Dwight Howard is playing like Dwight Howard again, Marc Gasol breaks into the top five, and Sacramento’s resident meathead makes an appearance as well.

Note: All of the following stats are based on the last five games of each player as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on March 15, 2013 (Manila time).

5. DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) - 14.8ppg, 10.3rpg, 3.5apg, 1.8spg, 1.5bpg, 22.3 EFF
Cousins is nursing a sore left knee as of the moment, but prior to that injury, he exhibited great back-to-back performances against the Suns and the Bucks. 22 and 14 versus Phoenix and 24 and 10 against Milwaukee. Is he becoming the All-Star center he is supposed to be?

4. Nikola Vucevic (ORL) - 13.2ppg, 13.2rpg, 1.0bpg, .545 FG%, 22.4 EFF
One game stands out – 25 points, 21 rebounds, and 69% FG shooting against the defending champion Miami Heat last March 5, 2013 (Manila time). Not bad for a 16th pick. Hey, Philly, why’d you let him go again?

3. Al Horford (ATL) - 16.8ppg, 11.4rpg, 3.2apg, .542 FG%, 22.6 EFF
The last time Horford scored in single-digits was way back in January 9, and he has put up double-doubles in 7 of his last 10 games. He’s maybe the best passing big in the East, and he’s also probably the most underrated.

2. Marc Gasol (MEM) - 19.2ppg, 6.6rpg, 4.2apg, 1.4spg, 1.8bpg, .620 FG%, 24.4 EFF
The grizzled Grizzly big man is back in the mix. His rebounding leaves a lot to be desired, but that’s mainly because of Zach Randolph’s presence. Instead, look at his awesome FG% and the fact he basically DOES EVERYTHING. Also, Memphis has won all but one game this month. Hey, big bro, where you at?

1. Dwight Howard (LAL) - 21.8ppg, 16.2rpg, 2.0spg, 3.4bpg, .567 FG%, 30.8 EFF
Ah, yes. THIS is the Dwight Howard Hollywood paid for. The Lakers are 4-1 in their last five games, and Howard has been a big reason why. 21 rebounds against Chicago? 39 and 16 against Orlando? Indiana, Sacramento, and Phoenix better call an ambulance because big hurting is coming their way. Oh, but can he keep it up now that Kobe is out with his worst ankle sprain ever?


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
March 13
Final Score: Indiana 107, Minnesota 91
Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Roy Hibbert recorded a double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 107-91 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Hibbert shot 10-of-15 from the field for the Pacers, who came into the game off a 105-91 loss at Miami on Sunday. Paul George scored 17 points, George Hill had 16 points and six assists and David West registered 13 points and 10 rebounds. Ricky Rubio, fresh off a triple-double against San Antonio on Tuesday, scored 21 points and dished out 10 assists. He also had six rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost three of their last four games. Luke Ridnour had 17 points in the setback.

Final Score: Miami 98, Philadelphia 94
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Miami Heat became only the fifth team in NBA history to win 20 consecutive games after the defending world champions rallied down the stretch for a 98-94 decision over the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade once again led the way as Miami extended the league's longest victorious stretch since the 2007-08 Houston Rockets ripped off 22 in a row, with James accumulating 27 points along with eight assists and Wade contributing 21 points with eight rebounds. The Heat's accomplishment didn't come easy, however, as the 76ers put forth a 12-0 fourth-quarter run to turn a nine-point deficit into an 85-82 lead with 4 1/2 minutes to play. Philadelphia was dealt its 13th defeat in 15 games despite a 24-point, 15-rebound effort from Thaddeus Young and Jrue Holiday's 21 points and seven assists. Evan Turner chipped in 15 points in the hard-luck loss.

Final Score: Washington 106, Milwaukee 93
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - John Wall poured in 23 points to go with 10 assists and six rebounds to lead the Washington Wizards to a 106-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Martell Webster added 20 points and Trevor Ariza finished with 14 points off the bench for the Wizards, who got double-doubles from both Nene and Trevor Booker. Nene had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Booker finished with 13 points and 12 boards in the triumph. Monta Ellis scored a game-high 26 points and dished out eight assists and Ersan Ilyasova scored 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who have dropped two straight after winning six of seven. Larry Sanders scored 17 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and J.J. Redick added 16 points off the bench in the setback.

