By Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Boston Celtics’ franchise-record, 19-game winning streak as Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 27 points in a 92-83 victory on Thursday at Staples Center arena.

Pau Gasol added 20 for the Lakers, who finished the game on a 13-2 run to give coach Phil Jackson his 1,000th career win.

“They had just won 19 straight games so they were due for one,” Bryant said. “It was a challenge to stop the streak because they were playing so well.”

Entering the game, Boston (27-3) had engineered the best 29-game start to a season in history and matched the league’s fourth-longest winning streak.

The Celtics also are trying to defend their record 17th title, which they won in six games over the Lakers last June — capping it all with a convincing 131-92 romp in game six.

In this one, Los Angeles exacted a small measure of revenge thanks to Gasol who scored seven points during the decisive fourth-quarter run.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

Agence France-Presse

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics added another chapter to their storied history by setting a franchise record with their 19th consecutive victory on Tuesday.

Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo each scored 18 points in a 110-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Celtics, who surpassed the club mark set by the 1981-1982 team, now are 27-2, the best 29-game start in National Basketball Association history.

“We just want to keep playing, and we want to keep winning, and we want to try to keep getting better,” coach Doc Rivers said.

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By Agence France-Presse

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics equaled a franchise record Sunday with their 18th straight National Basketball Association victory, a 124-105 thrashing of the New York Knicks.

Rajon Rondo scored 18 of his career-high 26 points in the third period, finishing an impressive 12-of-14 from the floor.

The Celtics shot a season-high 66 percent from the floor in matching the best 28-game start in NBA history.

With a win on Tuesday at home against Philadelphia the Celtics could become the first team to open a season 27-2.

Ray Allen scored 18 for the Celtics, whose winning streak tied the 18-game streak set by the club in 1981-82.

Boston’s two 18-game streaks and one built by the 1969-70 Knicks are tied for fifth-longest in NBA history.

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FOR the first time, a team of Filipinos have completed the longest race in North America, the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill presented by the U.S. Air Force.

Gaby Dela Merced, Robbie Montinola and Angelo Barretto co-drove the Team Castrol-STR BMW M3 to a 6th place finish in class and a 12th place finish overall, out of 68 racecars.

After qualifying 3rd place in class, the team started the race off strong and developed a solid pace to keep the car intact for the 25-hour race.

Driver changes went flawless, pit stops were excellent and the Team Castrol-STR strategy was working well. Only one unscheduled pit stop was made during the first half of the race and all the drivers drove great stints. As the race reached darkness, thick fog began to roll in and the race was stopped due to the dangerous conditions. The race resumed around 5 a.m. and it became an all out sprint to the finish.

“The fog was unfortunate, we had a strong car at night with very capable drivers and I felt we would pull away during the dark,” said Montinola. “Overall, the car was great and the Team Castrol-STR crew did an amazing job. It was a close race to the finish and I believe we can win next year.” [Read the rest of this entry »]

By Izah Morales

IT was not yet Friday but many have gathered at the Black Nazarene Church in Quiapo not to hear mass. They were there to catch a glimpse of the victorious Manny Pacquiao.

At around 8:00 in the morning, the siren went off in Plaza Miranda as Pacquiao and his entourage arrived.

The once solemn atmosphere in the Church was quickly filled with cheers as Pacquiao entered. People who were seated in the Church silently, stood up. Others even forgot they were inside the Church as they climbed on top of pews to have a better view of the boxing champion. The police took about 30 minutes to settle the rowdy crowd inside the Church.

After priest gave his final blessings, Pacquiao was asked to give a message to the people.
During his message, Pacquiao thanked the people and attributed his success to God. He talked about the criticisms he got from some sportswriters before his bout with Oscar de la Hoya. But he said he did not lose hope as he kept his faith in God.

Pacquiao told the crowd, “Don’t tell God that [you] have a big problem. [B]ut tell your problem [that you] have a big God.”

As he went out of the Church, people brought out their phone cameras and took photographs. They followed him until he got into his land cruiser. One man screamed, “Idol kita, Manny!” as if saying that Pacquiao has always been their champion.

(Video courtesy of Solar Sports)

IT was a lopsided fight with Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao dominating every round.

At the end of the eight round, Oscar “The Golden Boy” De La Hoya threw in the towel, and the fight was over. Pacquiao won via technical knockout over De La Hoya.

Pacquiao proved to be the better fighter. His straight left proved an efficient weapon against De La Hoya who was unable to shake off Pacquiao. The Filipino fighter who was landing punches at will was just too fast for De La Hoya.

You can read the round-per-round updates of the fight from here.

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MANNY Pacquiao and Freddie Roach were swarmed by journalists for closer personal shots and interview right after the final media presentation of both fighters at the Hollywood Theater, inside the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“The Dream Match: Dela Hoya vs. Pacquiao” is slated December 6 (morning of December 7 in the Philippines) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Here are more pre-fight videos on the upcoming Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya fight.

Three days before the Dream Match, oddsmakers still favor Oscar dela Hoya over Manny Pacquiao but Richard Stern, President and COO of MGM, Mirage Entertainment and Sports, says the difference between the two fighters is getting slimmer and that other factors might reveal themselves on fight night itself.

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum presents Team Pacquiao to the media on December 3. Manny “The Pacman” Pacquiao is joined by, among others, trainer Freddie Roach, Wakee Salud and Luis “Chavit” Singson.

Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao who is going up against Oscar “Golden Boy” dela Hoya in a match the world is anxiously anticipating, is clad in a dark suit and tie during a press briefing. Pacquiao says that the fight is “nothing personal,” that he is “just doing his job,” and will do his best to give the viewers a good show.

We also asked our fellow Filipino fans about the upcoming fight, and guess who they favor

You can find the latest stories, video, running account and updates from the The Pacquiao Files.

Photo and video taken by INQUIRER.net US Sales Director Esther Misa-Chavez.