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SIMOUN SAYS: TNT Can Put Away Ginebra in 5, (Seriously)

Yeah, I said it. If you can’t believe your eyes, refresh your browser and read the headline again.

The TNT Tropang Giga just showed us that all expectations—including mine, for crying out loud—can go out the window at the conclusion of the Governors’ Cup. Instead of a thrilling seven-game affair, this Finals series could end up becoming a gentleman’s sweep.

Cue DJ Khaled screaming, “Another one!” Just as TNT put away the feisty Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in five, they’re in prime position to wrap up this series by November 6.

I can see the social media backlash now. This guy’s caught up in recency bias! Nakanood lang ng isang laro, desidido na? 

Let me explain.

The way TNT won this past Sunday was the total opposite of a fluke—more like sustainable gameplay that the Tropa can very likely replicate throughout this series. For all the flak that Chot Reyes has endured for his track record in international tournaments, very few can claim to have mastered the PBA stage as well as the TNT mentor. Without a doubt, Reyes deserves a substantial amount of credit for the Tropa’s resounding 104-88 victory over Barangay Ginebra to open up the Finals.

How exactly did the Tropang Giga take down the crowd favorites in Antipolo? Simply put, they know who they are—and, just as importantly, they didn’t allow Ginebra to be the best version of themselves.

The most impressive quality of TNT’s Game 1 offense was their consistency in terms of playing with pace. Throughout the game, the Tropa made quick, decisive passes and shot the ball with zero hesitation early in their shot clock. 

TNT’s 19-4 blitz in the first seven and a half minutes was not a fleeting trend—rather, it was the blueprint of how the rest of the game would go on the scoring end. In contrast, Ginebra had several drawn-out possessions that ended up in a miss, a TNT rebound, and a scoring opportunity on the other end.

While Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (19 points), JP Erram (15 points), and RR Pogoy (12 points) did a great job setting the tone offensively, I can’t get over the masterful takeover of two TNT backcourt stalwarts in the second half. 

  • Late in the third quarter, Jayson Castro decided to throw his weight around by targeting RJ Abarrientos off ball screens. As if to remind the rookie how many rice grains he has left to eat, the venerable Blur drilled a three with 2:10 left in the quarter, then proceeded to back down Abarrientos and earn a trip to the line on the next possession. Bully ball, that is.
  • In the fourth, Rey Nambatac decided to sting Ginebra further by hunting his shots. The Barangay’s backcourt did what they could, but an extra aggressive Nambatac found his groove, even nailing a rare four-point shot in the process. The Stingray’s venom essentially took the spirit out of Ginebra in the final 12 minutes.

That’s five TNT players I mentioned, and I haven’t even brought up the timely contributions of Calvin Oftana (9 points, 6 rebounds) and Kim Aurin (8 points, 3 assists). Another aspect in which the Tropa can seriously hurt the Barangay is roster depth. With a more loaded arsenal of reliable scorers—take note that an Oftana explosion is due any time soon—TNT has a variety of ways to get their offense going on any given night. 

As for Ginebra, their lineup is beset with palpable limitations: Tim Cone’s short rotation tendencies, injury-related roster omissions, and a number of players with little to no Finals experience. Credit Tim Cone for entrusting youngsters like Abarrientos and Ralph Cu, but in a series where the bright lights are on, and the pressure is constantly mounting, heavy minutes afforded to inexperienced players might be costly.

Let’s not forget that TNT has been a top-tier team on the defensive end throughout this conference. Three things stood out in their game plan that held Ginebra below 90 points. 

  • First, TNT made it a point to deny post-entry, preventing the many options for Ginebra’s triangle offense from fully materializing. 
  • Second, the TNT defenders constantly switched so that, even when Ginebra players did run their sets, playmakers like Scottie Thompson and Maverick Ahanmisi wouldn’t find openings to exploit. 
  • Lastly, the Tropa frequently double-teamed Brownlee to contain his explosive scoring. The result: a less-than-stellar 23 points, 13 misses out of 21 field goal attempts, and no endgame heroics.

Can Ginebra bounce back from this embarrassing defeat? Sure. After all, their figurehead happens to be a prime contender—if not the contender—for the greatest PH hoops coach of all time. One of the driving forces behind Tim Cone’s unparalleled Finals success is his brilliant mind for adjustments, in-game and in-series alike. The thing is, even if Cone’s basketball ingenuity is beyond dispute, his current roster might have met its match on both ends of the floor.

Don’t be surprised if the Tropang Giga imposes its will on Ginebra again. And again. And again—en route to a successful defense of the Governors’ Cup.

Simoun says: This series can wrap up in five. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. If I’m right, well…

By the Numbers

115%

The boost in viewership generated by the 2024 WNBA Finals when compared side by side with last year’s championship series. The epic duel between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx, which went the distance and concluded in a scintillating Liberty title conquest, drew an average of 1.6 million viewers. As such, the Liberty-Lynx series is the most-watched WNBA Finals in 25 years.

29,010

The total number of career points amassed by Kevin Durant. This past weekend, Durant—who’s 17 years removed from his rookie year with the Seattle Supersonics—put up 31 points in the Phoenix Suns’ 114-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Suns up by nine, Durant pulled up from the left elbow, ignored the two Mavericks jerseys in front of him, and drilled a three to surpass 29k. Only seven other players in NBA history—LeBron, Kareem, Mailman, Kobe Bean, MJ, Dirk, and Wilt—have made it to this summit.

103-48

The final score of the round 2 tussle between the unbeaten NU Lady Bulldogs and the skidding UE Lady Warriors. Let that deficit sink in for a moment. In this 55-point thrashing, six Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures, with Camille Clarin (16 points on 5-for-7 shooting) leading the charge. This is the largest winning margin in the UAAP women’s basketball tournament since—let me double-check the facts here—NU defeated UE 92-31 two seasons ago. Déjà vu, perhaps?

Tweet of the Week

Generally, I look forward to Pido Jarencio’s sound bites. During post-game press conferences, he comes across as the type of dude you’d love to share a beer with, given his candor and sense of humor. With that being said, I don’t think either candor or sense of humor can be passed off as an excuse for the last part of this quote. With everything that’s happening in the world, this really shouldn’t be part of any hooper’s vocabulary—player, coach, and fan alike.