Final Score: Atlanta 96, LA Lakers 92
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Kyle Korver made two free throws with 2.6 seconds left to seal the Atlanta Hawks' 96-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. An entertaining fourth quarter came down to the final seconds. After Korver made 1-of-2 from the line to give the Hawks a 94-92 lead with 16.9 seconds remaining, the Lakers went to Kobe Bryant. The 15-time All-Star tried to tie the game on a baseline jumper. Instead, Bryant missed the shot and landed on Dahntay Jones' foot, rolling his left ankle. Bryant was able to walk off the court under his own power. Korver pulled down Bryant's miss and made two free throws at the other end to secure the win for the Hawks, who had lost four straight against the Lakers. Korver ended with 15 points. Devin Harris tallied 17 points and seven assists for Atlanta, which was without guard Jeff Teague (ankle) and forward Josh Smith (knee). Al Horford had 14 points and 14 rebounds, Johan Petro donated 10 points and 11 boards and Ivan Johnson and John Jenkins each scored 12 points. Bryant ended with 31 points and seven rebounds for Los Angeles, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. It was announced after the game that Bryant severely sprained his left ankle and will be out indefinitely.

Final Score: Boston 112, Toronto 88
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Jeff Green netted 20 points to lead a balanced Boston scoring attack that carried the Celtics to a 112-88 bounce-back win over the Toronto Raptors from TD Garden. Six other Celtics reached double- figure points to help the team end a two-game skid that included an ugly 100-74 setback at doormat Charlotte on Tuesday. Paul Pierce added 15 points, with Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry and Jordan Crawford contributing 12 each to the victory. Rudy Gay paced the Raptors with 19 points, but went just 7-of-19 from the field and Toronto was outscored by a 63-48 margin after halftime en route to its 10th consecutive defeat at TD Garden. DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross finished with 17 and 13 points, respectively, in the setback.

Final Score: Houston 111, Phoenix 81
Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Donatas Motiejunas scored a career-high 19 points to lead six Rockets in doubles figures in their 111-81 pasting of the Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center. James Harden chipped in 18 points for Houston, which avenged Saturday's two-point loss at Phoenix. Wesley Johnson had 15 points to pace the Suns, who have lost four of their last five -- the only win coming against Houston.

Final Score: Oklahoma City 110, Utah 87
Oklahoma City, OK (Sports Network) - Kevin Durant had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 110-87 rout of the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Russell Westbrook registered 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Thunder, who came into the game off a 105-93 loss at San Antonio on Monday. Kevin Martin scored 15 points off the bench in the victory. Gordon Hayward had a team-high 20 points for the Jazz, who had snapped a four-game losing streak after defeating Detroit on Monday. Enes Kanter was the only other Utah player to score in double-digits with 12 points.

Final Score: Sacramento 121, Chicago 79
Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - Tyreke Evans scored 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting and the Sacramento Kings crushed the Chicago Bulls, 121-79. Isaiah Thomas added 22 points for the Kings, who had lost five straight against the Bulls. Patrick Patterson donated 14 points and nine rebounds, Jason Thompson tallied 12 points and Chuck Hayes and Toney Douglas each scored 10 points. Carlos Boozer had 21 points and seven boards to pace the Bulls, who have lost five in a row on the road. Nate Robinson added 19 points.

Final Score: Denver 117, New York 94
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - The Nuggets fans booed Carmelo Anthony when he was on the court and derisively asked where he was in the fourth quarter. Anthony, in his first game in Denver since orchestrating a trade to New York two years ago, gingerly limped to the locker room in the third quarter with the Nuggets already cruising to their 10th straight victory, this one a 117-94 shellacking of a Knicks club that suffered another blow to their already depleted roster. Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, two of the four players Denver received in the epic Anthony trade, fittingly led the Nuggets with 24 and 16 points, respectively. Andre Iguodala checked in with 14 points, Ty Lawson added 13 and Kenneth Faried totaled 11 with 10 rebounds in the lopsided win -- Denver's 14th straight at home.

Final Score: Golden State 105, Detroit 97
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry had 31 points and eight assists to help the Golden State Warriors to a 105-97 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. David Lee had 20 points, 15 rebounds and five assists while Jarrett Jack added 19 points and five assists for the Warriors, who have won their past two games. Rodney Stuckey scored 22 points with five helpers and Kyle Singler ...

