THREE days after wrapping up their semifinal series, Barangay Ginebra and TNT return to the court, this time for Game 1 of the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Here are the players to watch in Game 1 in this preview.
BARANGAY GINEBRA VS. TNT
When: Wednesday, June 3. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Smart-Araneta Coliseum
Rematch begins
TNT and Barangay Ginebra start their finals rematch on Wednesday at the Big Dome. The two will face off in a PBA Finals for the fourth time over the last three years, with TNT winning it all. Ginebra will try to break that trend.
How important is Game 1
In all the three previous finals series, TNT won Game 1 twice, eventually claiming the championship. Last season in the Commissioner’s Cup, the Tropang 5G beat the Gin Kings, 95-89, in the opener. TNT also defeated Ginebra, 104-88, in Game 1 of the 2024 Governors’ Cup. Ginebra won against TNT, 102-90, in the series opener of 2023 Governors’ Cup but the Gin Kings still lost in the finals.
Heading tries to shoot the lights out again
Jordan Heading regained his touch in the last three games of the semifinals, averaging 22.3 points and shooting 57 percent from threes. In Game 6 against Meralco, Heading had 30 points and converted seven of his 10 three-point shots. Heading will look to stay locked in as the title chase gets intense.
Brownlee vs. McCullough
Justin Brownlee is coming off a semifinals where he scored 30 points or more four times. He averaged 29.5 points against Rain or Shine in their semifinal series. Brownlee will look to start the finals on a heater on Wednesday night as he has lost in his last three appearances in the championship series.
Chris McCullough will play in the finals on Wednesday in only his fourth game with TNT. In the semifinals, McCullough averaged 29.3 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Tropang 5G. He will be eyeing a second PBA title after he won with San Miguel in the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
Reigning Finals MVP stumble in semis
Rey Nambatac returns to the Commissioner’s Cup finals stage after he won the Finals MVP in this same conference last season. Nambatac, however, enters the finals not in the best of form. After scoring 18 points in Game 3 against Meralco, Nambatac was held scoreless in the next two games, and to only five points in TNT's series-clinching win last Sunday.
RJ looks to pick things up
RJ Abarrientos will look to pick up where he left off in Game 1 of the championship series after an impressive semifinal series. Abarrientos made sure Ginebra won't play another game in the semifinals against Rain or Shine after he tallied 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block in Game 6.
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