TNT found Rain or Shine one tough customer in the semifinals.
Things won’t get any easier in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup finals for the Tropang Giga as they will cross paths against a dangerous rival in Barangay Ginebra.
TNT eliminated the Elasto Painters in five close games that could’ve gone either way to forge a best-of-seven championship series rematch against the formidable Kings firing off on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“I don’t think it’s any secret we’re going to play in the finals,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said after taking care of Rain or Shine, 97-92, in Game 5 of the semis last Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum albeit Ginebra was still to play NorthPort that time.
Reyes’ prediction rang true as the Kings crushed the Batang Pier by 27 points for a second straight title dance with the Tropang Giga after the season-opening Governors’ Cup.
TNT defeated Ginebra in six games in their previous finals meeting. But replicating that feat will be a gargantuan task with the Kings now parading a complete lineup with the return of Jamie Malonzo, Jeremiah Gray and the addition of former Tropang Giga Troy Rosario.
“We all know how strong and how deep that team is. It’s good preparation for us (playing a tough Rain or Shine). But Ginebra is a very different team than Rain or Shine,” he added.
Reyes would like to consider themselves as the underdogs despite beating the Kings, 91-86, in the elimination round.
This makes sense, since TNT is a man down after veteran guard Jayson Castro, who was named Governors’ Cup Finals Most Valuable Player, sustained a season-ending knee injury.
“We’re going to come into that series one-man down and they have three new players essentially from the last time we played them in the finals,” Reyes said.
“Again, that’s going to be a huge challenge.”
For Reyes and the rest of TNT led by two-time Best Import winner Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the finals series would definitely be harder than the last.
“Like I said, if this series (against Rain or Shine) was difficult, that next one is going to be maybe 10 times even more difficult. So, we need to rest, we need to find ways to make sure that we’re able to come out and play our best,” Reyes said.
“That’s our only way to compete. If we play our best, we have a chance. It’s not sure, but at least we have a chance. But if we do not play at our best, we have no chance against that kind of talent, against that team,” he added.