№42: The Game That Was: Looking back at the NBA Global Games 2013: Philippines
February 11, 2022
Welcome to the tedi.substack.com weekly newsletter! At the end of each week1, this newsletter will touch on any number of entertaining, informative, or (possibly) useful topics.
This week’s archived article is the one that I did on the NBA Global Games back in October 2013. The game—the first official NBA (pre-season) game in the country—featured the Houston Rockets against the Indiana Pacers. Looking back, it seemed that everyone was at that game—including the late Commissioner David Stern and my all-time favourite player (Indiana Pacers’ President of Basketball Operation) Larry Joe Bird!
Given the unprecedented media attention the NBA Global Games 2013 received back then, this particular article didn’t make it to NBA.com/Philippines. Instead, I posted it on my website.
You can read the entire NBA Global Games 2013 article after the jump.
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The Game That Was: Looking back at the NBA Global Games 2013: Philippines
Words by: Dr. Tedi Gustilo Villasor
Defining the preseason
From a personal standpoint, I have always found the NBA preseason to be what I call: A state of evaluation. From a management perspective, the seven-to-eight game preseason window serves as a sneak-peak of the “final product” that they put together in the offseason (e.g., trades, signings, etc.). For the coaches, it is an opportunity to not only run their offensive and defensive sets in “real game” situations but to also determine their most effective combinations of athletes on the court. In the case of established players, the preseason gives them a chance to get into “game shape” as well as become accustomed to the aforementioned sets, and finally, that small float for camp invitees who hope to make that substantial mark which could secure them a roster spot for the upcoming season.
With this in mind, the preseason’s true value is more than in the final margin of victory or whatever side of the win-loss column your team is on—it’s primary importance should lie in their—management, coaches, players, and (indirectly) the fans—ability to take something positive away from the experience.
This, of course, is a sentiment that is not shared by everyone. In fact, New York Knicks beat writer Al Iannazzone recently quoted Kenyon Martin saying that the preseason should be “eliminated” entirely.
To each his/her own I guess.
Punching my ticket to the NBA Global Games 2013: Philippines
I remember purchasing my Section D Orange ticket in early July—a day (or two) after Dwight Howard had decided to sign with the Houston Rockets. The tickets to the Global Games—the first NBA game to be played in the Philippines—had been a hot item for the last few weeks with the Section E Gray tickets reportedly selling out in the first 15 minutes of ticket sales.
The Rockets’ free agent coup along with my justification that it would be more expensive to travel to the United States to see the Indiana Pacers face the Houston Rockets in their respective home courts were my deciding factors in getting my pricey ticket to the Global Games. Now, the only question that remained was, “Would this preseason game be a competitive one?”
As the date of the Global Games drew near, Indiana Pacers star swingman Paul George put my “competitive question” to rest when he shared in an interview with examiner.com, “I’m going to give them (the Filipino fans) a show. It’d be fun to have them out there and it’s their first time seeing us, or me in person, so I want to leave a good impression.”
All roads leading to the Mall of Asia Arena
The buzz surrounding the Pacers versus Rockets matchup—the whole week for that matter—was simply electric. The NBA, through numerous events such as NBA Cares basketball clinic, NBA coaching clinic, and numerous local outreach programs, showed the Philippines a lot of love that we as a people were only too willing to give back. It was, for all intents and purposes, a happy moment—the Masskara festival of basketball.
On game days (like this one), I usually make it a point to get myself settled in early in order to catch some of the players pre-game routines. My vantage point (or disadvantage) only gave me a clear line of the Houston Rockets players that included Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin, and two-time Manila visitor James Harden. Parsons worked extensively on his foul line extended three-point shot while Lin executed several dribble-drive floaters. But the man to watch was the bearded Harden whose pre-game preparation included taking five top-of-the-key three-pointers (he made all of them) and an array of low-post Jordan-esque fall-away moves.
When tip-off finally arrived, the Pacers went with their regular starting lineup (George Hill, Lance Stephenson, Paul George, David West, and Roy Hibbert) while the Rockets surprisingly started Patrick Beverley at point guard (instead of the heralded Jeremy Lin) along with second-year power forward Terrence Jones, Chandler Parsons, James Harden, and Dwight Howard.
I had heard reports that Rockets head coach Kevin McHale had yet to pencil in who would be his starting point guard for the upcoming season and I guess this was a part of his preseason “evaluation.” As for Jones, my first thought was, “Where’s Omer Asik?” The Turkish center, as you may recall, had great reservation when the Rockets initially signed D.Howard and how the former Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers’ center would affect his role with the team moving forward. Not being named a starter would certainly add some fuel to rumors that he may eventually be traded at some point during the season.2
Let the Global Games commence!
A 10-0 run at the start of the game gave the Houston Rockets a sizable lead that—although threatened at times by the Pacers—they would never relinquish. It is not to say that the Indiana Pacers were simply going through the motions, as I could see their effort. The Pacers simply could not find their offensive rhythm and foul trouble to Roy Hibbert also hampered what they could do defensively. This also does not take anything away from the Houston Rockets who had solid performances from a number of their starters as well as their bench players. As for the Manila crowd, I found them to be somewhat “quiet” for the most of the game and I would like to think that they were simply giving both teams a respectful and appreciative silence.3
Final score: Houston 116 – Indiana 96.
