FROM BEYOND THE ARC By: Police Chief Inspector Rico C Santotome Jr (OS), RN, MPM Interesting Developments In The 2014 NBA Playoffs The 68th season of the National Basketball Association is currently on a playoff mode with 16 teams battling for the eight slots in the conference semifinals and with six ballclubs taking at least a game on the road over the home team right in the very first round of NBA postseason play. Atlanta, the No. 8 seeded quintet in the Eastern Conference, subdued No. 1 Indiana in a 101-93 upset victory over at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis last Sunday courtesy of Jeff Teagues 28 markers to hand the Hawks an early 1-0 series lead. However, the Pacers won the next game three days later in 101-85 win to tie the series at 1-all. No. 2 Miami, meanwhile, bested No. 7 Charlotte over at the American Airlines Arena last Monday as the defending champions scored a 99-88 triumph over Michael Jordans Bobcats in Game One. Reigning Most Valuable Player LeBron James had 27 markers for the Heat in that particular win to give Fil-Am mentor Erik Spoelstra an early 1-0 edge with Game Two scheduled today in Florida. Yesterday, the Toronto Raptors scored a rousing 100-95 home win over the visiting Brooklyn Nets over at the Air Canada Centre in Ontario three days after Coach Jason Kidds quintet bested the home team in Game One via a 94-87 triumph. In that game, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson each had 24 points for the visitors while yesterday, DeMar DeRozan had 30 markers for Toronto in that particular win over the Nets to tie the series at one game apiece. As for the Chicago-Washington playoff series, the No. 5 Wizards won over the Bulls in Game One played Monday at the United Center in Illinois as Brazils Nene tallied 24 points while Marcin Gortat added 13 rebounds to lead Washington to a 102-93 win over the No. 4 Bulls. Yesterday in Game Two, the Wizards were leading the Bulls, 56 to 49, at the turn. In the West, top seeded team San Antonio took the opening game of the Spurs best-of-seven affair with No. 8 Dallas in a 90-85 victory at the AT&T Center in Texas as veteran Tim Duncan scored 27 markers for a 1-0 series advantage over the Mavs. Game Two will be today in San Antonio with Dirk Nowitzki and company aiming for an upset win over SAS in order to reduce the series to a mere best-of-five affair. Oklahoma City, the No. 2 seeded quintet in the Western Conference, lost to No. 7 Memphis during last Tuesdays Game Two via a bitter 111-105 overtime defeat two days after beating the Grizzlies in Game One, 100-86, behind Kevin Durants 33 points and seven dishoffs. In Game Two, burly Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with his team-high 25 points for a 1-all quarters series tie with OKC. On the other hand, the No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers bamboozled No. 6 Golden State during last Tuesdays Game Two in a huge 138-98 victory as Blake Griffin erupted for 35 markers just a couple of days after the Warriors took Game One, 109-105, on the road (at the Staples Center) for GSWs early 1-0 edge. The series is now tied at 1-all heading into Fridays Game Three at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, the Warriors home turf. Today, No. 4 Houston will play hosts anew to the visiting No. 5 Portland Trailblazers with the Rockets aiming to even the series following James Harden and companys bitter 122-120 overtime setback suffered against Damian Lillards ballclub last Monday. In Game One, LaMarcus Aldridge erupted for 46 points and grabbed 18 caroms for the Trailblazers as Portland escaped with the win despite Harden and Dwight Howard scoring 27 points apiece albeit in a losing cause for the home team. Happy natal day to my younger sister April Rose Santotome-Indencia today, April 24. Pingping is a special education teacher at Passi I Central School in my hometown of Passi City in Iloilo province and graduated from West Visayas State University just like yours truly as well as our two other sisters Riezel (now based in the UK) and Richelle (working in Riyadh, KSA) who are both nurses like me. Happy birthday Ping! (For comments, you may forward them to my mobile number: 09192777888 or you may send your messages to my E-mail/Facebook account: ricosantotome@yahoo or follow me in my Twitter account: RicSantotomeJr)
Posted on: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 03:14:59 +0000