THIS time, the Barangay Ginebra Kings didn't let Magnolia Hotshots beat them in the final play at the buzzer.
The Kings pulled away early and coasted to a 103-80 win over their sister team in Game Three and regained the upperhand in their PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinal playoff on Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
[READ: Why Paul Lee sees limited action in Game 3]
Import Justin Brownlee presided over a second-quarter breakaway to set the stage for the most lopsided game in this best-of-five series which the Kings now lead, 2-1.
LA Tenorio later joined Brownlee in the fray as the two long-time Ginebra key players teamed up to move the Kings a win away from making the finals.
Game 4 is set Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Magnolia played Paul Lee on limited minutes as the veteran guard was feeling under the weather.
"The injury to Paul Lee took the wind out of their sails," said Ginebra coach Tim Cone of Lee, hero of the Hotshots' dramatic 96-95 win in Game 2.
"It's hard to make in-game adjustments like that when you lose your star player. And he really has been their star."
Brownlee already had 20 at the half on the way to finishing with 38 big points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and shot 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Tenorio added 20 points and was 4-of-6 from three-point range, while reigning MVP Scottie Thompson was the other Ginebra player in double figures with 12.
The Hotshots hardly offered resistance when the Kings began to take a sizeable lead.
Jio Jalalon led the no. 2 seeded team with 16 points, while import Nick Rakosevic was held to 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The scores
Ginebra (103) -- Brownlee 38, Tenorio 20, Thompson 12, Standhardinger 8, Malonzo 8, J.Aguilar 6, Gray 2, Pringle 2, Mariano 2, R.Aguilar 2, Pinto 0, Pessumal 0.
Magnolia (80) -- Jalalon 16, Rakocevic 10, Dionsio 10, Ahanmisi 9, Abueva 8, Wong 8, Barroca 6, Corpuz 4, Mendoza 3, Sangalang 2, Laput 2, Lee 0, Dela Rosa 0, Reavis 0.
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