Brought to you by my boy Jo Kurino’s Elitus brand, the bj-league socks are ready for the 2008-2009 season! I broke these out for the playoffs and they are real comfortable, high-quality socks.
俺の友人、Jo Kurinoのブランド、Elitusから2008-2009のBj-Leagueソックスが出ました！プレイオフで試しに履いてみたけどすごくクオ
NBAからもNBAソックスを出していて、NBA選手しか履けない時期があったんだ。欲しくて欲しくてたまんなかっ
ソックスに関してたくさんの人から問い合わせがあったけど、www.elitus.jp.
までにてチェックしてみてくれ。
Since we lost in the finals we gotta go home with SOMETHING right?? So yea we are the eastern conference champs. I haven’t written a blog about the playoffs because I didn’t want to think about it. I haven’t even watched the games yet and I don’t plan to. We beat
ファイナルでは負けたけど、イースタン・コンフェランスではチャンプだ！あまり考えたくなかったからファイナルのことはブログにはアップしなかった。まだ試合も観てないし、そのつもりもない。仙台との試合はよかった。途中で少しぶれはあったけど、基本的には試合をきちんと東京はコントロールしてたと思う。仙台に優勝した後、一応祝いを兼ねたことはやったがアリーナを出た瞬間、翌日の試合のことをみんな考えていた。
大阪との試合に関してはまだちょっと納得いってないな…（笑）絶対に勝てる試合ではあったが勝つことできなかった。オフィシャルに関しては何も言わないが、すごく残念には思ってる。なんたってファイナルだったし！大阪の２７のフリースローに対して東京は１２。リングには東京も大阪も同じだけ向かっていったのに…おかしいな…（笑）
まぁそれは、ここまでにしておこう。とにかく勝てる試合だったのに勝つことができなかった。あと、ファイナルはシリーズで決めていくほうがいいと思う。３試合中、２試合を勝ったチームがチャンピオンということだ。シリーズ化すれば真のチャンピオンが優勝すると思う。
もちろん、ネガティブのことだけじゃなかった。アパッチは本当によくやったと。ファイナルに行くまで本当に頑張ってきた。最下位からファイナルまで一年で上がってきたんだ。これはプロのバスケットボールの世界では本当に大変なことなんだ。基本的には一年を通して良い一年だったとは思うが、ファイナルで負けることでもっともっとハングリーになったよ。あまり間をあけずに身体を適度に休めて、またトレーニングに励もうと思う。
それから、一つ謝りたいことがある。試合後、すぐ握手をしにみんなのところに向かわなかったこと、そしてあまりフレンドリーではなかったこと。色んなことが頭の中を駆け巡ってて…色んな感情の渦の中にいて…。怒り、喜び、安堵、残念な想い、裏切り、不満足感、ハングリー感…と色々。立ち上がる前に頭の中をクリアにしたかったんだ。今シーズンの皆さんの力と応援には本当に感謝。みんながいなければ、ここまで東京は頑張れなかったと思う！投票がどうであれ、東京のブースターが一番だと俺は思う！今月末LAに帰るけど、来年も変わらずハングリーでいてくれることを願ってる！
CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP! 1ove, D-MAK
Playoffs are finally here, it’s been two years since we tasted the post-season so we are all excited and ready. We had two weeks of beating each other up in practice so we are all ready to go to war this weekend. I am not worried about being rusty because we have had good practices these two weeks, if anything
We are on a great winning streak, in our last fourteen games we are 13-1 and feeling confident about our chances. I feel like our defense has stepped up big time and that’s how we won games. If you saw our wild card game against
10 years old- Charlotte, Naomi, Yuji, and Braxton
20 years old- Brendan and Timothy
30 years old- Michelle and Tricia (sister)
40 years old- Shizuko and Aussie
50 years old- Naomi
60 years old- Wayne and Eddie (my dad)
70 years old- Gary and Mike
90 years old- Uncle Mit
プレイオフがようやくやってきた。ポストシーズンは二年ぶりだから
今、すごく調子がいい。最後の14試合のうち13試合は優勝して、チャンピオンシップのチャンスも夢じゃないことを
いつもプレイオフを観に両親が来るんだけど、今年は忙しいみたいだ
10 才- Charlotte, Naomi, Yuji, and Braxton
20 才- Brendan and Timothy
30 才- Michelle and Tricia (sister)
40 才- Shizuko and Aussie
50 才- Naomi
60 才- Wayne and Eddie (my dad)
70 才- Gary and Mike
90 才- Uncle Mit
What’s up yall? Well this Sunday is the wild card playoff game vs.
みんな調子どう？今週日曜日は新潟とのワイルドカードの試合だ
今年は27－17、イースタン・コンフェレンスでは2位を獲得した。去年の最下位とは天と地の差だ。NBAのスケジュールで言うと54勝、これはホームコートでプレイが出来るプレイオフには有利なこと
今年はプレイオフを優勝したい。だから俺は精一杯練習に励んでる
1ove, D-MAK
Well we have won 7 straight games which is great for us because we are starting to peak at the right time, right before playoffs start. Tomorrow we will play in Saitama, we have beaten them 4 times this year but they are a dangerous team. They have gotten a lot better since we played them in the opener. We can’t assume we are going to beat them, its going to be a tough 2 games. My goal is to win all of our games the rest of the season, 6 more games left and I think we can do it. If we keep clicking we can go into the playoffs and continue our streak.
