Predictions and tips galore

 

“All of us are in the same place, each with our own rooms, and we were allowed to do whatever we wanted. Which is totally different than college, where they manage your schedule for you. In the NBA, you're on your own.”

—Stephen Curry

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

TO determine which team will wrap up this year’s NBA Finals, I picked CBS Sports’amazing report on pre-game tips and predictions released three hours before I wrote this story May 30 (Tuesday) night as the world’s most popular basketball championship begins on June 1 (Thursday) evening at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 

The Denver Nuggets host the Miami Heat for Game 1 of a best-of-seven matchup, with the championship on the line.

It may be recalled that Denver Nuggets logged a 12-3 record in playoff action after earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and ousting the very popular Los Angeles Lakers via sweep in the dramatic Western Conference finals. 

Coached by the darling of Philippine cage fans, Erik Spoelstra, 

Miami had to labor hard in seven games to silence the Boston Celtics, reaching the championship round as the No. 8 seed in the East.

Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET in Denver, according to CBS Sports as Caesars Sportsbook lists Denver Nuggets as the 8.5-point home favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 219 in the latest Miami Heat vs. Nuggets odds.

Before locking in any Nuggets vs. Heat picks, we need to see the NBA playoff predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer model, according to CBS Sports.

The SportsLine Projection Model reportedly simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. 

CBS Sports reported that the model enters the 2023 NBA Finals a stunning 72-38 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,900. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

 

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Now, the model has set its sights on Heat vs. Nuggets and just locked in its picks and NBA Finals predictions. 

We can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Nuggets vs. Heat:

-Heat vs. Nuggets spread: Nuggets -8.5

-Heat vs. Nuggets over/under: 219 points

-Heat vs. Nuggets money line: Nuggets -400, Heat +310

-MIA: The Heat are 22-27-1 against the spread in road games

-DEN: The Nuggets are 30-18-1 against the spread in home games

-Heat vs. Nuggets picks (Source: CBS sports)

Our other source, Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic, noted that no eighth seed has ever won an NBA championship.

Rankin stressed the following: 

The lowest seed to ever do so was Houston nearly 30 years ago when they swept Orlando in the 1995 finals as a sixth seed in the West.

Miami is an eighth seed. The Knicks reached the finals as an eighth seed in the strike-shortened 1998-99 season, but they lost to San Antonio in five.

The Denver Nuggets have never won an NBA title.

This is their first finals appearance after reaching the conference finals four previous times in 1978, 1985, 2009 and 2020.

This is the first time they’ve been a No. 1 seed in the West.

This is the best team two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has had with the Nuggets.

“Finally healthy, too, the Nuggets have looked like the best team in the playoffs,” Rankin emphasized. “Jokic is averaging a triple-double in the postseason—29.9 ppg, 13.2 rpg., and 10.2 apg. He’s posted eight triple-doubles this postseason to pass Wilt Chamberlain for the most ever in a playoff run.”

 

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DEPENDABILITY. Man's permanent value rests upon his dependability. 

The first question asked is, "Can we depend upon this person?" 

A man may be clever, capable and agreeable, but if you cannot depend upon him you do not want him around.

To be dependable we must be dependable in all things—little and big—at all times, in all places, under all circumstances. 

We cannot be dependable if we have weak character and a weak will.

The dependable man keeps as straight in the dark as in the light. We know that wherever he is put he will not LIE, he will not STEAL, he will not CHEAT, he will not do any mean or contemptible thing.

ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY. According to the U.S. Department of State, the United States is deeply troubled by Uganda’s passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, a law that undermines the human rights, prosperity, and welfare of all Ugandans.  

Uganda’s failure to safeguard the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons is part of a broader degradation of human rights protections that puts Ugandan citizens at risk and damages the country’s reputation as a destination for investment, development, tourism, and refugees.

The United States has urged the Government of Uganda to refrain from implementing laws that undermine human rights.

