I still remember exactly where I was during Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals – glued to my old CRT television with the volume turned down low because it was well past midnight here in Manila. That Lakers-Celtics showdown remains etched in my memory as perhaps the most physically demanding championship game I've ever witnessed. What strikes me now, looking back fourteen years later, is how that game perfectly illustrated the very mentality Von Pessumal recently described when talking about PBA players – that burning need to prove something, whether you're a young talent establishing yourself or a veteran defending your legacy.

Kobe Bryant embodied that veteran mentality Pessumal mentioned, the "older guys still trying to prove they are one of the best." At 31, with four rings already, Kobe wasn't a young gun anymore. He was shooting a miserable 6-for-24 from the field through three quarters. Yet, he kept grinding, finishing with 23 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. That relentless drive, that refusal to accept anything less than victory despite a poor shooting night, is exactly the kind of veteran resolve that defines legends. It reminds me of what Calvin Abueva, at 36, still brings to the PBA court – that same unyielding fire to prove he's still among the elite.

The game itself was an ugly, brutal masterpiece. The final score was 83-79, a far cry from today's high-scoring affairs. Both teams were exhausted; you could see it in their movements during the fourth quarter. The Lakers shot just 32.5% from the field, while the Celtics weren't much better at 40.8%. It was a war of attrition, not a skills competition. This is what true championship basketball looks like when everyone has something to prove. It's not always pretty. It's about who wants it more, who's willing to fight through the fatigue and the missed shots. I see echoes of this in the PBA today, where young players like Joshua Munzon are fighting to make a name for themselves in a physical league. They're not just playing for a paycheck; they're playing for their careers, for respect, for that chance to be considered among the best.

What often gets overlooked in the 2010 NBA Championship Game 7 breakdown is the contribution of Ron Artest, now Metta World Peace. He was the ultimate X-factor, scoring 20 points, including that iconic three-pointer with just under a minute left after Kobe missed a tough jumper. He grabbed 5 steals and played suffocating defense. Artest was the embodiment of a player with everything to prove – he'd been labeled a troublemaker for years, and this was his chance at redemption on the biggest stage. His performance that night is a perfect case study for any young athlete: it's not just about scoring; it's about impacting the game in every way possible when your moment arrives.

The final moments were pure torture for any basketball fan. With a three-point lead and seconds ticking away, the Lakers fouled Rajon Rondo to prevent a potential game-tying three. It was a controversial but brilliant strategic move. Rondo made the first free throw, missed the second intentionally, but the Celtics couldn't secure the rebound. That sequence, that gamble by Phil Jackson, won them the championship. It was a chess match played at a frenetic pace. I sometimes wonder if we'd see that same level of strategic guts in a modern Game 7, or if analytics would have dictated a different approach. For me, that instinctual, high-stakes decision is what makes reliving the 2010 NBA Finals so compelling.

Watching that game today, the parallels to the current PBA landscape are striking. You have the established veterans, the "older guys" like Abueva, who, much like Kobe was in 2010, are defending their status and proving they still have what it takes. Then you have the "young guys trying to make a career out of themselves," the Josh Munzons of the league, fighting for every minute of playing time, trying to create their own legacy. Pessumal's comments really hit the nail on the head – that shared hunger, that collective desire to prove a point, is the engine of competitive sports. It's what made Game 7 in 2010 so epic, and it's what makes following any league, from the NBA to the PBA, so endlessly fascinating. The stage changes, the players change, but that fundamental drive to prove yourself against the best? That remains the heart of the game.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.