Master Game Face All-Star rosters finalized

It is official. After speculation from certain sectors, it was officially announced that Minnesota Timberwolves big man Kevin Love will be coming to Manila on June 21 for the 2nd Master Game Face Challenge.

Although he has been in the attention as he possibly plots his imminent future with the likelihood of exercising his opt out clause in 2015, he will be the center of attention at the halftime show for the Master Game Face Challenge, where he will be in a skills challenge as well as face off in a three-point shootout against PBA players.

Love will be accompanied by a group of dunkers that will help entertain the crowd attending the all-star game.

Unilever's Male Grooming manager Jonathan Pua expressed his excitement with the arrival of Love in the country, noting that "he will elevate Master Game Face to a higher level" this year.

Aside from the announcement, a couple of highly anticipated events took place at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall on Saturday afternoon.

First, Team Manila, represented by Arellano University, beat Team Davao 15-8 to take Master Game Face 3-on-3 Barangay Challenge.

Second, Chris Tiu and Marc Pingris completed their teams that will face each other in the game.

After six weeks of voting, the draft finally took place that sees both teams pick six PBA players to complement the collegiate stars already on both sides.

Team Chris selected Ranidel de Ocampo, Jeff Chan, Mike Cortez, Jimmy Alapag, Cliff Hodge, and Alex Nuyles. They join UAAP stars Jeron Teng, Chris Newsome, Mike Tolomia, and Kevin Ferrer, as well as NCAA standouts Rome dela Rosa, Mark Cruz, and Zach Nichols. Tiu wanted a combination of youth and experience with his group.

Team Marc selected Gary David, Mark Barroca, Larry Fonacier, Jared Dillinger, Jeric Teng, and Paul Artadi. They join UAAP standouts Andre Paras, Roi Sumang, Jericho Cruz, and Jeoffrey Javillonar, as well as NCAA stars Baser Amer, Kevin Racal, and Josan Nimes. Pingris express confidence with his new additions.

The Master Game Face All-Star Challenge will take place on June 21, 7pm at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum. It will be televised LIVE on TV5 and tickets can be purchased via Ticketnet (911-5555 or www.ticketnet.com.ph).

Tickets are priced at Php120 for General Admission, Php240 for Upper Box, Php420 for Lower Box, Php820 for Patron A and Php930 for Patron B.

In addition, tickets can be acquired by purchasing 1 Master® 100g Facial Wash and 1 Master® Face Cleanser 135ml at participating SM Supermarkets.

For more details, check out www.MasterPhilippines.com.ph and facebook.com/MasterPhilippines, as well as follow their Twitter and Instagram accounts.

2nd Master Game Face All-Star Challenge to take place

Master launched its Game Face All-Star Challenge last year by bringing a collection of the best collegiate players under the coaching acumen of Chris Tiu and Borgie Hermida, with the latter coming out as the winner at the Arena in San Juan.



For the second edition of the challenge, the country's leading men's skin care and face care brand jiggered things up a bit, as they invited some of the PBA's best players to participate alongside the best collegiate players. They also incorporated one of their new brand ambassadors, Marc Pingris of the SanMig Super Coffee Mixers, into the mix as the new challenger to Chris..


Launched last April 24 in Taguig, the second-ever Master Game Face All-Star Challenge will have Team Chris going up against Team Marc at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum on June 21.

According to Unilever Male Grooming Brand Manager Jonathan Pua, “it is natural for us to come up with an activity featuring the no. 1 sport – basketball." He adds that "It will be a good venue to showcase how top Filipino basketball players put their oil-free game faces on with Master Oil Control Max Facial Wash”


For Team Chris, joining the Rain or Shine guard in the starting lineup are UAAP stalwarts Jeron Teng, Chris Newsome, Kevin Ferrer and Mike Tolomia. Complementing the five are Rome dela Rosa, Mark Cruz and Zach Nichols from the NCAA.

Chris says that “Fans are going to have a great time seeing such powerhouse players in the Master Game Face All-Star Basketball Challenge this year, and I’m especially happy to be able to play with such talented young blood and with other professional basketball players.”

For Team Marc, joining the SanMig Coffee forward in the starting lineup are UAAP stalwarts Andre Paras, Jeoffrey Javillonar, Jericho Cruz and Roi Sumang. Complementing the five are Baser Amer, Kevin Racal and Josan Nimes from the NCAA.

Marc adds. “I’m excited to start playing with my team. We hope to put up a great game against our opponents and to show young athletes how to put their Game Faces on with Master.”

Basketball fans can chime in on their choices for the rest of Team Chris and Team Marc by going to Master's Facebook page and clicking the Master Game Face app. Once the votes have been tabulated, a special draft is scheduled on May 31 (much like their fellow Unilever brand CLEAR and how they did their Dream Match Draft) for a twelve-player pool that both Chris and Marc can make their selections on to complete their rosters.

Fans that can correctly guess the lineups would have the opportunity to win prizes.
  

Master Game Face All-Star Challenge Draft Pool:

Point Guard: Jimmy Alapag, Paul Artadi, Mark Barroca, Mike Cortez, Sol Mercado, Terrence Romeo, Emman Monfort, Jai Reyes, RJ Jazul, Anjo Caram, Bonbon Custodio

Shooting Guard: Ryan Arana, Gary David, Jared Dillinger, Larry Fonacier, Rey Guevara, Jeric Teng, John Wilson, Bonbon Custodio, AJ Mandani

Center: Beau Belga, Nonoy Baclao, Justin Chua

Small Forward: Dylan Ababou, Jeff Chan, Elmer Espiritu, Rey Guevara, Alex Nuyles

Power Forward: Beau Belga, Jervy Cruz, Ranidel de Ocampo, Cliff Hodge, Jon Dan Salvador, Elmer Espiritu


Follow Master on Twitter and Instagram via @MasterGameFace to find out the latest about Master
products and about the Master Game Face Challenge. 

#MasterGameFace

NBTC bares its Seaoil-NBTC National Finals, All-Star Game

On Monday, the National Basketball Training Center, the official grassroots program of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), revealed its cast for the 3rd edition of the Seaoil-NBTC High School All-Star Game.