In the context of the serious concerns conveyed by President Joseph Biden, Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken announced May 29 that the Department of State will develop mechanisms to support the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals in Uganda and to promote accountability for Ugandan officials and other individuals responsible for, or complicit in, abusing their human rights. 

“I have also directed the Department to update our travel guidance to American citizens and to U.S. businesses as well as to consider deploying existing visa restrictions tools against Ugandan officials and other individuals for abuse of universal human rights, including the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons,” Blinken said.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

Barclays Center on my mind

 “Shop has also spared Brooklyn another retro stadium. The architects have created something tougher, more textured and compelling, an anti-Manhattan monument, not clad in glass or titanium but muscular and progressive like its borough.”

—The New York Times on Barclays Center 

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF we’ve been to Brooklyn and we’ve not visited Barclays Center, we haven’t gone to Brooklyn.

We can’t afford to miss visiting the imposing Barclays Center, which resides in Brooklyn, not exactly the center of the universe, although any local Nets lover will gladly tell us their location qualifies as the epicenter of culture and life.

In 2013, or a year after it opened on September 21, 2012, Barclays Center was the top-grossing North American arena for concerts and family shows.

In that year, Madison Square Garden (MSG) in Manhattan was putting the finishing touches on a $1 billion-plus renovation that year, making 2014 the first time the two went head-to-head for the entire year on equal ground.

World class concerts and sports and entertainment shows like the WNBA and NBA games, championship boxing matches are regularly held at the Barclays Center.

We can’t forget when then WBC heavyweight king Deontay “The Brown Bomber” Wilder knocked out Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius in that Center on October 15, 2022.

Meanwhile, April 22 was the last opportunity for us to watch and chronicle the Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference First Round at the Barclay Center.

Sadly, the first-round series between the Sixers and the Nets lasted just four games. As the Sixers asserted their dominance against a fairly new, and re-tooling Nets team, Seth Curry and his Brooklyn-based teammates didn’t have what it takes to overpower a squad of championship-hopefuls.

The Sixers steamrolled the Nets in the Game I, 121-101, on April 15; Game 2, 96-84, on April 17; Game 3, 102-97 on April 20; and finallly in Game 4, 96-88, on April 22.

“Words cannot do the Game 3 that the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers justice,” reported the NetsDaily after Game 3. 

“It was, at the very least, an inner-circle contender for weirdest game of the season, playoffs or not, the sort of game that simultaneously lasts five minutes but also six hours.”

There were two ejections in the match, neither of which resulted from an attempted kick to the jewels that came two minutes into the game. NetsDaily reported that Joel Embiid, a shoe-in for the MVP award, “was so hobbled by game’s end that he did not touch the ball on his team’s two most important possessions, but momentarily recovered to fly across the court for a superhuman, game-saving block in the game’s final seconds.”

 

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New York City is home to a significant Filipino community, with a population of approximately 236,000, making it the third-largest population of Filipinos in the United States, after Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

This community has a rich cultural heritage, which is reflected in the city's diverse neighborhoods, businesses, and cultural events. 

Filipinos in NYC come from different backgrounds, speak different dialects and have different traditions.

The largest concentration of Filipinos in NYC is in the borough of Queens in Little Manila, with 54 percent of the total population, followed by Manhattan with 15.7 percent, Brooklyn with 13.8 percent, the Bronx with 8.5 percent, and Staten Island with 7.3 percent. 

These neighborhoods have become cultural hubs, with Filipino restaurants, shops, and community centers, where residents can connect with their roots, participate in cultural events, and build a sense of community.

Many Filipinos who have lived in the city for decades are choosing to return to their homeland for retirement. According to Pew Research Center, there are several reasons why Filipinos are choosing to retire in the Philippines.

 

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One of the primary reasons is the cost of living. Many retirees find that they can stretch their retirement savings further in the Philippines than in New York City. 

