The Philippine Online Chronicles

In NBA news, the Cleveland Cavaliers, currently one of the league's worst teams, shocked the world by beating two-time world champions Los Angeles Lakers in Cleveland, Ohio. The Lakers dropped their third straight game in their annual Grammy Road Trip.

In local sports news, the Philippine Basketball Association's Development League has enticed more teams to jump ship from the Philippine Basketball League. The new league is set to start on March 2 in San Juan.

Catch all the latest sports news in today’s sports roundup.

NBA: Cleveland 104, LA Lakers 99

Four weeks ago, the LA Lakers obliterated the Cleveland Cavaliers by 55 points at home. With the Cavaliers just barely dodging their 27^th straight loss last week, the Lakers were expected to put on a show.

However, the Cavaliers had other things in mind. They played their best game of the season and beat the Lakers 104-99 to earn just their second victory in almost two months.

Point guard Ramon Sessions abused the Lakers' backcourt by dropping 32 points. Power forward Antawn Jamison also added 19 points and 10 rebounds, while center JJ Hickson finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers, on the other hand, got a huge production from Pau Gasol, who tallied 30 points and 20 rebounds. Despite this impressive performance, it wasn’t enough to put the Lakers over the top.

Kobe Bryant scored 17 points although he made only eight of his 25 shot attempts from the field.

The Lakers racked up four straight victories in their annual Grammy Road Trip before losing three straight.

With less than one minute remaining, the Lakers cut down a 10-point lead to two points. However, Anthony Parker and Sessions made four free throws all in all to seal the deal.

The Lakers fell to third place in the Western conference behind the Dallas Mavericks and the league-leading San Antonio Spurs.

With the Lakers’ most recent loss, coach Phil Jackson hopes to regroup and figure out a way to solve their team’s problems.

Local pro basketball: PBL teams rush to join D-League

Months before its very first official ballgame, the Philippine Basketball Association's Development League (D-League) is already attracting a number of teams from the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

After competing in the PBL for a couple of years, Agri-Nature Inc./FCA, Pharex, and Cobra Energy Drink have decided to join the newly-formed PBDL. Aside from these teams, France, Cebuana Lhuillier and Freego Jeans have also agreed to join.

The PBA-affiliated D-League is patterned after the NBA Development League.

Just like its NBA counterpart, the PBA D-League hopes to develop amateur players so that they would be able to play for the PBA anytime.

According to PBA Commissioner Chito Salud, teams who wish to compete have to pay P300,000 in order to join. If a certain team is affiliated with an active professional squad in the PBA, it will only need to pay P150,000.

Meanwhile, PBA teams can form farm teams in the D-League for free.

The other teams that will see action in the opening day of the D-League are Black Water/ Ever Bilena, City of Antipolo, Handyfix/Max Bond, Pacific Pipes, and PC Gilmore.

Cycling: Armstrong retires again

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has announced his retirement.

Armstrong, who is quitting for the second time in his career, stated that spending time with his family and all his other commitments are his reasons for walking away from the sport.

He said focusing more on his five children and promoting anti-cancer organization Livestrong have become his priorities.

Armstrong first announced his retirement in 2005 after the year's Tour de France. He eventually returned four years later, finishing third in the 2009 Tour de France.

He joined the Tour Down Under tournament in Australia last month.

From 1999-2005, the American cyclist won the Tour de France seven straight times. He is the only cyclist to win that many honors in the prestigious tournament, surpassing the five won by cycling greats such as Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, and Jacques Anquetil.

Armstrong also won numerous awards such as the 1999 ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, 2000 Prince of Asturias Award in Sports, and the 2002 Sports Illustrated Sportman of the Year.

Apart from these accolades, he was also named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year from 2002-2005.

Photo: “Lance Armstrong Down Under” by Paul Coster c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved.