Will the TNT Tropang Giga raise the trophy on Friday? Or will Ginebra live another day?
The TNT Tropang Giga will shoot for the PBA Governors’ Cup crown in Game 6 on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. And it promises to be an explosive contest full of compelling storylines, but none are more groundbreaking than these four:
What will be Justin Brownlee’s condition come Game 6?
With barely 48 hours to recover from a severe case of food poisoning, it remains to be seen if Brownlee will be well enough to play for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, which is facing a 3-2 series deficit for the first time in the Tim Cone era. Of course, it is foolish to dismiss that vaunted never-say-die spirit, but Ginebra will be at a massive disadvantage without Brownlee, or if he is severely limited by his health.
Calvin Oftana’s star turn
Oftana struggled in Game 1, but since then, he has played progressively better. He has been particularly impressive in Games 4 and 5, when he was thrust to the starting lineup after RR Pogoy got injured in Game 3. Ginebra has not quite figured out Oftana, who is proving Coach Tim right that he can be a problem in TNT’s small-ball configurations.
Next men up for the defending champs
Regardless of Brownlee’s condition coming into Game 6, Ginebra will need plenty of contributions up and down the roster. It has to start with the team’s stars—Scottie Thompson, Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonzo, and Stanley Pringle. But the defending champions will likely need more, which means guys like Jeremiah Gray and Nards Pinto will have to come up big if Ginebra is to extend the series.
Offense vs defense
Maybe TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa was right all along when he said that defense will win this championship. And it appears TNT has been doing enough on that end, taking away Ginebra’s pet plays and making it difficult for the defending champs to score. In contrast, Ginebra’s lack of defense is dooming its chances as the Tropang Giga have largely gotten the shots they want.
Game 6 will be on Friday, also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.