The TNT Tropang Giga shot 47% from the field in their first four playoff games this Governors’ Cup, a stark improvement from the 40% clip they averaged by the end of the elimination round.
Just when the TNT Tropang Giga needed to pump their offensive juices in the playoffs, their shots started to fall for the reigning Governors’ Cup champions.
The result? The Tropang Giga found themselves in the semifinals of the season-opening tournament.
“The more good shots we take, the more chances we have of making them. I think that’s what happened in the quarterfinals,” Reyes told reporters after their dominating 125-96 Game 4 shellacking of the NLEX Road Warriors to close out their series in four games.
TNT rebounded from a deflating Game 2 loss with two commanding wins, largely due to the Tropang Giga's improved efficiency in shooting in their final two games.
The Tropang Giga rode a 48% FG clip from in their 18-point Game 3 victory. Then they carried that momentum to the series-clinching Game 4 dub, thanks to red-hot 58% conversion from the floor.
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“It’s about playing defense, but it’s also about putting the ball in the hoop. In the quarterfinals, we finally hit some shots. If you will notice, our field goal percentage in the elimination round is very low,” Reyes added.
Despite carrying a league-best 8-2 win-loss record to enter the postseason as the no. 1 overall seed, TNT placed dead last among 12 teams at the end of the elimination round when it came to making shots.
They sank a lowly 46.6% from the two-point region, connected 32.7% from the three-point land that is good for ninth place, and registered a league-worst 15% clip from the newly installed four-point line.
But TNT, as per Reyes, managed to fix its shooting woes in the playoffs. He said the team’s new-found groove in offense is just as important as their defensive identity.
“All of our discussions in our offense in the quarterfinals is to take good shots. I believe all misses are not created equally. We had good shots, we’re not just hitting them.”
“That really goes a long way towards helping you win the ball games, but still we don’t want to take away our focus from the defensive end. That’s still our starting point.”
The top team in terms of points allowed per game in the elimination round at 87, TNT held NLEX to under 100 points three times in the series.
[ALSO READ: TNT's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson vows to be better after 'rough' Game 4 vs NLEX]
Overall, Reyes also pointed out that turnovers and their so-so free throw shooting are the things Tropang Giga need to address as they await their next opponent.