The New Orleans Hornets have 17 games left in the calendar. The Portland Trailblazers have 20 more regular season games and still have a reasonable shot at the Playoffs (yes, they still do, don’t be mean guys). Why should you care? Because the Rookie of the Year of the current season will come from either of those teams, unless Bradley Beal goes Rambo on everyone and makes like 10 treys per game. Of course, that won’t happen. One – Rambo can’t shoot threes, two – Beal doesn’t have explosive-tipped arrows, and three – nobody speaks like Rambo.

Seriously, though, who will be this year’s ROY? The top overall pick who has been just… okay, or the 6th overall pick who’s gotten majority of the press? Or someone else? Or, actually, Beal himself?

Note: All of the following stats are from HoopsStats.com. They were taken on March 12, 2013.

Presenting the TOP FIVE Candidates for ROY, statistically speaking.

5. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA) - 9.0ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.0bpg, 11.7 EFF
MKG had a reasonably good start to the year, but he hasn’t really broken out the way many people thought he could. IF the Bobcats get rid of both/either Ben Gordon and/or Kemba Walker, then MKG could be a bunker buster of a scorer. Also, the 1 block per game? N I C E.

4. Bradley Beal (WAS) - 14.2ppg, 3.7rpg, 2.5apg, 12.4 EFF
He’s the third-best scorer among all rookies behind Damian Lillard and (drum roll) Dion Waiters (still wondering why the Cavs took him so early?), but, as you can see, he doesn’t really do much else. There’s great upside between him and John Wall, but there’s also the a great possibility they will just be… mediocre.

3. Andre Drummond (DET) - 7.3ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.7bpg, .592 FG%, 13.4 EFF
Drummond is second among all rookies in both rebounds and blocks, and owns the highest FG% among all newbies who play at least 10 minutes per game. All indications point to him becoming a potentially dominant defensive force for Detroit maybe as early as next season. That’s a good thing, especially since Greg Monroe loves to just score, and Brandon Knight, um, just got run over by DeAndre Jordan.

2. Anthony Davis (NOH) - 12.9ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.1spg, 1.8bpg, .507 FG%, 17.1 EFF
I love the fact Davis doesn’t receive much hype (currently), but he still does the dirty work. His per minute EFF is actually quite higher than the #1 guy on this list, but I doubt if he can sneak in more ROY votes. The simple reason is he just has been off-the-radar for so long. As far as top picks go, he isn’t terrible by any means, but he has just not been dominant. He’s certainly no Kwame Brown, but he also hasn’t been quite like Dwight Howard.

1. Damian Lillard (POR) - 18.9ppg, 3.2rpg, 6.4apg, 1.0spg, 17.3 EFF
He tops all rookies in scoring and assists. His team was in the West’s top eight for a considerable amount of time, and, frankly, he might be All-Star material next season (a handful might argue that he already is). Lillard has the inside track to be this season’s ROY. Tapos.

It is worth noting that both Waiters and Thomas Robinson were chosen ahead of Lillard and yet both aren’t on this list. Waiters is actually right behind MKG in terms of EFF, but Robinson is way off… like Top 19 way off.


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
March 9
Final Score: Brooklyn 93, Atlanta 80
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Deron Williams followed up his amazing effort from Friday night with a 17-point night Saturday, as the Brooklyn Nets snapped an eight-game road losing streak to the Atlanta Hawks with a 93-80 victory at Philips Arena. Williams' performance came one night after he buried an NBA- record nine 3-pointers in the first half and finishing 11-of-16 from beyond the arc overall, on the way to 42 points in a 95-78 home win over Washington. Brook Lopez ended with 18 points and nine rebounds, and Andray Blatche also scored 18 for the Nets, who won their third in a row. Al Horford had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Josh Smith finished with 12 points, two ahead of teammates Johan Petro and John Jenkins.

