Utterly outclassed.
Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone lamented the Kings’ defeat to defending champion TNT in Game 1 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup finals Sunday night.
“They embarrassed us,” Cone said following the Kings’ 104-88 whipping in front of a record 11,021-strong crowd at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Tropang Giga’s defense made life a living hell for Ginebra right from the get-go as TNT raced to an early 15-point lead and remained in front to turn what was expected to be a tight first game of the finals rematch into a one-sided affair.
“Game 1 of the series, they were more locked in than we were. We just weren’t locked in as much as we would like to be,” the Kings mentor said.
TNT disrupted the offense of the Ginebra with a defensive clinic, taking its rival out of its comfort zone.
The Kings shot 39 percent from the field, missing 47 of their 77 attempts. Ginebra’s total output was way below its average of 106 points per game.
But what hurt the Kings the most was the Tropang Giga taking away their vaunted outside shooting where they made only two triples and just one four-pointer.
“They took a lot of what we wanted to do away from us. We shot the ball poorly. We’re 2-for-21 from the three-point line,” Cone said.
Resident import Justin Brownlee struggled to get a clear look at the basket with TNT clamping down on him. He did score a game-high 23 points but shot 8-of-21 field goals, missing his two treys and 1-of-5 from the 27-foot line.
It didn’t help that the backcourt duo of Scottie Thompson and rookie RJ Abarrientos went ice-cold with a combined 12 points.
The 25-year-old Abarrientos also got outworked by TNT elder statesman Jayson Castro — 13 years his senior — in their matchup especially in the third quarter.
Castro exploded for 12 of his 14 points in the third period where the Tropang Giga pulled away for good by outsprinting and outhustling Abarrientos.
TNT also got its way on offense, often getting clear looks from the outside, converting on transition and pounding the ball inside.
The Tropang Giga got 50 perimeter points, including 12 three-pointers and 42 points in the paint. TNT outrebounded Ginebra, 47-43.
“Just as I said we weren’t locked in. We weren’t locked in the whole game. They beat us up individually one-on-one and really embarrassed our defense. So, we’ll see what we can do about it,” Cone said.
The Kings lost for the first time in a series opener in the playoffs after drawing first blood in the quarterfinals and semis against Meralco and San Miguel Beer, respectively.
“It’s just one of those games you hate to have but happened in the first game of the championship series,” Cone said.
However, the 25-time PBA champion remains upbeat heading into Game 2 on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“But we have to turn around and move on. And see what we can do to change our fortunes in Game 2,” he said.