CLOSING TIME: Tropang Giga, Kings aim to forge finals duel

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5 p.m. — TNT vs Rain or Shine

7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs NorthPort

A return trip to the finals is now within reach of TNT.

So, the Tropang Giga are determined to get the job done and finish off Rain or Shine in Game 5 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup semifinals today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Holding a commanding 3-1 best-of-seven series lead, TNT gets its first out of three attempts to advance into the title round at 5 p.m.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra seeks to rebound from a setback that denied it of a sweep of top-seeded NorthPort in the main game at 7:30 p.m.

Despite losing key player and court leader Jayson Castro to a season-ending knee injury in Game 2, the Tropang Giga rediscovered their winning ways with a huge 93-85 win in Game 4 last Wednesday to move closer to a second straight championship appearance after ruling the season-opening conference Governors’ Cup.

TNT head coach Chot Reyes, however, is wary of the Elasto Painters’ capability of turning things around, especially with their backs against the wall.

“We talked about it and we know that it’s going to be a very difficult series for us,” Reyes said.

The series has been nothing but tight with the Tropang Giga winning by just an average margin of 4.67 points, Rain or Shine took Game 3 by just five points.

“But like I said, we’re very grateful to be in this position, grateful that we get to do this. We chose this. We chose to enter the semis and to compete and this is part of the deal,” said Reyes, whose squad also eliminated the Elasto Painters in the Governors’ Cup semis in five games.

TNT held Rain or Shine’s locals’ production in Game 4 with import Deon Thompson shouldering the team’s scoring as the only Elasto Painter in double-figures with 44. Rain or Shine’s locals were nowhere to be found, including gunner Adrian Nocum, who was shackled to just four markers after averaging 17.7 points in the first three outings.

“It was a bad shooting night for us. Deon played well, he had 44 and I think that’s his highest scoring game. Too bad it came when our locals went ice cold,” Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao said.

“But then even when our locals were cold, we were able to keep the game close.”

Guiao sees it as something positive Rain or Shine can build on to extend the series.

“It’s not yet over. We still have a game on Friday. We’ll watch film, do walkthroughs and see adjustments. Definitely, the series is far from over.”

On the other hand, the Kings will again try to wrap the series following a foiled sweep bid last Wednesday in a sorry 103-108 loss to the Batang Pier.

Ginebra eyes a quick turnaround to advance to the best-of-seven finale for an unfinished business following a runner-up performance in the Governors’ Cup.

The Kings just didn’t have the finishing kick in Game 4 after going up 3-0 in the series.

“It’s kind of a natural reaction being up 3-0, but it’s not something that we find acceptable, even though we know it can happen that way. It’s not acceptable for us,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said.

NorthPort import Kadeem Jack and Best Player of the Conference frontrunner Arvin Tolentino knocked down crucial baskets in the closing stretch that kept the Kings at bay to dodge the broom.

Winning three straight over Ginebra is highly improbable but not impossible. After all, San Miguel Beer has done the feat with its “Beeracle” over Alaska during the 2016 Philippine Cup finals.

“It felt like being underwater and you can’t breathe. Now we’re able to get our heads above water. So, our confidence is back. As a team, we’ve recovered our confidence. Three more (wins),” Tolentino said.