Sunday, 02 August 2026 · Philippines
News

The Finals: It?s now NBA All-Star War

Featured Stories
Villa elates country with world flyweight title win (Second of a Series)
Villa elates country with world flyweight title win (Second of a Series)
By Eddie Alinea

After absorbing punishment for seven rounds on June 18, 1923 where he kissed the canvass f…

MELENDEZ GREETS GORRES AFTER FIGHT
MELENDEZ GREETS GORRES AFTER FIGHT
By Chito Yu Katangkatang

Despite a hurting rib after his KO loss to Michael Domingo, Luis Melendez approached Z Gor…

DREAM VENDETTA: Michael Domingo vs Luis Melendez
DREAM VENDETTA: Michael Domingo vs Luis Melendez
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.

ALA Promotions formally announced their blockbuster May 1st fight card which features a ca…

Columns
Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Great First Half of the Year for the WBC
Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Great First Half of the Year for the WBC
By Mauricio Sulaimán / WBC President / Son of José Sulaimán

The World Cup has come to an end—one where FIFA experimented with several innovations, and…

Magnificent 7 boxers gird for Asiad
Magnificent 7 boxers gird for Asiad
By Joaquin Henson

Four Olympic medalists lead the Magnificent Seven cast of boxers representing the country …

Suarez sends strong signal
Suarez sends strong signal
By Joaquin Henson

Charly Suarez delivered a threatening message to WBO/IBF superfeatherweight champion Emanu…

Featured Boxers
Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao

Watch all of Manny Pacquiao's fight videos in one place. Click to go to his page...

IN boxing, it?s a candidate Fight of the Year before the first punch could be thrown or landed.

The NBA Finals series promises to be a classic, epic battle for the ages, just like the 1975 Ali-Frazier Thrilla in Manila.

It?s a bit odd though that the Cleveland Cavaliers, defending NBA champions, have been relegated as underdogs against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals series that starts on Friday (Manila time).

**

Aren?t the two fiercely feuding NBA clubs evenly matched?

LeBron James could not offer a firm reply. The closest he could do was acknowledge the gigantic challenge posed by the All-Star-studded Warriors, packing a great wallop behind Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

James called the Golden State All-Star might ?beastly.? He was quick to add he likes their chances.

**

?It?s probably up there; I mean it?s up there,? James admitted, adding Golden State was indeed a ?high-powered team.?

For the record, Golden State and Cleveland are 1-1 in the two times they had clashed in the regular season.

Golden State has been known to celebrate their sharpness with deadly 3-point gunners, led by the prodigious and fearless Stephen Curry.

**

Hold it. Records however show Cleveland ranks first among play-off teams in offensive efficiency.

The NBA website (NBA.Com) notes ?no team has made more 3-pointers than Cleveland with a play-off average of 14.6 pts. a game.?

Golden State has a set of remarkable All-Stars to rely on. But, although Cleveland has its own pack of All-Star wonders, one less than Golden State, there?s only little said about the explosive Kyrie Irving and the quietly efficient Kevin Love.

Yes, both teams pack a big KO punch, but as there?s no such thing as a stoppage in NBA wars, it won?t be loose to suggest the Finals could be decided only after the seventh game.

Comments

Share your thoughts on the above article by Recah Trinidad.

Read our community comment guidelines here