The lower cost of housing, food, and healthcare can make a significant difference in their quality of life. Additionally, the strong family ties and support system in the Philippines can help retirees feel more secure and comfortable in their retirement years.

Another reason why Filipinos are choosing to retire in the Philippines is the cultural connection. Despite living in New York City for decades, many Filipinos still feel a strong connection to their homeland and want to spend their retirement years in a place that feels more familiar. The Philippines is rich in culture and traditions that are important to many Filipinos, and retiring there allows them to reconnect with their roots and immerse themselves in their heritage.

Some Filipino retirees are choosing to return to the Philippines to contribute to their communities. Many retirees use their skills and expertise to start businesses, mentor young people, and give back to their hometowns. 

Retiring in the Philippines allows them to make a meaningful impact in their communities and leave a lasting legacy.

The decision to retire in the Philippines is a personal one, but for many Filipinos, it is an attractive option. The lower cost of living, cultural connection, and opportunities to give back to their communities are just a few of the reasons why Filipinos are choosing to return to the Philippines for retirement. 

For those who have spent most of their lives in New York City, retiring in the Philippines can provide a sense of comfort and familiarity that may not be found anywhere else. (Source: Filipinos of New York)

 

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WE HAVE BEEN OBSERVING THIS RECENTLY. The greenhouse effect is a warming near the Earth's surface that results when the Earth's atmosphere traps the sun's heat. The atmosphere acts much like the glass walls and rook of a greenhouse.

WE ARE STILL SUPERIOR. Human brains are smarter than creatures whose brains are larger than ours in absolute terms, such as the killer whales, as well as those animals whose brains are larger than ours in relative terms, such as shrews. Thus, the size alone does not explain the uniqueness of the human mind.

GOD. The fact that God is omniscient or all-knowing is enough argument that science is part of His creation and by being omnipotent or all-powerful is enough evidence that God is in total control of the universe.

YES OR NO. If we believe in God, we are called theists (no matter what particular conception of God we believe in). If we don't, we are called atheists. If we say, "I don't know," we are called agnostics. Yes? No? Don't know?

SEXY. One in five women finds a man with long hair sexy. (GDP)

HUMAN RACE. To save the human race, we must reduce our number. The only way to do that is to restructure our entire socioeconomic system.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

Ilonggos don't love the underdogs?

"I like being the underdog so they don't expect what's going to happen. It pushes me to work harder and do the things I'm not doing better."
--Kawhi Leonard

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- THERE are probably more Ilonggos living in Oakland, California than in Toronto, Ontario, thus the Golden State Warriors apparently have more fans among the Ilonggo populace in both the United States and Canada compared to the Toronto Raptors.
We are supposed to be "lovers of the underdogs", but we've noticed the Ilonggos are more agog over the Warriors, the defending champions, even if the Western Conference kings have already won the NBA Finals for several times in a row and the Raptors, the Eastern Conference heroes, are chasing history and currently the darling of the basketball world.
Even in the social media, the Warriors are very much hailed and cheered especially when they averted annihilation in Game 5 on June 10 with a nerve-tingling 106-105 win.
Many Filipinos fans rooting for both teams from the US and Canada are workers in the health industry--nurses, caregivers, doctors, physical therapists--or Filipino-Americans and Filipino-Canadians who have been following the NBA games with passion and style for several years now. How exciting to read their debates and fierce discussions in the social media and in other communication platforms.
Basketball old-timers in Western Visayas, as a whole, also appear to be Warriors fans, including some politicians, local sports analysts, ordinary folks, and anchormen in leading radio stations chronicling the exciting best-of-seven finals.
May the best team win in Game 6 or Game 7, if necessary.

