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Philippines, 19 May 2024 |
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NBA -- PhilBoxing lands in the Pelicans' nest By Bernard Pagusara PhilBoxing.com Wed, 26 Feb 2014  NEW ORLEANS -- Like most mothers, my mama used to interrupt me in the middle of a backyard basketball game. But if she interrupted me back in the day to say I was going to the NBA, I would have reluctantly called her a liar. Thankfully, she never did. She just let me be, leaving myself alone to dream the dream. And though the dream of playing in the NBA never panned out, last night?s experience came oh so close. I went to the New Orleans Pelicans- Los Angeles Clippers game yesterday as a member of the media, covering under the auspices of this website's NBA-accredited NBA page. It was a blast, an opportunity to last a lifetime. After some scrutiny, which security routinely does in big arenas here in the U.S., I was welcomed at the media parking lot of the Smoothie King Center. Like the Philippines, this Crescent City has a flair of hospitality that endears itself to its millions of annual visitors. The locker room visits were nervously. I mean, not many souls in this planet get the unique privilege of talking to NBA stars up close and personal. However, the city?s brand didn?t end there. Rich food and culture is synonymous to New Orleans as football is. Just as bars and pubs are common in famous Bourbon street, the Smoothie King Center lays out a deliberate floor plan that allows you to experience the open streets while watching Anthony Davis savage the rim with? alley-oops. But fans do not mainly flock to NBA arenas to have drinks. They come to enjoy the ball game. And last night did not disappoint. Blake Giffin (22 pts. 4 rebs. 3 asst.) found his match in Anthony Davis (26, 11 and 2). The two went mano-y-mano in several playoffs-level highlights. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan finished with some highlights of his own capped with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Frenchman Alexis Ajinca matched Jordan?s output with his career high 19 points and 12 boards. Ajinca played well against Roy Hibbert and Dwight Howard, making him a serious threat in this summer?s world basketball championship where he expects to play. The advantage for the Clippers however, was their hot perimeter game. Jamal Crawford got his 40th 3 point-and-one play in the first half, the most in the NBA, while Hedo Turkuglo made fade away threes. All told, my maiden coverage of the Pelicans was everything I expected, and then some. Here?s hoping for more wonderful moments. Photo: The Smoothie King Center, home of the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Bernard Pagusara.  |
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