WHO is the greatest basketball player of all time?”
That’s from Ray Butch “Elvis” Gamboa, the host of Motoring Today, the longest-running motoring show on TV.
We were having single malt whiskey at the Midori Hotel in Clark Pampanga on the eve of our departure for Balesin Island in Polilio, Quezon Province on Wednesday.
(We are still here in Balesin, where we are presently test-driving the recently launched Rush, Toyota’s handsome seven-seater SUV that has the looks of a combined Fortuner and Innova.)
Back to Elvis.
“Tough question,” I said to him. “But, well, to be honest, from the very start, I chose Michael Jordan.”
“Thank you,” said Elvis, raising his glass. “I ask that, Sir Paul, because of what’s happening to Cleveland in its ongoing NBA Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. Why did the Cavs lose again? Don’t they have LeBron James, who is supposed to be the greatest player on earth today?”
He was referring to Cleveland’s second straight defeat that gave Boston a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Conference title playoffs on Tuesday. And LeBron is Cleveland’s king for years now.
“Please explain, Sir Paul?”
I call Butch Elvis because, well, isn’t it obvious? He is an Elvis Presley fan for the longest time.
He calls me Sir Paul because, well, he knows I am a Beatlemaniac for the longest time, too.
Easily, I could have been Sir John (Lennon, the Chief Beatle), but that tag went to Danny Isla, the founding president of Lexus Manila Inc. who adores John Lennon to high heavens. We are all dear friends, you know.
“While LeBron is king today, unfortunately, practically all of his teammates could not give him the support he badly needs,” I said to Elvis. “Basketball is still a team game.”
Game 3 on Sunday is survival time for LeBron and the Cavs.
I insist LeBron’s back-up crew must do their part if they want to stay afloat.
There’s only one thing positive left for them: They play Game 3 in their home court at Quicken Loans Arena.
A win could revive their sagging spirits as Game 4 is also set in their turf.
Should they level it at 2-2, we have a series that could go all the way to Game 7.
“Should it go the distance, I pick Cleveland,” said Elvis. “By then, LeBron must be king again.”