Holiday hoops
The next two weeks will be busy one for Filipinos as Christmas and New Year activities kick into higher gear. But if you happened to be a basketball fan and feel the need for your fix, you will be delighted to know that a number of games are lined up, both here and abroad, from which you can take joy and excitement from amid the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), Dec. 26 (Manila time) will be packed with games to enjoy on television both on NBA Premium TV and BTV.
Setting things off is the encounter between the Boston Celtics (15-12) and New York Knicks (14-13) at 1 a.m. over NBA Premium TV. It will be a battle of the two Atlantic Conference stalwarts who are currently in the thick of the fight in the Eastern Conference standings.
Following it on the same channel is the rematch of last year’s finals between the reigning world champions Cleveland Cavaliers (19-6) and Golden State Warriors (24-4) at the former’s home, the Quicken Loans Arena. Much hype is surrounding this first match between these two conference titans more so now that all-world player Kevin Durant is now with the Warriors.
At 6 a.m., Pau Gasol and the San Antonio Spurs (22-5) host Gasol’s former team the Chicago Bulls (14-13) at the AT&T Center also on NBA Premium TV. The Spurs try to bounce back against the Bulls after losing, 95-91, in their first encounter this season in the Windy City.
The game continues over NBA Premium TV with the young Minnesota Timberwolves (8-19) taking on the Russell Westbrookled Oklahoma City Thunder (16-12) at 9 a.m. End-to-end action is expected for this match with the Wolves’ youthful core going up against leading most valuable candidate and triple-double machine Westbrook.
The morning of NBA matches is capped by the “Battle of Los Angeles” between the Clippers (20-8) and the Lakers (11-19) at 11:30 a.m. over BTV. Blake Griffin of the Clippers will be a notable absentee because of injury but just the same the rival city teams are seen to go at it and give fans an exciting match.
Incidentally, the Cavaliers-Warriors and Spurs-Bulls games will also be broadcast over ABS-CBN Sports + Action.
There will be no NBA games to be played on Sunday, Christmas Day (Manila time).
But a day before that, Dec. 24, the Bulls will take on Central Division rivals Charlotte Hornets (15-13) in game to be aired over NBA Premium TV and ABS-CBN Channel 2 at 8 a.m.; Oklahoma City plays Boston at 8:30 a.m. (NBA Premium TV and BTV); and Golden State visits the Detroit Pistons (14-16) at 8:30 a.m. (Fox Sports).
Meanwhile, in the Philippine Basketball Association, holiday season games also abound.
On Dec. 23, Friday, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City, the TNT KaTropa (3-2) takes on the Alaska Aces (3-2) at 4:15 p.m. in a clash of teams seen at season’s start to figure prominently in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup. It will be followed by Rain or Shine Elastopainters (3-2) versus the NLEX Road Warriors (1-4) that will see now NLEX coach Yeng Guiao play for the first time his former team.
Christmas Day will see the humongous Philippine Arena in Bulacan host PBA games anew with the winless Mahindra Floodbuster (0-5) playing Blackwater Elite (3-2) in the opener at 3 p.m. The “Manila Clasico” between the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings (2-3) and Star Hotshots (3-2) follow at 5:15 p.m. The game takes on a whole new dimension with the Kings struggling of late while the Hotshots are on a roll, winning their last three games.
The PBA ends 2016 with a double-header on Dec. 28 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, featuring GlobalPort Batang Pier (31) taking on the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (2-3) at 4:15 p.m. and the Meralco Bolts (2-2) engaging the defending champions San Miguel Beermen (4-1) at 7 p.m. All the PBA games will be beamed over TV5. With all these games to enjoy, I am pretty sure the basketball fan in you will have it full. Have a Merry Christmas, guys! May you have a ball!