Led by a stellar cast that includes those who have already played for the Philippines in international competitions, the All-Star Game is arguably the showcase of the best high school senior talent in the country.

From over 60 high school standouts, the selection committee (led by legendary head coach Ato Badolato) pruned that down to 30 players to be divided into the Blue and White teams. No details were available as to the composition of the Blue Team and the White Team, but the committee has been tasked to handle the filtering process to ensure parity of talent with both teams.

JB Sison and Jeff Napa are tasked to be the coaches for this all-star game, which will take place on March 9 at the Ynares Arena in Pasig.

Gracing the press conference were Arvin Tolentino of San Beda, Hubert Cani and John Paul Cauilan of National University, and Mohammad Salim of Chiang Kai Shek. The high school standouts express confidence that they are going to put on a show and at the same time impress the college coaches and scouts that are expected to flock to the venue.

NBTC Program Director (and more known as the head coach of National University) Eric Altamirano believes that this is the best batch of All-Star participants, given its national pedigree. Tolentino, Thirdy Ravena and Paolo Rivero were part of the FIBA 3x3 team, while Richard Escoto, Diego Dario and Arnie Padilla were part of the team that finished 2nd in the FIBA-Asia U-16 tournament in Iran.

Here are the 30 players participating in the event:

Ateneo de Manila - Thirdy Ravena
Chiang Kai Shek - Mohammad Salim
Colegio de San Juan de Letran - Ivan Villanueva
La Salle Greenhills - Paolo Rivero
Far Eastern University - Richard Escoto
Hope Christian - John Apacible, Jobert Mercado, Arjan dela Cruz
Malayan HS - Justin Serrano
National University - Hubert Cani, Manuel Mosqueda, John Paul Cauilan, Lorenzo Battad
San Beda - Javee Mocon, Adven Diputado, Ranbill Tongco, Arvin Tolentino
San Sebastian - Michael Calisaan, Alfred Gayosa, Ryan Costelo, Ranzelle Yong
University of the Philippines - Diego Dario
Xavier School - Jarell Lim, Isaac Go
Claret School - Zamboanga - Allen delos Santos
Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori - Cagayan de Oro - Glenn Gallardo
Hua Siong College of Iloilo - Joshua Edjan
West Negros University - Keith Pido
Assumption College - Davao - Allyn Bulanadi
Sacred Heart School - Cebu - Arnie Padilla

Meanwhile, before the All-Star Game, the Seaoil-NBTC National Finals is scheduled to take place from March 6-9. 24 of the best high school teams in the country slug it out to see which is the best.

Among those highly fancied to win are National University, Hope Christian and former champions Sacred Heart School-Cebu.

Settling for the All-Star Reserves - West

The All-Star starters have been named. That is the 1st step of completing the All-Star roster. Fans did their work.

The next step is to determine the reserves. That is the work of the coaches, who have to pick two guards, three frontcourt players and two more players of any position.

So, how can we distinguish the field? Let's comb things through the Western Conference:

Northwest Division:

Oklahoma City: Russel Westbrook, Serge Ibaka
Portland: LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nic Batum
Denver: Ty Lawson
Minnesota: Kevin Martin, Nikola Pekovic
Utah: Gordon Hayward

Pacific Division:

Los Angeles C: Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Crawford
Golden State: David Lee, Klay Thompson
Phoenix: Goran Dragic
Los Angeles L: Pau Gasol, Nick Young
Sacramento: DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas

Southwest Division:

San Antonio: Tony Parker, Tim Duncan
Houston Rockets: James Harden, Dwight Howard, Chandler Parsons
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis
Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley, Zach Randolph
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis

As such:

Guards: Russ, Lill, Wes, Ty, KMart, CP3, JCraw, Klay, Dragon, Swaggy P, Isaiah, TP9, Beard, Monta, Conley

Frontcourt: Serge, LMA, Nic, Pek, Hayward, DJ, Lee, Pau, Boogie, TD, Dwight, Chandler, Dirk, Z-Bo, Brow

Which leads me to this:

Reserve Guards: Lillard, Paul
Reserve Forwards: Aldridge, Dwight, Nowitzki
Reserve Wildcards: Harden, Parker

Will wait for Adam Silver's call: Davis, Dragic, Lee
Should be stewing: Cousins, Conley, Randolph

Settling for the All-Star reserves - East

The All-Star starters have been named. That is the 1st step of completing the All-Star roster. Fans did their work.

The next step is to determine the reserves. That is the work of the coaches, who have to pick two guards, three frontcourt players and two more players of any position.

So, how can we distinguish the field? Let's comb things through the Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division:

Toronto: DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry
Brooklyn: Joe Johnson
New York: n/a
Boston: Jeff Green
Philadelphia: Michael Carter-Williams, Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young

Central Division:

Indiana: Lance Stephenson, David West, Roy Hibbert
Chicago: Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson
Detroit: Brandon Jennings, Andre Drummond, Josh Smith
Cleveland: Luol Deng
Milwaukee: n/a

Southeast Division:

Miami: Chris Bosh
Atlanta: Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague
Washington: John Wall, Bradley Beal
Charlotte: Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson
Orlando: Arron Afflalo, Victor Oladipo 

As such:

Guards: DeMar, KLOE, IsoJoe, MCW, Kidet, Lance, Jennings, Teague, Wall, Beal, Kemba, AAA, Oladipo
Frontcourt: Green, Thad, West, Hibbert, Noah, Boozer, Gibson, Drummond, J-Smooth, Deng, Bosh, Millsap, Jefferson

Based on that, here are my choices:

Reserve Guards: Stephenson, Wall
Reserve Froncourt: Hibbert, Noah, Bosh
Reserve Wildcards: Johnson, Millsap

Waiting for Adam Silver's call: DeRozan, Drummond, Deng
Should be stewing: Jefferson, Afflalo, Lowry

Masters of the Court at the Master Game Face All Star Challenge

Scheduled later today, June 8, is the Master Game Face All-Star Basketball Challenge at the San Juan Arena.