タイミング的には抜群でプレイオフ目前に7連勝している。明日は、今シーズン4連勝している埼玉との試合だが、まさに侮れないチームだ。今シーズン始まって以来見違えるほどスキルをあげている。甘く見てはいけないチームなのだ。僕のゴールは残り6試合を勝つことだ。俺は実現できると思う。この調子で行けばプレイオフにも進める。
Hey yall, sorry I haven’t written a blog in a long time but i’ve been stressing a lil bit. I shouldn’t write when I’m too mad or too happy; I just gotta chill, gather my thoughts and then write lol. We won a big game in
As for myself I’d hate to admit it or even write it in my blog but for some stretches of the season I haven’t been having fun, I just want to enjoy the game of basketball. My focus is always there and I always play my heart out, it’s just I want to have fun doing it and I think I’m getting back to that. I don’t think other teams have better players that we do…but do some of them have better chemistry? Who knows, I’m only worried about apache and I just hope we can get it together cuz the playoffs are just around the corner. We turned a new page in
hey yall、長い間ブログ書かなくてすまなかった。少しだけストレスを感じる日々が続いてて…あんまりイライラしてる時、過剰に嬉しい時は書かかないほうがいいんだ。リラックスして考えをまとめて書くのがいちばん（笑）日曜日、仙台に勝った。これは、チームにとってホント精神的なブーストだった。最近、感情のジェットコースターに乗りっぱなしだったから本当によかったよ。この勢いでプレイオフに行ける事を願う。コーチが言うように、プレイオフに行くのは成績がいちばんの奴らじゃない、いちばん勢いがある奴らなんだ。
picture from the plane.. from tokyo to oita
a great trade for the lakers.. we get rid of kwame brown and get pau gasol. we can make a serious push deep into the playoffs now!!
suns get shaq..dang im a lil worried because i think the suns got better. no matter how many people say he wont fit in their system, come playoff time they will be very dangerous.
First exclusive interview with Tokyo Apache’s newest member!
Now that we have reached the mid part of the season, it’s time to take a look at how teams are playing, and what to expect in the upcoming months before the ultimate battle; the playoffs.
In the East, Sendai has come out as the surprise team. The 89ers all but changed their imports, besides Ryan Blackwell and are playing well. The Niners have size, can shoot, and dictate the tempo. Tokyo and Niigata are fighting for the 2nd place spot, but it seems like the Albirex will have the advantage since the Apache aren’t doing a good job facing Niigata in its direct match up (0-4).
In the West, Osaka was said to be doomed once forward Lynn Washington was placed on the shelf with an injury. The Evessa, also has a reputation for relying on their imports, but Kazuya Hatano and veteran Naoto Nakamura have stepped up to the plate to make up for the lost of Osaka’s instant double-double man. Takamatsu on the other hand started out hot with five imports, but is struggling to keep up the heat, as they are 3 games behind the two time defending champs.
Let’s break down each Team:
EAST:
Sendai 89ers
Grade A+
Report: The Niners have a solid group of players with no one really being a superstar. Ryan Blackwell’s scoring, but making his teammates better with passing and game making. PG Hikaru Kusaka have been a maestro as he has dictated the pace for his team and he has done a great job distributing the ball, leading to a healthy stat sheet with balanced scoring. Nick DeWitz is the team’s engine and All-Star Patrick Whearty enforces within the paint with his size and rebounding. They are the favorite to show up at Ariake Coliseum come May 3.
Tokyo Apache
Grade: B+
Report: Much better than last season, as they Nick Davis eating the glass and providing energy for the Apache. G/F John Humphrey is also playing great unselfish basketball, and the Apache is solid. Guard Kohei Aoki has been hit with the injury bug, and Tokyo must make sure he is healthy come playoff time, because without him, it will be hard to overcome Niigata during the Wildcard came, which is a bad match-up for the Apache.
Otherwise, another concern is finding another big man that can be a sidekick to Davis, just in case he gets in foul trouble. Forward Damieon Baker gives great support with his mid-range game, so, with another banger that can play 25 minutes per game, the Apache has a great shot at a duel and victory again Sendai in the Eastern Conference finals
Niigata Albirex
Grade: B
Report: Niigata seemed to have downgraded from last season, losing Nick Davis to Tokyo. Due to that, Matt Garrison has been delegated to rebounding more than he has ever done in the last four years. Guard Naoto Kosuge is providing solid output from the perimeter, but the Albirex may need more energy on the outside. In order to provide help for Forward Rodney Webb, the acquisition of Andre Smith has been a plus. Niigata has the second best defense in the east by only allowing 81.2 ppg, but the key for them will be to find another perimeter scorer that will give them another 5 points per game in general.
