Rockets hope Paul can escape bad luck and help team to title

AFTER Hidilyn Diaz, a Rio Olympic silver medalist and a 2018 Asian Games gold winner, wrote a letter to Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez a few days ago expressing her discontentment over the leadership of her sports association under Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella, the two finally settled the issue Thursday morning.

“I guess we just have lack of communication. Coach Tony Agustin had two hours with Hidilyn (Diaz) and I had almost an hour with her to talk things over,” Puentevella said.

“She sympathized with some of her fellow athletes that I was forced to discipline. But she realized that I have the best of intentions – to further strengthen the values of discipline. And, she was grateful as I was. Coach Tony (Agustin) will stay as her coach. Nothing like a good simple talk,” said Puentevella, former mayor of Bacolod City.

Ramirez, who met Diaz in his office on Tuesday afternoon, appreciated the Olympian’s gesture of thanking the government for supporting her for more than 12 years.

Ramirez added that the issue of her choices for coaches is her prerogative. “We approved her five coaches who will help her to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics: foreign Chinese coach, physical therapist, masseur, physiologist, and sports psychologist.”

The PSC chair added that they have also approved her six qualifying World Weightlifting competitions.

The issues with her National Sports Association (NSA) president is internal to the NSA, according to Ramirez.

Puentevella earlier said some people are egging Diaz to complain against him because they are interested in his position. LAKE CHARLES, La. — Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said this week that his team was a “hamstring” away from the Western Conference title last season.

The hamstring he was referring to was Chris Paul’s, with the injury the latest setback for the point guard whose illustrious career at times has seemed cursed.

After signing Paul to a four-year, $160 million extension in the offseason, the Rockets hope the bad luck ends this year and he’ll help them to their first title since 1995.

“Chris deserves a championship,” Fertitta said. “It is time. But luck is luck and it just takes a little luck in sports. You have to set yourself up to be one of the best and then you need a few things to fall into place.”

The Rockets led the Warriors 3-2 in the conference finals last season before Paul’s season ended with a hamstring injury in Game 5. Golden State won the next two games to advance to the Finals and go on to win the title.

Paul scoffed at the notion that his ill-timed hamstring injury was the worst thing that’s happened to him.