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The original "Ilonggo Bikoy" was reportedly spotted again in Iloilo City weeks after his politician boss lost in the mayoral elections in Metro Manila.
The "Ilonggo Bikoy" is a well-connected mystery man. He has spilled the beans on so many high-profile personalities involved in illegal drugs.
Many of these high-profile personalities linked by this original "Ilonggo Bikoy" in illegal drugs are now either have been buried six feet below the ground, or have left Western Visayas and are now hiding in Metro Manila and Mindanao.
He is a friend of a balikbayan who recently lost in a local election in Iloilo City.
He is an admirer of former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel "Boy" Mejorada, who recently hogged headlines after being arrested for cyberlibel filed by Iloilo Governor Arthur "Art" Defensor Sr.
The "Ilonggo Bikoy" is being suspected as one of those who spread the canard that former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog was involved in illegal drugs.
Former Western Visayas narcotics chief Genodepa of Guimbal, Iloilo knows this "Ilonggo Bikoy" very well.
I know him, too--also very well.

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According to Dr. Deepak Chopra, one of the causes of Ernest Hemingway's "deepest depression" was due to "Writer's Block" which could happen to any writer.
When asked to write a speech for the inaugural of President JFK, Hemingway, America's all-time best Nobel Prize in Literature winner, suffered a "Writer's Block" and could not start a sentence.
Several days later, he shot himself to death with a shotgun!

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

Not yet time

"I just try to play every game like it's Game 7 of the NBA Finals."
--Kawhi Leonard

By Alex P. Vidal

THERE are two big events outside the country that can make us all forget our worries temporarily: the fights of Senator Manny Pacquiao and the NBA Finals.
Miss Universe comes next--only if we feel that our candidate has a strong chance of bagging the crown.
During the Toronto Raptors' failed bid to capture its first NBA crown on Monday (June 10) in Toronto with a hairline defeat to the Golden State Warriors, 105-106, we were all again glued to our TV screens.
We forgot the traffic woes, dengue fever, water crisis, peso-US dollar exchange rate, post-election controversies, same-sex marriage and abortion debates, rebel returnees, anti-drug raids, etcetera.

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After the Warriors closed the best-of-seven series gap at 3-2, we're back to reality. It's not yet time.
If the Raptors can finish the job in Game 6, no one can tell. If the Warriors can extend their agony and capitulate in Game 7, it will be anybody's guess. If the Warriors can retain the crown, it remains to be seen. For the meantime, life must go on for Filipino fans.
Whether it is Warriors or Raptors, the result will have no direct economic or political impact in our life as a basketball-crazy country.
But the NBA Finals, like when we watch Pacquaio dismantle his Mexican and American opponents in the ring, have the capacity to make us all happy and united.

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We should not feel bad that New York City accommodated the 62nd Puerto Rico National Day Parade on Fifth Avenue on June 10, 2019 but continued to "separate" the annual Philippine Independence Day Parade in the Madison Avenue.
We should be happy that, at least, we are allowed to use one of Manhattan's most popular and historic avenues for our Independence Day parade consistently for several years now.
Not all countries affiliated with the United Nations (UN) are given the golden opportunity to showcase their cultural and religious wealth and potentials before an American audience on an American land.
We are not the only country assigned in the spacious Madison Avenue. The Greek Independence Day Parade in March, the Persian Parade in April, and the India Parade in August, among other cultural and national parades, also saunter in the Madison Avenue which is only a block away from the more preferred and most favorite Fifth Avenue.
Assigned for their parades on Fifth Avenue are: Celebrate Israel Parade in May, St. Patrick's Day Parade in March, German-American Steuben Parade in September, Columbus Day Parade in October, and Korean Day Parade in October.


