Kings, Tropa hot on 2-0 lead

Games today:

(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)

5 p.m. — Ginebra vs San Miguel Beer

7:30 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs TNT

Grand slam-seeking TNT and Barangay Ginebra try to capitalize on their rousing opening day wins to gain a commanding lead over their respective Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinals opponents today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Tropang 5G look to continue their dominance off the glass and efficient disruption of Rain or Shine’s running game when they meet once again in the main game slated at 7:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Kings eye a 2-0 lead over top-seeded San Miguel Beer in the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser.

TNT lorded it over on the rebounding department, taking advantage of the Elasto Painters playing small ball in a 98-91 victory in Game 1 last Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Calvin Oftana, Poy Erram and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser hauled a combined 30 of the Tropang 5Gs 59 boards compared to just 44 of Rain or Shine.

“One of our main discussions in practice was to make sure we keep them off the offensive glass and then when they started small, obviously we had the advantage in size,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said.

“So that’s what we talked about in the timeouts, in the huddles, that if they continue to play small then we have to make sure to dominate the boards.”

Controlling the boards also slowed down the tempo of the game — the Achilles’ heel of the Elasto Painters, whose system is designed to spread the floor in a fast-paced run-and-gun style of play.

Rain or Shine has to find a way to get their rhythm going and dictate the pace early to avoid falling into TNT’s type of game.

Head coach Yeng Guiao, who was ejected in the last 15 seconds of the series opener, will need to squeeze more from Jhonard Clarito, Adria Nocum, Andrei Caracut, Caelan Tiongson and especially Leonard Santillan, who was barely felt with in a quiet five-point outing.

On the other hand, Ginebra mentor Tim Cone is sure to stick with his defense-oriented system to keep it a low-scoring ball game, where the Kings have a higher percentage of winning.

Ginebra held down the Beermen below their average output of 108 points per game in a come-from-behind 73-71 win.

The Kings’ never-say-die spirit was on full display after overcoming an 18-point deficit to stun San Miguel Beer.