Final Score: New York 113, Utah 84
New York, NY (Sports Network) - J.R. Smith had 24 points on an efficient 10- for-18 shooting and without their two star players, the New York Knicks used a balanced attack to rout the Utah Jazz, 113-84, on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Just prior to the contest, the Knicks announced Carmelo Anthony would miss a third straight game with a knee injury and had even more disconcerting news regarding forward Amar'e Stoudemire. After complaining of sore knees earlier on Saturday, an MRI confirmed that Stoudemire will be forced to undergo another knee debridement procedure, this time on his right knee. He had the same operation on his left knee back in October and is expected to miss about six weeks. The rest of the Knicks, however, came out resilient despite the dejecting news as Steve Novak buried five 3-pointers to score 20 points. Raymond Felton added 15 and Iman Shumpert and Kenyon Martin each scored 10 for New York, which shot 50.7 percent for the game. The Jazz fell for the fourth straight contest and were without Paul Millsap, who was ruled out just prior to the contest with knee inflammation. Alec Burks scored a team-high 14 points and Gordon Hayward followed with 13.

Final Score: Memphis 96, New Orleans 85
Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Mike Conley led seven Memphis players in double-figures with 22 points to go along with eight assists and three steals as the Grizzlies downed the slumping New Orleans Hornets, 96-85, on Saturday. Tony Allen registered 14 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Grizzlies, who have won four straight and 12 of their last 13 games overall. Tayshaun Prince and Quincy Pondexter scored 13 points apiece in the victory, which was also the seventh straight at home. Anthony Davis paced New Orleans with 20 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, while Ryan Anderson followed with 17 points and seven boards for the Hornets, who have lost three straight and eight of their last 10.

Final Score: Washington 104, Charlotte 87
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Trevor Ariza poured in 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Washington Wizards to a 104-87 win over the Charlotte Bobcats at Verizon Center. Martell Webster chipped in with 20 points and Nene finished with 19 points and eight rebounds for the Wizards, who had lost four of their last five entering the contest. John Wall scored 13 points and dished out six assists in the triumph. Kemba Walker scored 29 points to go with six assists and Gerald Henderson had 17 points for the Bobcats, who have dropped 10 straight games.

Final Score: Denver 111, Minnesota 88
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Ty Lawson scored 32 and the hot-shooting Nuggets surged past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 111-88, to clinch their longest home winning streak in 24 years. Lawson shot 12-for-17 from the field and Denver blew past the Timberwolves over the final 15 minutes, outscoring them 36-22, to record its 13th straight victory at the Pepsi Center. Corey Brewer added 15 points, while Andre Iguodala and Danilo Gallinari chipped in 11 apiece in helping the Nuggets attain their longest streak at home since a 19-game run from Jan. 28-April 20, 1989. Mickael Gelabale was the high-scorer for Minnesota, tallying 19 points. J.J. Barea followed with 15 and Derrick Williams donated 13 points for the Timberwolves, losers in 13 of their last 14 road games.

Final Score: Phoenix 107, Houston 105
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Jared Dudley scored 22 points off the bench and the Phoenix Suns held off the Houston Rockets, 107-105, Saturday night. Goran Dragic scored 13 of his 18 points in the final quarter, and the Suns got 14 points from Markieff Morris. Michael Beasley ended with 10 points. Hamed Haddadi and P.J. Tucker had 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively, to help the Suns snap a two-game skid. James Harden scored 38 and Carlos Delfino tallied 21, but the Rockets lost for the second time in three games. Harden and Delfino combined for 24 points in the final quarter, and the duo finished 12-for-19 from 3-point range for the game.

Final Score: Milwaukee 103, Golden State 93
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Brandon Jennings posted 31 points and 10 assists to power the Milwaukee Bucks to a 103-93 win over the Golden State Warriors. Monta Ellis added 26 points and J.J. Redick scored 15 for the Bucks, who have won five of their last six games. The Warriors, losers of back-to- back contests, were without David Lee (knee). Carl Landry had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson also scored 18 and Stephen Curry finished with 16 points and 10 assists.


March 10
Final Score: Oklahoma City 91, Boston 79
A trip to the Alamo with a chance to pull even atop the Western Conference awaits for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant tallied 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Thunder's 91-79 win over the Boston Celtics. At 47-16, Oklahoma City is chasing the San Antonio Spurs for the top seed in the west. The Thunder have won eight of their last nine tilts and can pull even for the top spot with a win against the Spurs Monday. Russell Westbrook added 15 points in the victory. Jeff Green finally made his initial appearance in Oklahoma City since the Thunder shipped him to Boston in the Kendrick Perkins trade on Feb. 24, 2011. He missed the following season after open heart surgery, but finally returned and netted just eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. Paul Pierce recorded 20 points for the Celtics, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Final Score: LA Lakers 90, ...

We have reached roughly the 75% mark of the season and most teams have played around 60 games. The playoffs are due in about 6 weeks and positioning for spots has been very exciting. It's time to examine for the third time how the players have performed for the different individual awards for the 2012-2013 season.

The Top 5 players in each individual award category are listed including their rank from the previous edition.

Here's the link for the past editions: 1st Edition 2nd Edition

Statistics used are from games until March 9, 2013.


MVP

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat | Last Rank: 2nd
The Heat have a 17-game winning streak and they have the best record in the NBA. LBJ leads the league in PER and is shooting a career-high 56% with 29 double-doubles (7th in NBA) and 3 triple-doubles. He also has a 2-0 advantage vs Durant in their meetings this season.

2. Kevin Durant, OKC Thunder | Last Rank: 1st
KD leads the league in scoring and is headed for his 4th straight scoring title but his MVP campaign looks bleak. He is still the 2nd best player in the NBA but his overall game needs improvement. Durant is second to James in PER and is currently shooting 50+ from the field, 90+ from free throws and 41+ from threes.

3. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers | Last Rank: 3rd
Chris Paul is 3rd in PER and averages 17 and 9.6 assists for the very entertaining Lob City Clippers. CP3 has been clutch for the Clips and he can take over games at the end. Paul also leads the league in steals which can generate gorgeous alley-oops to Blake Griffin.

4. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs | Last Rank: 5th
Parker guided the Spurs to the best record in the NBA before he went down with an ankle injury that would sideline him for a month. The Spurs then are 2-1 in the 3 games that TP missed recently. Parker is 5th in PER while shooting 53% from the floor to lead all guards.

5. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers | Last Rank: Not Ranked
The Lakers are just 0.5 games out of the 8th spot in the West. Kobe has been amazing in the last 2 weeks, hitting clutch treys/shots and willing his team to victories. He has scored 30+ in 7 of 8 games. Bryant leads the league in total minutes and he has crept into the top 10 in PER


Out of the Rankings: Carmelo Anthony - 4th


ROY

1. Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers | Last Rank: 1st
Lillard won the Skills Rookie Challenge and that will accompany his ROY trophy at the end of the season. He leads all rookies in minutes, points, threes made and assists. Lillard did not get challenged to much due to injuries by Drummond and Davis.

2. Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards | Last Rank: 5th
The Wizards are more competitive now since John Wall came back, but the improvement of Beal has been noticeable. He averaged almost 20 points in his last 10 games and the Wiz traded Jordan Crawford to give him more minutes.

3. Dion Waiters, Cleveland Cavaliers | Last Rank: 4th
Waiters has been solid for most of the season and he ranks 2nd in rookie scoring and 2nd in team scoring with the Cavs. He is scoring nearly 18 points in his last 10 games. His scoring in wins or losses are rougly the same which shows his consistency.

4. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets | Last Rank: 3rd
Anthony Davis is tops in double-doubles and 2nd in PER among rookies since Drummond went down with an injury. Davis has had a rather underwhelming rookie campaign due to injuries and was not a threat in the ROY award.

5. Kyle Singler, Detroit Pistons | Last Rank: Not Ranked
Singler has been a more durable player for the Pistons (played all 64 games) than Drummond. He started in 56 games and has been solid with 9 points and 4 rebounds.

Out of the Rankings: Andre Drummond - 2nd


Sixth Man

1. Jamal Crawford, LA Clippers | Last Rank: 1st
Crawford still makes big shots for the Clippers and he leads all bench players in points per game. Crawford produced this highlight of the year alley-oop nominee with Blake Griffin last week.

2. Jarrett Jack, Golden State Warriors | Last Rank: 5th
Jack has made clutch shots for the Warriors including that OT win over the Spurs 2 weeks back. The Warriors trust his leadership and decision-making which allows them to play small ball with Curry and Thompson.

