jay-Z on Lebron James? Possible. Let’s hear it Jay-Z!

Here’s a youtube clip of Lil Wayne’s “Kobe Bryant” song: Read the rest of this entry →

2009 NBA Finals: Player Matchup

June 04, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Playoffs

With the first game of the 2009 NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers hours away, let us look at the player matchup between the guards, forwards, and center position.

Guards

The Los Angeles Lakers have of course the best shooting guard of this decade as the Nuggets found out in the Western Conference Finals. But besides him, there aren’t any other guards that have stepped so far in the playoffs. Derek Fisher? Maybe. Sasha “The Machine” Vujacic? Not really. Shannon Brown? Could be. The fact is, outside Kobe Bryant, the guards of the Lakers haven’t been that consistent. Read the rest of this entry →

I still feel bad for Hedo Turkoglu

May 31, 2009 By: Ongai Category: Basketball Videos, Playoffs

I’d like to congratulate the Orlando Magic for beating the odds and of course, the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. I’m sure that they’re celebrating before they plan for their Finals showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers. They’ve overcome a lot in this playoff and they deserve it. But I’m not sure Hedo Turkoglu will really overcome Read the rest of this entry →