A postscript to the 2013 NBA Global Games in Manila

When news broke out that the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers were going to play in Manila for a preseason game, the reaction was a bit muted. Only James Harden (and if you want to count a post-Linsanity Jeremy Lin) had significant mainstream media traction on the Rockets. Paul George, Roy Hibbert and David West were names in that strange limbo of being All-Stars but not quite household names.

But the offseason changed everything, and the game became bigger than we thought it’d be. Suddenly, Dwight Howard was Manila-bound. Then it dawned on people they’d get a chance to gawp at Paul George, the force of nature that pushed the Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. We could’ve gotten much less: Mexico saw the Magic and the Hornets last year, while London had to host the Pistons and Nets in separate games. But with a stroke of luck, two Finals contenders with some of the most compelling storylines were headed to Manila.

I think many of us, myself included, were wrapped up in that thought as tip-off drew nearer. The MOA Arena’s new trimmings - from the mascots, the boosters, the music, the videos and the Indiana Pacemates - built up the excitement to a terrifying crescendo. We were about to watch Hibbert and Howard do battle in the paint. We were about to see West’s manong moves in the post, while our moms would dote on Jeremy Lin. We were prepared to gasp as Harden and George tried to obliterate each other, and anticipated the collective swoons for Chandler Parsons each time he touched the leather. This was it, the NBA was finally here.

But if you were there at the MOA Arena on that stormy Thursday night, it didn’t feel that way. The rafters were crammed, but the empty patches in the lower box looked embarrassing. At the same time, almost nobody wore the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” to represent the country in a globally-broadcasted event. We already knew tickets were expensive, but still we hoped enough people would shell out cash to pay homage to their heroes. Sadly, the rambunctious Filipino fans we promised the basketball world were priced out of their own game.

[Related: Lin-led Rockets cruise from start to finish versus Pacers in Manila]

Did the ticket-buyers get their money’s worth, though? I’m not sure. Houston’s starters seized an early lead and took a break in the second half, partly because of foul trouble. Though the Pacers rallied back early in the fourth quarter, journeymen like Omri Casspi and Donatas Montiejunas easily quelled the storm.

It was sold to us as a “complete NBA experience,” and all the confetti and fanfare, the legends and stars that pump-primed the country for the big day, led us to believe exactly that. We were almost willing to forget that the preseason is a mere preparation for an 82-game grind, and highlights don’t come as easy as YouTube clips or smashing buttons on your console's controller. The Rockets and the Pacers are only a week deep into training camp, with roles to figure out and plans to tinker with, and they played more or less how they wanted to play.

Granger has yet to gel with the new and improved George. Howard is still building the stamina he needs to keep up with Houston’s offensive tempo. Both teams are just getting their legs under them in October, before they begin to peak in February and if their fortunes hold, journey deep in the playoffs in June. So watching a game, this early with these two teams, is part of the “complete NBA experience,” and the NBA delivered as advertised.

I wouldn’t be completely disappointed, though. I think that right now, we have to come to terms with the facts that NBA games are never going to be cheap, and whoever flies here won’t risk injury to dive for loose balls. We could get better returns on investment watching the PBA, UAAP, or NCAA finals if we wanted to join a packed house watching teams out for blood. But bad weather and pricey seats notwithstanding, we know the NBA is serious about increasing its presence in the Philippines. They’ll return in a few more years and hopefully, things will get better for everyone else from here.

Just 30 years ago, David Stern said the NBA was struggling to make money, let alone get live airtime. Today they have 30 teams, billions of dollars in revenue, a smorgasbord of game data, and live streaming on demand for all their followers worldwide. Last year, our claim to fame was that free TV in Manila could access more live NBA games than similar TVs in the United States. This year, we’ve had top-caliber teams play right before our very eyes.

It’s not the best start, but I can’t wait for the next 10 years to fly by. - AMD, GMA News