3. Kevin Martin, OKC Thunder | Last Rank: 3rd
Martin has struggled lately with his shooting but still averages a decent 14.5 points and shoots 43% from downtown and 90% from the foul line.

4. JR Smith, New York Knicks | Last Rank: 2nd
JR had big scoring games for the Knicks but he has been inefficient shooting the ball (below 40%) and his bad shots and bad decisions have led to a couple of losses for the Knicks.

5. Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Hornets | Last Rank: Not Ranked
Anderson is 2nd in threes made and 2nd in team scoring with the Hornets. He has been the best big man on the Hornets even with Anthony Davis on the team.

Out of the Rankings - Carl Landry - 4th


Most Improved Player

1. Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic | Last Rank: 1st
Vucevic had another 20-20 game vs the Heat which gives him 2 for his career, both against the Heat. Vucevic is 5th in rebounding and 4th in double-doubles.

2. Paul George, Indiana Pacers | Last Rank: Not Ranked
George made the leap to All-Star in his 3rd year and he leads the Pacers in points. He has career-highs in all major offensive categories. George is also becoming a decent defender on the perimeter.

3. Grievis Vasquez, New Orleans Hornets | Last Rank: 3rd
Vasquez is 3rd in the NBA in assists behind Rondo and Paul. He has 23 double-doubles and 1 triple-double. He's having a career year in points, assists, rebounds and threes.

4. Omer Asik, Houston Rockets | Last Rank: 2nd
Asik has been solid for the season and still averages a double-double (10.4 & 11.8) He 28 double-doubles for the year and is 2nd in rebounding.

5. Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers | Last Rank: 4th
Holiday also made the jump into All-Star in his 3rd year. He is 4th in assists per game and leads the Sixers in points and assists.

Out of the Rankings: Nicolas Batum - 5th


DPOY

1. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls | Last Rank: 1st
Noah had 23 points, 21 rebounds and 11 blocks in a win over the Sixers. Noah is 4th in rebounds, 6th in blocks and tied for 7th in double-doubles.

2. LeBron James, Miami Heat | Last Rank: 5th
LBJ has guarded elite scorers on the perimeter and post players. During the Heat's winning streak, James has effectively limited the likes of Carmelo, KD, Kobe and Holiday.

3. Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks | Last Rank: 2nd
The Knicks are 10th in team defense mainly due to Chandler's presence. Chandler rotates well on pick and rolls and helps on defense often. Tyson averages 11 and 11.

4. Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks | Last Rank: 3rd
Sanders leads the league in blocks and his minutes are starting to go over the 30-minute mark. His rebounds have gone up with the extra usage: 12 boards in the last 10 games.

5. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies | Last Rank: Not Ranked
The Grizzlies are tops in team defense and Marc Gasol is a big reason behind that. His rebounds and blocks are not impressive but his mobility and communication with teammates result in better overall defense.

Out of the Rankings: Serge Ibaka - 4th


Game Recaps
(Monday, March 4th)
Final Score: New York 102, Cleveland 97
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Amar'e Stoudemire was the key to a second- half comeback for the New York Knicks, who overcame a miserable start to take a 102-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday at Quicken Loans Arena. Stoudemire tied a season-high with 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting and was forced to play over his 30-minute cap limit in the absence of Carmelo Anthony, who exited with a knee injury in the second quarter. New York was also aided by some timely 3-point shooting, converting 7-for-11 from long distance in the final quarter to overcome a 22-point deficit earlier in the game and end a 10- game losing streak in Cleveland. Steve Novak and Jason Kidd combined for seven triples and scored 15 and 12 points, respectively, while J.R. Smith chipped in 18 points to help the Knicks rebound from their loss to Miami on Sunday. It was a tale of two halves for the Cavaliers, who shot just 31.4 percent over the final two quarters after converting an insane 68.4 percent by halftime. Marreese Speights scored 23 points and Kyrie Irving returned from a three-game absence to finish with 22. Rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller both missed the contest for Cleveland with illnesses.

Final Score: Milwaukee 109, Utah 108 (OT)
Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Monta Ellis scored 34 points on 15-of-21 shooting and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Utah Jazz, 109-108, in overtime on Monday. Brandon Jennings recorded a double-double with 20 points and 17 assists, while J.J. Redick scored 17 points off the bench for the Bucks, who are on a four- game winning streak. Larry Sanders had eight points, 16 rebounds and six blocks for Milwaukee. Derrick Favors registered 23 points and 15 rebounds, Paul Millsap had 22 points and 14 rebounds and Enes Kanter added 18 points and grabbed 10 boards for the Jazz, who were coming off a win against Charlotte on Friday. ...