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I've noticed that media practitioners in Iloilo were divided on their opinion about the recent arrest of former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel "Boy" Mejorada for five counts of cyber libel filed by Iloilo Governor Arthur "Art" Defensor Sr.
Not all of Mejorada's colleagues came out in the open to defend him or lash at the manner of his arrest. Some of them probably expressed their "concerns" through text and private messages.
But there were some of Mejorada's former media colleagues who hailed his arrest and congratulated the arresting police team led by Major Jonathan Pinuela.
In the social media, meanwhile, netizens mostly sympathetic to Mejorada's adversaries like Senator Franklin Drilon and Defensor, ripped apart Mejorada like he was a despicable person.
After securing a temporary freedom from the court, Mejorada refused to lick his wounds in silence. He used his social media accounts to lambast all those responsible for what happened to him on Friday (June 7).
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

Duterte isn’t LeBron James

“I never imagined myself doing a one-man show. If I'm going to do one, I'd rather do one that breaks all the rules.”
-- Steffan Rhodri

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- We don’t expect President Rodrigo Duterte to single-handedly solve the myriad of problems we are facing today in the Philippines.
He isn’t superman who can put all the bad guys inside the calaboose (although he was the one who promised to get rid of the criminals in six months) in a specific period.
He isn’t LeBron James, 33, who can carry the Cleveland Cavaliers to a scintillating victory in any NBA finals even if he will use only one arm.
When we think that our president is like LeBron James, we lose psychologically or we end up frustrated.
When we think the president can succeed if key agencies and other branches of government will chip in and function effectively and efficiently, President Duterte’s work rate produces magical results.
How the LeBron James-inspired Cavaliers turned the tide and won the Eastern Conference championship after a dismal 0-2 start in the the best of seven series, should serve as a lesson to any leadership in and outside the hard court.

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Before clinching the Eastern Conference championship in Game 7 for the Cavs’ eight straight trip to NBA finals on May 27, their Game 5 debacle against Boston Celtics was blamed heavily on their reliance on LeBron James, who played all 48 minutes, had the monster game the Cavs needed from him: 35 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in Game 7 played in Boston.
Game 7 was won in the enemy court mainly because the Cavs realized the showdown against Boston Celtics shouldn’t be a one-man show.
I won’t pretend to be an expert NBA analyst, but here’s what happened, according to USA Today:
1. James had just enough help. George Hill and J.R. Smith were scoreless in the first quarter. Kyle Korver missed his first four three-pointers. Larry Nance Jr. collected three fouls and attempted an ill-advised three-pointer in his first four minutes on the court. It was an ugly start for the Cavs, who missed 13 of their first 14 three-point attempts, and trailed 35-23 with 8:52 left in the first quarter.
Cleveland looked exhausted and ill-suited to take Game 7 on the road. But the Cavs hung in there, cut Boston’s lead to 43-39 at halftime and had a 69-66 lead with 8:53 left in the fourth quarter.
Smith finished with 12 points, and Korver hit a necessary three-pointer. Tristan Thompson added 10 points and nine rebounds
2. Cavs go Green without Love. Cleveland All-Star forward-center Kevin Love missed Game 7 with concussion-like symptoms. He sustained the injury in the first quarter of Game 6 when he collided head to head with Boston’s Jayson Tatum.
His absence was felt. Though Love didn’t have a great series against the Celtics, he provided a scoring threat for which Boston had to account.
However, Jeff Green started in place of Love and delivered with 19 points and eight rebounds.
3. The old man and the rook. Rookie Jayson Tatum, who passed Elgin Baylor for third place on the rookie playoff scoring list, is a special player in the making.
He scored 13 of his team-high 24 points in the second half. Tatum had a dunk on LeBron James and followed it with a three-pointer giving Boston a 72-71 lead midway through the fourth quarter. He lived up to the moment.
Emblematic of this series, Al Horford played well at home and poorly on the road. He had 17 points.
However, Boston shot just 34.1 percent from the field and 17.9% on three-pointers.
4. Cavs three-point shooting. When Cleveland makes threes, it has a chance. When the Cavs don’t make threes, they’re in trouble, and that was the case in the first half of Game 7. Cleveland made just 2-for-17 three-pointers, including several open looks in the first two quarters.
But the Cavs made just enough threes-- two more than Boston--despite shooting 25.7 percent from that distance.