Serving virtually as the All-Star Game for the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup, it brings together the best players in the collegiate scene selected by both fans, coaches and by the upcoming coaches of this game in Master endorsers and collegiate legends Chris Tiu and Borgie Hermida. According to Tournament Director Joey Guillermo, "The best players of the tournament are all here to showcase their basketball skills. This game is a great addition to our tournament."

Ateneo alum Tiu adds, “Borgie and I have been able to select players from the best collegiate teams in the country- this is exciting for me as a fan of the college game and I’m sure it will be for the fans in attendance and watching on TV as well.” While San Beda alum Borgie says, “They didn’t have a game like this when I was in college. The best players in college are this game so it should be a great game for fans to watch.”

Both coaches have promised a great game this weekend.

Being the first event of its kind, Filoil joined forces with Master for this event. According to its brand manager Jonathan Pua, "As the biggest face care brand for men, it only makes sense for Master to have an activity on the biggest sport in the country. We are very delighted to partner with Filoil as they are actually the biggest pre season collegiate basketball cup in the country”

The selection process for the Master Game Face All-Star Challenge was made as early as in April, with fans being able to pick who they want to start in the game through an app on their Facebook page (at www.facebook.com/MasterPhilippines). The starters were revealed last May 25, followed by the reserve selections (as seen in here).

The game, which will be telecast LIVE at 4pm on Studio 23, is to be preceded with a cheering competition at 1pm (telecast on 2pm). Gates at the San Juan Arena will open at 12nn. You can check with SM Tickets or at the venue for the opportunity to watch this Saturday spectacle.

Master Game Face rosters revealed

The organizers of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup have decided to add a new wrinkle by including a preseason all-star game to showcase the top collegiate stars before their respective leagues commence play (NCAA on June 22, UAAP on June 29).

Subdivided into the two division whose round-robin determined the postseason participants (National University, Arellano University, San Beda College, Adamson University, College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Jose Rizal University, University of Perpetual Help-Dalta System, University of the Philippines = Group A; Ateneo de Manila University, University of the East, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Southwestern University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Lyceum University = Group B), each side is to be coached by either Chris Tiu or Borgie Hermida, both of which are Master endorsers.

The starters were voted in by the fans, with the division's coaches helping Chris and Borgie with the selection of reserves.

Fans of Group A selected San Beda's Baser Amer, Rome dela Rosa and Ola Adeogun, alongside NU's Rayray Parks and UP's Andre Paras. Borgie then selected the following as his reserves:

San Beda - Anthony Semerad, Kyle Pascual, David Semerad
NU - Emmanuel Mbe, Kyle Neypes
FEU - Carl Bryan Cruz, RR Garcia, Mike Tolomia
UP - Henry Asilum, Joseph Marata
CSB - Paolo Taha, Jonathan Grey
EAC - Jan Jamon

Meanwhile, fans of Group B selected the Ateneo backcourt of Juami Tiongson and Kiefer Ravena, alongside Jeron Teng of La Salle and Aljon Mariano and Karim Abdul of UST. Chris would then select the following as his reserves:

Letran - Mark Cruz, Raymond Almazan
DLSU - Kib Montalbo, Arnold Van Opstal, Norbert Torres, Jason Perkins
ADMU - Jerie Pingoy, Chris Newsome
UE - Roi Sumang
Adamson - Jericho Cruz, Roider Cabrera
UST - Jeric Teng, Kevin Ferrer

The Master Game Face All-Star Challenge will take place on June 8 at the San Juan Arena. Telecast will be on Studio 23.

The #MasterGameFace All-Star Basketball Challenge

The FilOil Flying V Premier Cup has tied up with the number one men's skin care brand in the country, Master, to come up with a preseason All-Star Game entitled, "The Master Game Face All-Star Challenge."

To be held on June 8 at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan, it will bring together 36 collegiate stars from the 18 schools participating in the Premier Cup. Group A, consisting of San Beda, University of Perpetual Help-Dalta System, National University, Far Eastern University, University of the Philippines, Arellano, College of Saint Benilde, Jose Rizal University, and Adamson, will have former San Beda star Borgie Hermida as its head coach, while Group B, which has Ateneo de Manila, La Salle, University of Santo Tomas, University of the East, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Lyceum, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Southwestern University, will have Ateneo alum Chris Tiu as its head coach. Both Borgie and Chris are the latest endorsers of Master.

Fans have the chance to select their top five college basketball players for Team Borgie and Team Chris via Facebook. Just go to Master Philippines page and click on the Game Face Application. Those who would guess the top 5 correctly will have the chance to win ringside tickets for the Master Game Face All-Star Challenge. Chris and Borgie will name their reserves by May 25, once the fans have finalized their vote for the starting five, which they can start doing on April 17.

Both have said that the depth of talent in the collegiate ranks illustrates that fans have a lot to choose from.

Tickets for the Master Game Face Challenge, which will take place after the FilOil Cheerleading competition, cost PhP 100 for the Upper box area, while Lower Box tickets cost PhP 200. Also, purchasing 1 Master 100g Facial Wash and 1 Master 135ml Cleanser in participating supermarkets starting May 1, 2013 will also get you an Upper Box ticket.

NBTC Finals and All-Star Showcase on Tap

Top Row (L-R): Andre Paras, Jerie Pingoy, Clint Doliguez, Bong Quinto and Ralph Atangan
Bottom Row (L-R): Ato Badolato, Alex Compton, Sonny Barrios, Eric Altamirano

For the second year running, the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) will be having their All-Star Showcase at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City.

Patterned after the McDonald's All-America game, it is a chance for thirty of the best high school players in the Philippines to strut their stuff and impress fans and coaches. Those who would be attending this game will have the chance to possibly see the future stars in the collegiate ranks.

The task of determining the composition of the team came down to the selection committee under the auspices of legendary coach Ato Badolato, with the help of the different coaches, particularly in the selection of the players from the provinces, of which eight of them made the showcase. One of those highly touted provincial players will not make the trip however, as Kib Montalbo of St. John's Institute in Bacolod (and committed to De La Salle University in the upcoming UAAP season) declined due to academic reasons.