Saitama Broncos:
Grade: C-
Report: This team has the potential to blow-up, but the issue is when. The Broncos came out of the gate slow, but they are playing some good basketball as their chemistry have gotten better. New acquisition Aaron Lawrence Sakai has been a good get as he allows G Taishiro Shimizu to focus on being an offensive spark plug during vital points of the game. Forward Kazuhiro Shoji has also emerged as a vocal leader, and he is doing a good job of picking his spots to score. Saitama has the best defense in the East, and it’s up to them to further grow as a team and make good decisions during clutch time.
Toyama Grouses
Grade: F
Report: This Grouses team is nothing short of disappointing. The front office actually signed lower tier imports and two of them have gone home, with no replacement. Their front line is thin, and they have natural small forwards playing the power positions. Toyama’s offseason acquisition Masayuki Kabaya has been a positive influence, as he has formed a second-half to a promising backcourt featuring Takanori Goya and himself. Unless Jamar Brown gets some help on the inside and rebounding in the next 2 weeks, Toyama might as well start planning for next season.
WEST:
Osaka Evessa
Grade: A+
Report: Never would have expected the Evessa to be this good without Forward and Captain Lynn Washington. However, the defending champions are proving why they are at the throne as their Japanese players have emerged to hold the fort until their ace returns. The biggest key for this team is Mikey Marshall. He does it all for the Evessa, and always makes the right decisions. He is shooting more from the outside than he did for Oita last season, but hitting them. Marshall is quick off the dribble and constantly find open shooters; making Osaka hard to beat. Jeff Newton rebounds well-enough to allow Osaka to run the floor and scoring easier baskets, despite have a height disadvantage. If Lynn can gel with this team upon his return, the Evessa may be the favorite to take another trophy home. But of course, they will have to answer to Sendai.
Takamatsu Five Arrows
Grade: B+
Report: Takamatsu looked better on paper this preseason when they signed Center George Leach and their fifth import, Steve Horn. However, they might not be as good as they were last season, as Leach has had a hard time avoiding foul trouble, and his game does not have the same dimensions that Julius Ashby had last year. Last season’s Finals standout Reggie Warren is having a signature year by averaging nearly 20-10 in the frontcourt, and he is the Five Arrow’s energizer. When he is clicking, and has his teammate’s involved, they are virtually unstoppable. The only draw back is the fact that Takamatsu wants to score a lot of points, but they can get stagnant when players get selfish, and they want to make the game a shootout. Defense, and more ball movement will be key to their success.
Oita Heat Devils
Grade: C
Report: Hard to grade the Heatdevils as they have ample talent to compete, but lack the knockout punch to finish games. Everything is average. They score 86 points a game, but they give up 85.6. They finish most weekends at 1-1. They are one of the top rebounding teams in the league, but give up critical rebounds when the game is on the line. Star Forward Andy Ellis is putting up more statistically than he did last season, and so is second-year forward Justin Allen. However, the Heatdevils have lacked a slasher, or another aggressive player to keep its opponents on its heels. PG Tsubasa Yonamine has made himself valuable with his playmaking and defensive abilities. Oita has the size, speed, and smarts to compete against any team, but it may take more to add wins to its record.
Rizing Fukuoka BB
Grade: C-
Report: Coach John Neumann and his Rizing squad have been solid, even though they are an expansion team. Fukuoka plays with a lot of defensive energy night-in and night-out, but they allow a lot of points because they play at a very fast pace. Forward Joshua Peppers and Michael Gardener are fantastic when they are clicking, but they can get their team in a funk when they force erratic shots. There have been some concerns as Fukuoka is facing the injury bug (Jun Nakanishi and N’Dongo NDiaye), and Tsuyoshi Kawazura has had to play elephantine amounts of minutes. As of this week, they have signed Trevor Bryant from Tokyo and he may perhaps be a spark plug that can run, play defense, and finish buckets for the Rizing. If Fukuoka can hang around, they have the potential to beat Oita and show up at Ariake as a darkhorse team.
Ryukyu Golden Kings
Grade D
Report: Defense seems to be a major concern for the Kings, as they allow 88.3 points per game. The Kings also lack a multi-dimensional player that can provide inside-outside offense. Forwards Eric Walton and Danny Jones are solid forwards, but Walton lacks height, and Jones lacks power, respectively. 2007’s first overall selection, Naoto Takushi has had to score more than he has to at the point guard position, and now has been relegated to the SG slot, with the acquisition of import guard Herb Gibson. Forward Bryon Simpson has played well for the minutes he’s on the floor, but he’s far from an offensive stalwart. Ryukyu may have to ditch it’s one-on-one approach on offense to create easier shots for its offensively handicapped bunch. And it’s imperative for them to play better team defense. On the plus side, they are still competitive so it only takes a little tweaking to become better.
By John Scribe
© Darin Satoshi Maki, all rights reserved
TRG x Boo Productions
