The grueling seven-game Philippine Basketball Association Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup finals series between Barangay Ginebra and TNT Tropang 5G took a toll on Justin Brownlee, reducing him into a mere spectator when Gilas Pilipinas suffered a 49-92 loss to the Australia in the third window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Monday night.

Gilas coach Tim Cone admitted that Brownlee wasn’t not looking good when they left for New Zealand last week, prompting him to sit out their friendly matches against the Manawatu Jets on 28 June and the Franklin Bulls last Tuesday.

He tried to play during their 102-106 double-overtime loss to the Tall Blacks, but his movements were very limited. In the end, he logged only five points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in a staggering 43 minutes of action.

Cone said Brownlee was diagnosed with multiple injuries like hamstring strain, right peroneal tendinopathy, left knee swelling, and cartilage defects so they decided to sit him out in the all-important match against the unbeaten Boomers at the RAC Arena in Perth.

“He’s got multiple injuries,” Cone said in an interview ahead of their battle against the Aussies.

“We tried to rest him through this whole trip and he didn’t practice the whole time he was here in New Zealand and Australia. When he tried to play, he did his best, but it was just too much. He feels that he has no explosion and he feels that he is hurting the team rather than helping the team.”

“He has given us so much so it’s a much-deserved rest for him.”

Cone added that the injuries of the naturalized Filipino was brought by the heavy minutes he logged while reinforcing Ginebra’s successful title run in the midseason conference last month.

Brownlee played his heart out for Ginebra in the gritty finals series. In fact, he dropped 54 points in their 100-95 overtime win in Game 5 followed by a 52-point explosion in their 80-98 loss in Game 6.

In the end, the Kings emerged victorious with Brownlee lifting his fourth Best Import award after outplaying the younger Chris McCullough of the Tropang 5G.

Cone said the grueling campaign took a toll on the body of the 38-year-old Brownlee.

“We don’t know that so much here, but back in Manila we know what Justin went through with the real big seven-game series in the PBA and he was hurting through that series,” Cone, also the Barangay Ginebra mentor, stressed, adding that he expects Brownlee to miss some games in the Governors’ Cup that starts this Friday.