In spite of Kib's absence, there will be an interesting set of incoming collegiate prospects on display. Headed by the likes of Jerie Pingoy of FEU, Ralph Atangan of NU, Andre Paras of LSGH, Clint Doliguez of Hope Christian, with FEU's Michael Oliver and San Beda's Britt Reroma handling the coaching duties for this All-Star Showcase.

The All-Star Showcase is not just the only NBTC event this weekend.

The weekend will be a witness to the crowning of the NBTC Finals, as sixteen teams duke it out to determine the best secondary school.

The sixteen schools are grouped into four groups, broken down below with their respective game skeds:

Group A: Hope Christian HS (NCR), Calayan Educational Foundation Inc. (Southern Luzon via Lucena),  St. Albert D' Great School (Northern Luzon via Dagupan) and West Negros University (Visayas via Bacolod)

Hope Christian vs West Negros - 3/1 8am at Ultra
CEF Inc. vs St. Albert D' Great - 3/1 1230pm at Ultra
West Negros vs CEF Inc. - 3/1 330pm at Ynares Arena
St. Albert D' Great vs Hope Christian - 3/1 5pm at Ynares Arena
St. Albert D' Great vs West Negros - 3/2 11am at Ynares Arena
CEF Inc. vs Hope Christian - 3/2 230pm at Ultra

Group B: San Beda (NCR), Faith Academy (NCR), Don Bosco Technical Institute (Northern Luzon via Tarlac) and Southern City College (Mindanao via Zamboanga)

San Beda vs DBTI - 3/1 930am at Ynares Arena
Southern City College vs San Beda - 3/1 2pm at Ultra
DBTI vs Faith Academy - 3/1 5pm at Ultra
Faith Academy vs San Beda - 3/2 930am at Ultra
Southern City College vs DBTI - 3/2 930 at Ynares
Faith Academy vs Southern City College - 3/2 230pm at Meralco Gym

Group C: National University (NCR), Sto. Domingo National HS (Southern Luzon via Legazpi), Iloilo Central Commercial HS (Visayas via Iloilo) and Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School (Mindanao via Cagayan de Oro)

NU vs ICCHS - 3/1 930am at Ultra
Sto. Domingo National vs Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori - 3/1 1230pm at Ynares Arena
Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori vs NU - 3/1 330pm at Ultra
ICCHS vs Sto. Domingo National HS - 3/2 8am at Ynares
Sto. Domingo National HS vs NU - 3/2 11am at Ultra
ICCHS vs Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori - 3/2 4pm at Ultra

Group D: Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (Visayas via Cebu), Christian Values School (Southern Luzon via Cavite), La Union (Northern Luzon via La Union) and Holy Child College (Mindanao via Davao)

SHS-Ateneo de Cebu vs Christian Values School - 3/1 8am at Ynares Arena
Christian Values School vs La Union - 3/1 2pm at Ynares Arena
Holy Child College vs SHS-Ateneo de Cebu - 3/2 8am at Ultra
SHS-Ateneo de Cebu vs La Union - 3/2 1pm at Ultra
Holy Child College vs Christian Values School - 3/2 1pm at Meralco Gym
La Union vs Holy Child College - 3/2 4pm at Meralco Gym

Each group will have a round robin, playing three times in a stretch of two days, as noted above. The school with the best record on each group will advance to the semifinals, which will be played on the morning of March 3, with Group A paired with Group D on one bracket to take place at the Ultra, while Group B and Group C paired on the other bracket and will be played at Ynares.

The winners of the semis would then play for the title of NBTC Champion on the afternoon of March 3, immediately after the All-Star Showcase at the Ynares Arena. 

Sacred Heart is looking to win this for the third year running now, although this year the Cebuanos will have to do it without Julius Cadavis and Henry Asilum.

2nd Seaoil High School All-Star Game scheduled this March

On March 3 at the Ynares Center in Pasig City, 32 of the best high school seniors in the country get to strut their stuff against each other in the second-ever staging of The Seaoil High School All-Star Game. To be held at the Ynares Center in Pasig on March 3, this is one of the highlights of the National Basketball Traning Center (NBTC) Finals.

NBTC Training Director Alex Compton notes the Seaoil High School All-Star Game as the premiere event to showcase the top high school basketball talent in the Philippines. He is excited to be seeing the best of the best competing against each other on a national stage, as not everyone is aware of their talent and thus, the Seaoil High School All-Star Game will become their stage.

To cite that point, it was at this event that the coaching staff of the University of the Philippines discovered then-Sacred Heart of Cebu standout Henry Asilum, whom they eventually recruited and was a major contributing element for the Maroons' campaign on this past 75th Season of the UAAP.

Patterned after the McDonald's All-Americans High School Game, the 1st-ever Seaoil High School All-Star Game had the likes of Jeron Teng (Xavier HS), Tomas Ramos (Ateneo HS), Thomas Torres (La Salle Greenhills) JJ Alejandro (Mapua HS) and Daryl Nazareno, Francis Abarcar, Van Abatayo, Gideon Babilonia, and Antonio Bonsubre (San Beda HS). The first MVP trophy went to Ace Basas (Mapua), as the currently Ateneo "Glory Be" member scored a game-high 24 points for Team White in a 87-81 victory over Team Blue.

The second-ever staging of the event will have the likes of Jerie Pingoy (FEU), Ralph Atangan (NU), Ranbill Tongco (San Beda HS) and Nicko Bahia (UST). Provincial standouts like current La Salle commit Kib Montalbo (St. John's Institute), as well as John Luna (Cagayan de Oro National High School) and Paul Desiderio (University of Visayas) will also make their presence felt in this game.

The game will provide the backdrop for the upcoming NBTC Finals, which is scheduled to also take place on March 3.

The NBTC Finals is a culmination of the competition to determine the best high school team in the country, with 200 schools taking part all across the islands.16 different high schools will make their way to Manila and in the first three days of March, that sixteen will eventually be whittled down to one.

PLDT All-Star Basketball Challenge

On Wednesday night, legends from the NBA and the PBA will face each other on the court, thanks to the people behind the Mall of Asia Arena for the PLDT All-Star Basketball Challenge.

