Defense wins championships.
The PBA Governors’ Cup finals between the TNT Tropang Giga and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has been defined by some hot shooting from beyond the arc.
In fact, the team that has made more threes has won every time—Ginebra in Game 1 (15 triples as against TNT’s 9), TNT in Game 2 (15 to 7), Ginebra in Game 3 (18 to 11), and TNT in Game 4 (21 to 15). Given this trend, one would reckon that this series would be decided by shooting, with the squad that gets hot from trey territory two more times ultimately bringing home the title.
TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa thinks otherwise, in part because shooting can be so unpredictable.
“Even si Tim [Cone] if you ask him, he’s not worried if we’re gonna shoot well tonight or what because it can change in an instant,” Lastimosa pointed out in Sunday’s post-game press conference. “Hindi mo alam e, ganun talaga ang shooting—sometimes it’s on, sometimes it’s not.”
Lastimosa, instead, is worried about something the players themselves can actually control: defense and the effort required to play well on that side of the ball.
“If you ask him [Cone] about it, as long as the defense is constant, you’re gonna be okay. You’ll live with the results,” Lastimosa explained. “And we still have [yet] to see a close game. So far, it’s been medyo malayo ang agwat.”
Those close games might be looming as this championship series has been reduced to a virtual best of three. And Lastimosa believes what the difference will be in Games 5 and 6—and may be even 7.
“I know it’s gonnna eventually boil down to defense in the next few games, especially if this goes seven games,” Lastimosa concluded.
If he is right, fans would be in for a wild, exciting finish to this PBA Governors’ Cup, which resumes on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.