Game today:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs TNT
TNT will try to sustain the momentum of its opening day win to double its series lead over Barangay Ginebra in Game 2 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup finals today at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Tipoff is set at 7:30 p.m. with the Tropang Giga marching back into the battlefield beaming with confidence after extending their head-to-head winning streak over the Kings to four straight stretching back to the last two matches of the season-opening Governors’ Cup championship.
TNT relied on its torrid outside shooting including six straight in the closing stretch of the opening period to eke out a 95-89 victory last Friday to begin the best-of-seven affair at the same venue.
But despite having Ginebra’s number, Best Import frontrunner Rondae Hollis-Jefferson knows the series could turn anytime especially against a stacked and well-coached rival.
The Tropang Giga built an 18-point lead to start the second half but had to fight off a resilient Kings’ side the rest of the way to notch an all-import win despite missing the services of Governors’ Cup Finals Most Valuable Player Jayson Castro due to a season-ending knee injury.
“We got Game 1 and now we have to focus on the next game and do what we have to do to be better,” said Hollis-Jefferson, who scored a game-high 34 points including 18 in the second period and added 13 rebounds and eight assists in 48 minutes of action in Game 1.
“(We must) not let the lead drop, to not let those mental lapses that we had to take over the game. It’s about getting better,” he added.
Just like in their previous title showdown, TNT’s three-point shooting has been its main weapon to subdue Ginebra.
The Tropang Giga unloaded 14-of-37 triples — five coming from RR Pogoy including three of the team’s six straight treys to end the first quarter — to torch the Kings.
But more than its offense, TNT head coach Chot Reyes emphasizes the importance of holding down Ginebra’s shooting.
“With our defense, we were able to keep their shooting percentage to a minimal level (in Game 1),” Reyes said as the Tropang Giga limited the usually efficient Kings to just 40.7 percent shooting from the field in Game 1.
“I wish I could say more but it’s just really the effort of the guys. They just really are working doubly hard to make it difficult for the other team. We know how offensively potent that squad is,” Reyes added.
Ginebra, on the other hand, must find a way to make a quick turnaround or risk falling into a deeper hole it may not be able to climb out of.
While resident import Justin Brownlee has been producing consistent numbers, the three-time Best Import winner could only do so much.
Brownlee finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists but only had significant support from Scottie Thompson and rookie RJ Abarrientos, who scored 17 and 13, respectively.
Stephen Holt, Japeth Aguilar and Troy Rosario, who is playing hurt with an ankle sprain he sustained in the semifinals, had quiet outings while Jamie Malonzo was barely felt.
With TNT smothering them, the Kings would need to bring back the same ball movement that made their lives easy in disposing of NorthPort in the Final Four.
After averaging 33 assists in the semis, Ginebra only had 17 dishes in Game 1.