The NBA Legends, put together by the Professional Basketball Alumni Association and its head, former New York Knicks forward Charles Smith, is currently on their Asian tour. They previously were at Kuala Lumpur, where they won 96-81 against a reinforced ASEAN Basketball League side KL Westport Dragons. They will then proceed to Taiwan after making an appearance here in Manila. They have been in the region before, having conducted a similar tour in Macau last year.

With Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the head coach, the team is led by multi-titled Chicago Bulls forwards Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman. Joining them are fellow NBA vets Mitch Richmond, Jason Williams, Clifford Robinson, Bryon Russell and Jeff Trepagnier. Completing the roster are Alexis Foyle, Chris Campbell and Charoy Bentley. Richmond, Grant and Rodman had been previous visitors to Manila.

As for their opponents, the PBA Legends will be handled by playing coach Jerry Codinera. He will have at his disposal his fellow legends who had recently graced the recent Jaworski retirement ceremony, Bal David, Noli Locsin, Vince Hizon, Marlou Aquino and EJ Feihl. Completing the team are Kenneth Duremdes, Jojo Lastimosa, Bong Hawkins and Nelson Asaytono.

If you miss out on seeing the game live, no worries. AkTV will be broadcasting this game on July 23 at 8pm.

Here is the press conference as hosted by Vince Golangco of Mellow 94.7 and When In Manila.

All-Star Rosters Revealed: Who wants homefield?

The rosters of the MLB All-Star Game at Kansas City have been revealed, so we know how the fans went out and voted. Of course, that includes yours truly.

The Starters (AL / NL):

Catcher - Mike Napoli / Buster Posey  
1st Baseman - Prince Fielder / Joey Votto
2nd Baseman - Robinson Cano / Dan Uggla
3rd Baseman - Adrian Beltre / Pablo Sandoval

Shortstop - Derek Jeter / Rafael Furcal
Outfielders - Josh Hamilton, Curtis Granderson and Jose Bautista / Melky Cabrera, Carlos Beltran and Matt Kemp
Designated Hitter - David Ortiz / no DH in NL

Pitchers and reserve players are selected by a combination of players, managers and coaches, with inputs from the All-Star Game managers in Ron Washington and Tony LaRussa in conjunction with MLB. Of course, all 30 teams have to be represented in this spectacle.

Here are the pitchers:

AL: Ryan Cook, Matt Harrison, Felix Hernandez, Jim Johnson, Joe Nathan, Chris Perez, David Price, Fernando Rodney, CC Sabbathia, Chris Sale, Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson

NL: Matt Cain, Aroldis Chapman, R.A. Dickey, Gio Gonzalez, Cole Hamels, Joel Hanrahan, Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Lance Lynn, Wade Miley, Jonathan Papelbon, Stephen Strasburg, Huston Street

And the reserves:

AL: Joe Mauer, Matt Wieters, Elvis Andrus, Asdrubal Cabrera, Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, Paul Konerko, Adam Jones, Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo, Billy Butler, Adam Dunn

NL: Yadier Molina, Carlos Ruiz, Bryan LaHair, Jose Altuve, Starlin Castro, Ian Desmond, David Wright, Ryan Braun, Jay Bruce, Carlos Gonzalez, Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton

Of course, lineups are fluid, due to injuries and those weird rules involving pitchers.

Lastly, the Final Vote. The mad dash as to who will complete the roster. An AL pitcher and a NL position player will make the team, thanks to the voting masses.

The AL pitcher will be between Jonathan Broxton, Yu Darvish, Ernesto Frieri, Jason Hammel and Jake Peavy, while the NL position player will be involving Michael Bourn, David Freese, Bryce Harper, Aaron Hill and Chipper Jones. Already, one player on the ballot has said to be voting for another.

Now that you know the teams, feel free to complain on it below.

My 2012 MLB All-Star Ballot

Today serves as the last day of voting online for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. As sometimes with what I do, I cast in and publicize my ballot. Here are the ones I voted.

AL

1st Base - Paul Konerko
2nd Base - Robinson Cano
3rd Base - Miguel Cabrera
Shortstop - Derek Jeter
Catcher - Mike Napoli
Designated Hitter - Edwin Encarnacion
Outfielders - Jose Bautista, Josh Hamilton, Adam Jones


NL

1st Base - Joey Votto
2nd Base - Jose Altuve
3rd Base - David Wright
Shortstop - Rafael Furcal
Catcher - Yadier Molina
Outfielders - Andrew McCutchen, Matt Holliday, Ryan Braun

They also have a write-in system, but you put a name there and you will slot someone out from the position you voted. If not for that aspect, would have gone for David Ortiz (AL) and Bryce Harper (NL).

Remember that the winner here gets to secure homefield advantage in the World Series, arguably one of the most preposterous things I have heard.

Blog Outsourcing - February 20, 2012 edition

Hello Everyone!

You're probably wondering where the heck has been the basketball stuff I have been doing. Well, I have been a little busy with the other sport of devotion as of late, and I have been remiss on the duty, so here. I will break down the All-Star Friday and Saturday for you. The All-Star Game itself will have something on its own at a later time.

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge - Novel idea to have "captains" (in this case being Shaq and Sir Charles) make their selections, which were based from players voted in by the NBA assistant coaches, and of course, an assist from "Commissioner" Kenny Smith (for Lin and Cole).

Team Shaq has Blake Griffin, Jeremy Lin, Ricky Rubio, Markieff Morris, Kemba Walker, Landry Fields, Norris Cole, Brandon Knight, Tristan Thompson and Greg Monroe. They will have Ron Adams of Chicago as their head coach, with TNT's Steve Kerr as an assistant.

Team Chuck has Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Williams, Paul George, Marshon Brooks, John Wall, Tiago Splitter, Evan Turner, Gordon Hayward and Kawhi Leonard. They will have Maurice Cheeks of Oklahoma City as their head coach, with TNT's Mike Fratello as an assistant.

With this, it may replace the Dunk Contest as the biggest highlight of the weekend other than the All-Star Game.

Sprint Celebrity Challenge - Dwight and KD will be the head coaches, but the interesting idea of Jersey Shore's Vinny lobbying to make this roster paid off.