By now, everyone already knows about the biggest NBA development involving the Philippines – an actual NBA preseason game will be played here in Manila. James Harden, Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons, and the rest of the Rockets will pit their skills against those of Roy Hibbert, Danny Granger, Paul George, and the rest of the Indiana Pacers.

As NBA Asia Senior VP and Managing Director Scott Levy said in my interview with him, “These are two exciting teams with some of the best young stars today.”

It’s a game sure to feature a ton of highlight reel material.

So, the real question is, why haven’t you filed your leave yet? Why haven’t you started saving up for the tickets yet? This is the first sanctioned NBA game in the Philippines since 1979 when the Washington Bullets walloped the PBA All-Stars at the Araneta Coliseum, 133-123.

I am 110% sure that this event will be a big shebang, at least if the BIG Announcement event today was to be any standard.

I walked into the Coral Gate of the SM Mall of Asia Arena expecting the usual drill for public relations occasions like this – registration, free meals, and then the big reveal. My excitement really stemmed from the fact that this was the first NBA press con I was attending – EVER. I already knew an NBA game would be played here. Heck, almost everyone in Manila who gave half a damn about NBA basketball knew it, too. We also knew who the teams would be.

We just wanted confirmation. We just wanted formality.

And, yeah, free lunch and SM/NBA loot bags never hurt anyone, right?

What greeted everyone, however, was a total production. There was an NBA photowall. The free food was actually quite good (I remember seeing a few guys go back for repeats!). The press con was held not in a room, but in the actual event bowl of the MOA Arena. The NU cheerdancers were present to open the program. Solar Sports covered it on TV, with veteran commentator Chiqui Reyes doing emcee duties. NBA Philippines presented SM Prime’s Hans Sy with an autographed Danny Granger jersey and the actual Spalding basketball that will be used in the game.

For me, though, the most exciting things were the three video clips played on the MOA Arena’s imposing jumbotron. The first one was of David Stern formalizing the announcement and reminding everyone why the Philippines is an important NBA market (we actually have the most NBA fans outside of the United States, at least based on Facebook and Twitter data). The second clip had Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale describing how excited he is to come to Manila, and the last one was a teaser that contained highlights from several Rockets and Pacers. This trio of clips was a nice touch that added even more legitimacy to the whole event, while also upping the excitement factor because, well, they were all shown on the friggin’ jumbotron!!!

The row of organizers, which included, aside from Mr. Levy and Mr. Sy, NBA Asia’s Mr. Carlo Singson and West Avenue Theatre’s Mr. Eugene Tejerero among others, also graciously responded to questions from the audience. After the press con formally closed, the organizers even stayed behind to answer even more questions and grant some interviews from the info-hungry media mavens.

This was when I got to catch Mr. Levy. I asked him why it took so long for the NBA to play a game in Manila, especially considering how big an NBA market we are, and he simply said, “We finally found the perfect partner in SM.”

I was also interested to know what the teams’ and players’ itineraries would be when they arrive in Manila, but Mr. Levy and the rest of the organizers were pretty much mum about these details. All they said was we should keep tabs on the online accounts of the NBA (NBA.com, NBA Philippines, Facebook, and Twitter) for further updates.

If the latest NBA-connected events are to be gauges, however, we can probably expect the Rockets and Pacers to go through the gamut of media events, basketball clinics, mall tours, and charity activities. Heck, don’t be surprised to see Jeremy Lin or Chandler Parsons end up on a Bench billboard, or maybe James Harden become an endorser for a shaving company. How about Roy Hibbert or the NBA cheerleaders on a noontime show? Here in the Philippines, that is actually possible. I hope the NBAers know what they’re getting into!

Needless to say, 2013 is going to be big for the MOA Arena and for Philippine basketball in general. I mean, the 2013 FIBA Asia will be held there and now the first ever NBA preseason game featuring two NBA clubs as well! To paraphrase one of my media colleagues, it looks like the MOA Arena is carving its own niche in local sports entertainment history.