Here now are some of my observations on the Rockets and Pacers:
Houston Rockets
The McHale starting point guard conundrum – Not that I envy the decision that coach McHale will eventually have to make—but you have to admit, it is a good problem to have. The Rockets have three very talented point guards currently on their roster: Jeremy Lin, Patrick Beverley, and Aaron Brooks—who won the 2010 Most Improved Player (MIP) award back in his first tour with Houston.
With a near perfect game, Patrick Beverley (12 points, 2 threes, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in 26 minutes) has made a strong case as the team’s starting point guard. But the same could also be said for Jeremy Lin (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in 23 minutes) who according to one local coach that I spoke to after the game, “seemed to be the only one who went hard to the basket.”4
Rockets getting the most out of their big men – Fans pretty much know what they are going to get from a frontcourt featuring Parsons and Howard. But Houston free agent signee Omri Casspi (17 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes), 2nd year Lithuanian center Donatas Motiejunas (16 points in 20 minutes), and the aforementioned Terrence Jones (5 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and a block in 28 minutes) were revelations.
The 6’9’’ Casspi, the first Israeli-born NBA player, certainly showed how his outside shooting (2 threes) would help space the floor for the Rockets this season; the 7’0’’ Motiejunas showcased an array of impressive post moves that can only help in his quest for more minutes behind Howard, Asik, and Marcus Camby;5 and the 6’9’’ Jones (in the little that I have seen) has show to be a very capable role player for Houston moving forward this season.
How about that Harden – For some, the entry of Dwight Howard into the Houston Rockets fold, gave the Western Conference power their third and newest franchise player in less than two years. But even with the addition of the all-star center, I still believe that this is James Harden’s team and his play during the Global Games certainly showed it as he finished with 21 points, a couple of treys, and a game high 4 steals in 27 minutes of action.
Where’s Dwight? – Howard (24 minutes) did most of his damage—a block and two-handed slam off a Parsons feed—in the first quarter. Personally, I wish he had played a bit more. But during the time that he was in the game, Dwight showed the Manila crowd some of the post moves (e.g., front-pivot, jab-step, etc.) that he picked up from Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin McHale. Needless to say, with the possible running hooks and jumpers that may present itself with these new moves, Howard may see a slight dip in his 57.7% career field goal percentage.
Indiana Pacers
Welcome back Danny Granger – Before the Pacers had an all-star and Most Improved Player (MIP) in Paul George, they had one in Danny Granger. The 6’9’’ forward, who was selected as an all-star reserve and won the MIP back in 2009, was beset by patellar tendinosis, which forced him to miss all but five games of the 2012’-13’ NBA season. It was great seeing Granger (28 minutes) back on the floor and I look forward to what he will be giving the Pacers—a team that was within one-game of the NBA Finals last season—this year.
Pacers get an upgrade in C.J. Watson – As George Hill’s primary backup, C.J. Watson (9 points, 2 threes, an assist, steal, and block in 12 minutes) was solid and even spent time on the court with a number of the Indiana starters. I was especially impressed with the composure that Watson showed on both sides of the floor.
Personally, I felt that size at the backup point guard position was one of the areas that the Pacers needed to address this offseason and Indiana team president Larry Bird did just that with the signing of the 6’2’’ Watson.
The inside presence of Luis Scola – Anytime a legitimate talent like Luis Scola (career averages of 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds) is available for a 1st round pick—you grab it! The Indiana Pacers did just that when team president Larry Bird conveyed a protected 2014 pick to the Phoenix Suns and solidified their bench strength for the upcoming season.
In the game, the Argentinian paid immediate dividends for his new team (10 points and 6 rebounds in 18 minutes) when he checked in for either David West or Roy Hibbert.
Old faces. New Places. – In the fourth quarter, I was pleasantly surprised to see guard/forward Rasual Butler and forward/center Hilton Armstrong check in for the Pacers, as both men were teammates with the New Orleans Hornets (2007 and 2008).
Paging Lance Stephenson and the play of Orlando Johnson – The high flying Stephenson (4 points in 12 minutes) was one Pacer that I was really looking forward to seeing matchup with the Rockets James Harden. But for some reason—maybe Danny Granger getting extended minutes on the court—Stephenson played sparingly after starting the game.
Another notable performance was that of 2nd year guard Orlando Johnson (11 points, 1 three-pointer, and 2 rebounds in 12 minutes) whose offensive aggressiveness was rewarded with a number of trips to the charity stripe. Listed at 6’5’’ and 220 lbs., Johnson’s play also caught the eye of at least one local coach who said that if he weren’t under contract with the Pacers, he would definitely consider him to be import-material. ■
About
Tedi Gustilo Villasor, Ph.D. is a former columnist for Baby Magazine (Philippines) as well as a past contributor to NBA.com/Philippines. His other works include the indie comic books Lindol and OBIsessions.
Click here for more information on his work as a psychologist.
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Unless something exciting comes up that necessitates an additional entry.
I found out later on that Asik had been kept out of the game in order to deal with a calf injury that he suffered prior to the team’s trip to Manila.
Well, that was until one of the Pacers fouled Jeremy Lin in the second half. An act that certainly riled up some of the fans in attendance.
Lin’s aggressiveness netted him four trips to the foul line.
Once he returns from a torn plantar fascia.
Again, only if something of interest comes up which would require an additional post.