Haier Shooting Stars - Team Atlanta aims to defend their title with Joe Johnson and Lindsey Harding as the new wingmen to holdover Steve Smith. Team Texas also has a holdover in Kenny Smith, but will be joined by Sophia Young and Gator alumnus Chandler Parsons. Team New York will have Landry Fields, Cappie Pondexter and Allan Houston; while Team Orlando will have Jameer Nelson, Marie-Ferdinand Harris (who is a Florida native) and Dennis Scott to try to win it for the home fans.

Taco Bell Skills Challenge - No official list yet, but if healthy, Stephen Curry should be defending the title against a gaggle of fellow youngsters with the depth at the position available. Ricky Rubio should be in this competition, as well as Kyrie Irving. If the NBA wants to squeeze as much out of Jeremy Lin, he would be in this competition, too.

Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout - James Jones returns to defend his title against five other noted shooters in Kevin Love, Ryan Anderson, Joe Johnson, his own teammate in Mario Chalmers, and Anthony Morrow. The Net is already currying favors in paying homage to late great Drazen Petrovic in this competition.

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest - No Blake Griffin repeat, but hopefully Chase Budinger, Iman Shumpert, Paul George and Derrick Williams has the opportunity to entertain the fan base with three dunks. No judges on court, as it will be done via texts and tweets, opening it to the power of the people. It is of course assumed that Iman will figure a way to incorporate Jeremy Lin into the equation.

Here forth are the links after the jump to welcome the morning for you.

The Final 8 of the FA Cup is set. (c/o BBC Sport)

Lionel Messi is just plain awesome. Is he better than Lebron? (c/o The Original Winger & Miami Herald)

Will Pep stay? (c/o DAWN)

Toffee supporters were saddened to see him go. (c/o Goal)

If you hate the sport, then why participate in it... (c/o Sydney Morning Herald)

As Roberto Alomar can attest, spitting is never a good idea. (c/o SkySports)

There is more than meets the eye with regards to the Rangers scenario. (c/o Irish Examiner)

After all the fuss off the court... It's back again on the court, with a new character to boot. (c/o Bloomberg, New York Times and New York Daily News)

You may point your attention to him, but let his family be. (c/o CNN)

Quite simply, this is why he gets all the attention. (c/o Salt Lake City Tribune)

Sure, he's doing fine right now, but he will be more handy later on. (c/o Business Week)

25 rebounds. Amazing. (c/o Newark Star-Ledger)

Statistician's delight in OKC. (c/o ProBasketball Talk)

Kobe is sick and tired of this situation already. (c/o CBS Sports)

Nope, he is not going to bring Carson Palmer with him back to Cincy. (c/o Cincy Jungle)

C'est Fin, AJ. (c/o National Post) Mike Cameron calls it a day. (c/o Sports Illustrated)

Interesting precedent by Texas Supreme Court. (c/o Everything Lubbock)

Looks inevitable if they miss the tourney. (c/o Chicago Tribune)

The sensation of Bracketbusters... (c/o Murray Ledger and Times)

Thank you and enjoy the Mardi Gras to come.

Blog Outsourcing - 2/21 edition

Welcome to today's edition of The Victory Formation.

The previous weekend has been dubbed as the welcome to the Blake Griffin Experience. He played in the Rookie-Sophomore Game, with his team winning and John Wall being named as the MVP. We all know the Dunk Contest. And of course, he is the first rookie after Tim Duncan to be selected by the reserves. Naturally, being a first-timer, he got limited minutes.

So, let me use this to give my own personal viewpoint and assessment of the past few days:



Rookie-Sophomore Game: Dejuan Blair does not need ACLs to fly. Budenholzer has a sense of humor like Pop.

Celebrity Game: Apparently, fans did not allow someone to screw over Justin Bieber again, even if it was in a losing cause.

Shooting Stars: The mantra of "Beat Kenny" was enough as Team Atlanta eases out the champs as the Texans could not make any of their midcourt tries.

Skills Challenge: Stephen Curry wins it. He's wicked quick. Terribly disappointed though with Derrick Rose coasting during his run.

Three-Point Shootout: Finally, Miami beats Boston, as James Jones (also known as Reggie Miller's apprentice) beat out both Jesus Shuttlesworth and the self-proclaimed best shooter in the world.

Dunk Contest: Best field to compete in years. The creativity was awesome. I personally want all four of them back in Orlando for a rematch. Kenny Smith is a preacher man.

The Game itself: Hey, Kobe was on a Wilt-like scoring record pace, but Kevin Durant scored probably the quietest 34 pts in an All-Star game. In the end, Kobe ties Bob Petit with his 4th All-Star Game MVP. Lebron secures the 2nd triple-double in the Game's history.

Sidelights: Loved the musical intros. Kudos to TNT for stuff like these:



Hereforth are the links:

It's not a good idea to stir debate on a topic like this when you yourself admit that you lack certain aspects. (c/o National Football Post via Yahoo)

Regrets, yes, I have had a few - David Stern. (c/o Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Jim Gray gets himself involved again. (c/o USA Today)

The 70s represented the psychedelic era. Obviously, with the fashion tastes, must be prevalent. (c/o Sports Illustrated)

In order to keep this guy (c/o Colts Chronicle), Indianapolis has to release this guy. (c/o Indianapolis Star)

Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists named (c/o International Business Times). Don't worry, Reggie. You'll get in eventually. (c/o Dime Magazine)

Why the Knicks should or should not go for Carmelo? (c/o Hoopsworld)

Los Angeles Kings of Anaheim? (c/ o Los Angeles Times)

Need a bat? Well, whilst pitchers and catchers report? In India, it is in full swing. (c/o Cricket World)

Remember the Vancouver Grizzlies? (c/o Vancouver Sun)

This bobblehead surely will reopen old scar tissue from the early 90s. (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

One more year of Don Cherry. (c/o CBC)

Gary Bettman wants a new arena for Edmonton. (c/o Toronto Sun)

Heritage Classic was a success for the Flames. (c/o Calgary Herald)

The Motherland caught between football and basketball. Can't they all get along? Or maybe a reality check. (c/0 Fire Quinito)

The Filipino Flash can knock you silly. (c/o Fire Quinito)

Stu Holden > Clint Dempsey in the FA Cup. (c/o The Sun)

Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500. Trevor who? (c/o Washington Post)

NASCAR must know something is afoot with its Daytona scheduling. (c/o Fox News)

General Greivis gets his jersey retired. (c/o San Francisco Chronicle)

Who's #1 now? Both the Longhorns (c/o SB Nation Kansas City) and the Buckeyes got beat (c/o Fort Wayne Journal Gazette). The Blue Devils escape the axe, however.