As for ticket prices, don’t expect to pay the same amount you do for the usual UAAP or PBA games (like Php300 for a Patron seat). That just won’t happen. Instead, be ready to shell out 4-5 figures for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Even if Mr. Sy promised everyone that they already have many sponsors to help defray the costs, I don’t think the tickets will be accessible to most sectors of the metro. There wasn’t even any indication it would be shown on free TV, though I think it would be a really terrible move if they fail to acquire a free TV partner.

In any case, this game should be an awesome event. It will be BIG in practically every sense of the word.


Game Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network and the Associated Press):
March 4
Final Score: New York 102, Cleveland 97
Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Amar'e Stoudemire was the key to a second- half comeback for the New York Knicks, who overcame a miserable start to take a 102-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday at Quicken Loans Arena. Stoudemire tied a season-high with 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting and was forced to play over his 30-minute cap limit in the absence of Carmelo Anthony, who exited with a knee injury in the second quarter. New York was also aided by some timely 3-point shooting, converting 7-for-11 from long distance in the final quarter to overcome a 22-point deficit earlier in the game and end a 10- game losing streak in Cleveland. Steve Novak and Jason Kidd combined for seven triples and scored 15 and 12 points, respectively, while J.R. Smith chipped in 18 points to help the Knicks rebound from their loss to Miami on Sunday. It was a tale of two halves for the Cavaliers, who shot just 31.4 percent over the final two quarters after converting an insane 68.4 percent by halftime. Marreese Speights scored 23 points and Kyrie Irving returned from a three-game absence to finish with 22. Rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller both missed the contest for Cleveland with illnesses.

Final Score: Milwaukee 109, Utah 108 (OT)
Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Monta Ellis scored 34 points on 15-of-21 shooting and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Utah Jazz, 109-108, in overtime on Monday. Brandon Jennings recorded a double-double with 20 points and 17 assists, while J.J. Redick scored 17 points off the bench for the Bucks, who are on a four- game winning streak. Larry Sanders had eight points, 16 rebounds and six blocks for Milwaukee. Derrick Favors registered 23 points and 15 rebounds, Paul Millsap had 22 points and 14 rebounds and Enes Kanter added 18 points and grabbed 10 boards for the Jazz, who were coming off a win against Charlotte on Friday.

Final Score: Miami 97, Minnesota 81
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Dwyane Wade poured in 32 points and LeBron James shook off a sore knee to post a double-double, with the duo leading the Miami Heat to a franchise-record 15th consecutive win with a a 97-81 decision over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. Wade added 10 assists in addition to going 15-of-23 from the field, while James put up 20 points and 10 rebounds despite being questionable to play coming in after twisting his left knee in Sunday's 99-93 victory at New York. Ray Allen contributed 13 points to help the Heat surpass their previous club mark of 14 straight triumphs, set between Dec. 6, 2004-Jan. 1, 2005. The injury-riddled Timberwolves, meanwhile, were dealt a sixth straight loss and fell to 4-22 in their last 26 games. Derrick Williams paced Minnesota with a season-high 25 points, with Ricky Rubio recording 14 points, eight assists and six steals in the setback.

Final Score: Orlando 105, New Orleans 102
New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Arron Afflalo scored a game-high 26 points and provided the go-ahead bucket in the final minute, as the Orlando Magic pulled out a 105-102 comeback win over the New Orleans Hornets. Jameer Nelson, who had missed the previous six games due to a knee injury, chipped in 15 points and seven assists, while Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless added 15 and 13 points, respectively, in the win. Orlando trailed by 17 in the third quarter and were down by nine late in the fourth before rallying to end a three-game skid. Anthony Davis returned from a two-game absence and totaled 17 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks for the Hornets, who have lost three of four. Eric Gordon and Greivis Vasquez each netted 17 points, but Vasquez missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Final Score: Denver 104, Atlanta 88
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Corey Brewer posted a game-high 22 points and the Denver Nuggets blew past the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter to take a 104-88 decision on Monday at the Pepsi Center. Ty Lawson added 18 points and eight assists, Kenneth Faried tallied 10 points with 13 rebounds and Wilson Chandler and Andre Iguodala contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, as the Nuggets captured their 11th straight win ...