Barangay Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee is expected to undergo surgery on his injured right thumb after the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup finals.
But for now, Brownlee would have to play through pain for a game or two in the grueling best-of-seven series against TNT.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s gonna need surgery when this series is over to help reattach some ligaments onto his thumb,” Kings head coach Tim Cone said.
The three-time Best Import winner could get under the knife as early as this week if the Kings complete the title-clincher in Game 6, still being played as of press time at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game 7, if necessary, is on Friday at the same venue.
“He’s gonna have to manage his way through this at this point. Our trainers are working around the clock with him to keep the swelling down. They are doing whatever therapy they could do for him, icing, whatever,” Cone added.
“But the bottom line is he’s just gonna have to go through some pain to get this championship,” the 25-time PBA champion mentor said of his reinforcement who gave Ginebra its 15th and last crown back in the 2023 edition of the conference.
Brownlee hurt his thumb in Game 3 when the Kings went down, 1-2, in their second straight championship showdown against the Tropang Giga after a runner-up finish in the season-opening Governors’ Cup.
But despite playing with a broken thumb, it didn’t stop Brownlee from producing his usual numbers, albeit with some struggles.
He still came up big in Games 4 and 5, averaging 20.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in back-to-back wins.
In Game 5, Brownlee was slow to find his shooting rhythm with just 1-of-5 field goal clip in the first half before eventually finishing with 18, including late key baskets that pushed Ginebra on the brink of ending a four-conference title drought.
“We all knew from our side that Justin was struggling a little bit more with his hand today than he was in the last game,” Cone said.
Brownlee had 23 markers in Game 4, just two days after dislocating his thumb.
“He made some uncharacteristic turnovers when the ball was slipping out of his hands. It was like he was afraid to grab the ball,” Cone added.
The tactician, however, still marveled at how Brownlee managed to come out and play at his best despite the injury.