You're a New York City, boy... Where St. John's Basketball is rockin' (c/o Sportsrageous)

Wilson Holloway, RIP.

The music is great during the weekend. This was my personal fave, because I believe in the lyrical genius of Kanye West.

TWTWTNBA: Finalizing the Western Conference All-Stars

Other than Tracy Morgan's moment (and TNT's subsequent apology), the highlight of last week's pregame was the naming of the All-Stars Starters (which are voted on by the fans) for both conferences.

The Coaches will dictate who will comprise the reserves. Each coach, however, cannot vote for his own players. Now each coach can be creative in designating positions, because there is a need to have at least one "Center" on the roster.



In the West, these are the starters:

Guard - Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)

Guard - Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Forward - Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Forward - Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)

Center - Yao Ming (Houston Rockets)

If I were a part of a NBA Coaching Staff, the following would comprise my choices for the West All-Star Reserves:

1. Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks) - 3rd in the balloting among forwards this year.

2-3. Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs) - The Spurs are the best team in the league.

4. Pau Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers) - Carried the team while Kobe paced his way through the early part of the season.

5. Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) - If he elevated his game in the playoffs last year, he raised it to another level this season.

6. Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) - If CP3 is here, D-Will has to be here. He's on the pine, so there might be a possibility of an opening for someone.

7. Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) - At this point, we can no longer ignore his impact anymore. This is meant to be HIS weekend.

Injury replacement for Yao Ming

Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves) - As much as they are facing the wrath of Kaaaaaaaaahhhhhhnnnnnn, it is really hard to ignore the numbers and that double-double streak of his.

Close calls:

Big Men: Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph (Memphis Grizzlies) , LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trailblazers), Luis Scola (Houston Rockets), Paul Millsap (Utah Jazz),

Guards: Monta Ellis (Golden State Warriors), Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs), Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns), Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets), Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers)

The West is really loaded. So loaded, I can name a 2nd All-Star team from the snubs. That's why the Yao scenario provided a break which the NBA could plug someone in.

TWTWTNBA: Finalizing the Eastern Conference All-Stars

Other than Tracy Morgan's moment (and TNT's subsequent apology), the highlight of last week's pregame was the naming of the All-Stars Starters (which are voted on by the fans) for both conferences.


The Coaches will dictate who will comprise the reserves. Each coach, however, cannot vote for his own players. Now each coach can be creative in designating positions, because there is a need to have at least one "Center" on the roster.





In the East, these are the starters:

Guard - Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)

Guard - Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)

Forward - Lebron James (Miami Heat)

Forward - Amar'e Stoudemire (New York Knicks)

Center - Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)


If I were a part of a NBA Coaching Staff, the following would be my choices for the East All-Star Reserves

1 -4. Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics). The Celtics own the best record of the East.

5. Chris Bosh (Miami Heat) - If the four of Boston gets in, the three in South Beach likewise gets in.

6-7. Josh Smith & Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks) - J-Smooth deserves to get in at this point. He's been phenomenal.

Close calls:

Big Men: Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats), Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers), Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks)

Guards: Raymond Felton (New York Knicks)

If you notice, only six teams from the East are represented. It is also not a coincidence that those are the same six teams that are the virtual locks to make the playoffs. Just goes to show that the deep gulf still exists in that side of the Association.

TWTWTNBA: The Pacific Division All-Star Roster Pool

All-Star Voting for the Starters ended on Sunday, with the final ballot numbers to be released on Thursday in TNT at Madison Square Garden (Friday for those in the Motherland). Heat vs Knicks being the reason why Ernie and his crew will be in Broadway instead of their cushy Atlanta studios. A week after that, the All-Star Reserves are to be named.

Now, if the Pacific Division were to set up an All-Star team of their own, this would be their logical pool of candidates:

Golden State Warriors - Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, David Lee, Dorell Wright

Los Angeles Clippers - Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, Baron Davis

Los Angeles Lakers - Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom

Phoenix Suns -  Steve Nash, Grant Hill, Vince Carter

Sacramento Kings - Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins

Based from this, I believe this would be their roster composition.

Coach: Phil Jackson - He has 11 rings as a coach and 2 as a player. That's all.

Starters:

Guard: Steve Nash - The two-time MVP is the only reason why Phoenix is relevant.


Guard: Kobe Bryant - The Black Mamba recently celebrated the 5th anniversary of 81.

Forward: Lamar Odom - Khloe's husband was definitely rejuvenated by playing for Team USA. His role there also helped him with his role in LA. He's in near double-double territory.


Forward: Blake Griffin - He's just simply the gift that keeps on giving. There's already Clipper merchandise available dubbing him as "The Poster Child."


Center: Pau Gasol - He is the early season MVP for the defending champs, with Kobe having a slow start.


Reserves:

Guard: Monta Ellis - He's ballin' at a ridiculous level. Apparently, only a moped can derail him.


Center: David Lee - He's an offensive upgrade compared to what they had previously. Plus, the Warriors went in the tank when he was sidelined.

Guard: Tyreke Evans - Plagued with plantar fasciatis, he's still producing numbers harkening to his 20-5-5 ROY.

Guard: Stephen Curry - Hard to argue with the numbers. He really can shoot the lights out.


Forward: Dorell Wright - Golden State needed a small forward. He needed to prove himself. Perfect match.

Guard: Baron Davis - He definitely needs to thank Blake Griffin for re-energizing him as well as figuring out his new role as a distributor first and scorer second. (Update: This was supposed to be Eric Gordon, but he's injured)

Forward: Grant Hill - I will take him over Vince Carter. The wonders of the Phoenix Suns Medical Staff at work.


Inactive Roster:

Guard: Eric Gordon - Beneath all the flash of Blake Griffin is a smooth suave killer instinct Ambrose provides for Clipper Nation. He's now ready to take over games. (Update: He's out until the All-Star break, so I moved him here.)

Guard: Vince Carter - I just don't know how he can be revived. What started out with a bang will end on a whimper.


Center: DeMarcus Cousins - If only he can get his head screwed on straight. Definitely needs mentoring from someone with similar attributes: Zach Randolph

TWTWTNBA: The Southwest Division All-Star Roster Pool

All-Star Voting for the Starters ended on Sunday, with the final ballot numbers to be released on Thursday in TNT at Madison Square Garden (Friday for those in the Motherland). Heat vs Knicks being the reason why Ernie and his crew will be in Broadway instead of their cushy Atlanta studios. A week after that, the All-Star Reserves are to be named.

Now, if the Southwest Division were to set up an All-Star team of their own, this would be their logical pool of candidates:

Dallas Mavericks - Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler

Houston Rockets - Kevin Martin, Luis Scola

Memphis Grizzlies - Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol

New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul, David West, Emeka Okafor

San Antonio Spurs - Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan


Based from this, I believe this would be their roster composition.

Coach: Gregg Popovich - Pop reinvented how the Spurs roll this season unlike before, now using its speed.

Starters:

Guard: Chris Paul - Arguably the best amongst all the point guards out there, although there are still concerns regarding that huge knee brace that he has on.

Guard: Manu Ginobili - With Duncan slowing down / aging gracefully, this is now Manu's team.

Forward: Rudy Gay - Has taken the next step. He's Memphis' go to guy in the clutch. Could have had the Game-Winner-Of-The-Year if not for the Tyreke heave.

Forward: Dirk Nowitzki - We credit him for the great start Dallas had this season. Also the reason why the Mavs have slumped as of late, due to his injury.

Center: Zach Randolph - He's averaging 20-10 again, proving the previous season was not exactly a fluke.


Reserves:

Guard: Tony Parker - Free from Eva's grasp, he's the straw that stirs the uptempo Spurs.

Guard: Kevin Martin - The perennially underrated small-school standout is probably one of the most efficient players in the NBA. Might be the personification of what Daryl Morey wants in his version of Moneyball.

Forward: Luis Scola - He's Mr. Do It All for Houston. No Yao, he took on his load and then some.

Center: Marc Gasol - Surely, the Pau Gasol deal giveaway killed Chris Wallace's reputation, but the Wendigo has proven to be a positive for the Grizzlies

Forward: Tim Duncan - Slowly descending into the graceful exit mode that David Robinson took in the latter stages of his career.

Forward: David West - Can't let a fellow Jesuit alum down. (He's from Xavier). Has the numbers to back it up, too.

Guard: Jason Kidd - Because he might be one ahead of his time back in the day, with all the quality point men prevalent in the Association right now. It's hard to imagine an All-Star game without J-Kidd's flashiness. (although that time is coming soon)


Inactive Roster:

Center: Emeka Okafor -  Arguably one of the best Centers on the Western Conference ballot.

Guard: Caron Butler - Was on his way to possibly his last big payday before he innocently got injured to (in all likelihood) end his season.

Guard: Jason Terry - The former Sixth Man of the Year winner has ably stepped up in both Dirk and Caron's absence.

TWTWTNBA: The Northwest Division All-Star Roster Pool

 
All-Star Voting for the Starters ended on Sunday, with the final ballot numbers to be released on Thursday in TNT at Madison Square Garden (Friday for those in the Motherland). Heat vs Knicks being the reason why Ernie and his crew will be in Broadway instead of their cushy Atlanta studios. A week after that, the All-Star Reserves are to be named.

Now, if the Northwest Division were to set up an All-Star team of their own, this would be their logical pool of candidates:

Denver Nuggets - Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Nene

Minnesota Timberwolves - Kevin Love, Michael Beasley

Oklahoma City Thunder - Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka


Portland Trailblazers -  LaMarcus Aldridge,Wesley Matthews, Andre Miller, Brandon Roy

Utah Jazz - Deron Williams, Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson

Based from this, I believe this would be their roster composition.

Coach: Jerry Sloan - The taskmaster has a good knack coming from behind.

Starters:

Guard: Deron Williams - The new age John Stockon for the Jazz. The new rules are tailored for him to take over.

Guard: Russell Westbrook - He has The Sports Guy using references from The Wire comparing his situation with Kevin Durant. Also a Most Improved Player candidate.

Forward: Kevin Durant - NBA's leading scorer. All around good guy. The future has definitely arrived.

Forward: Carmelo Anthony - Currently the center of attention. His move to New York seems inevitable.

Center: LaMarcus Aldridge - With Brandon Roy out, he's emerged as the go-to-guy for Nate McMillan.

Reserves:

Forward: Paul Millsap - Quite simply the most egregious omission on the All-Star Ballot this year.

Forward: Kevin Love - Only Minnesota's miserable record is keeping him from being universally considered as an All-Star.

Guard: Chauncey Billups - With all the unsteadiness of the Carmelo situation, the veteran has somewhat stabled the ship

Center: Nene - Can make the argument for being the best performing center on the Western Conference All-Star Ballot.

Guard: Andre Miller - Without Brandon Roy, he gets to run the team his way, instead of having the usual clashes he has when both of them are on the court.

Guard: Wesley Matthews - He definitely is the main beneficiary of Brandon Roy's absence. He's definitely earning his pay.

Forward: Michael Beasley - Being transplanted from the hotbed of Miami to the frozen tundra of Minneapolis sure helped him, although there are still signs of immaturity still lurking (getting ejected in their loss against the Clippers). David Kahn snagged him cheap.


Inactive Roster:

Guard: Brandon Roy - Please do not rush your comeback. Please do not rush your comeback.

Center: Al Jefferson - Stepped up nicely with Memo being sidelined.

Forward: Jeff Green -  He's the third wheel in Oklahoma City.