THE PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals took a surprise twist following the dislocated thumb suffered by Barangay Ginebra import Justin Brownlee in Game 3 against TNT on Wednesday night.
With the 36-year-old Brownlee out of commission starting in the eight-minute mark of the third period, an all-Filipino Ginebra crew battled the Tropang Giga toe-to-toe but couldn’t pull it off in the endgame and lost, 87-85.
READ Cone not ruling out Justin Brownlee for title series just yet
The victory allowed TNT to regain the momentum in the best-of-seven series, 2-1.
Game 4 is set Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, with Brownlee’s status a big question mark.
Here’s the takeaways in the first game of a finals to be held at Philsports Arena in almost a decade.
1. ANOTHER NEAR TRIPLE-DOUBLE FOR RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON – lost in the Brownlee injury incident was another yeoman’s job by the all-around TNT import, who ended up with just two assists short of a triple double. The former NBA player came away with impressive numbers of 20 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, while going 8-of-14 from the field (57 percent). He teamed up with Rey Nambatac in the pivotal fourth quarter to help TNT come up with the telling blows in the homestretch. His layup tied the game for the last time and sparked a short but lethal 7-0 run by the Tropang Giga, which he capped with a steal off RJ Abarrientos and an assist to the all-alone Glenn Khobuntin for a transition basket and an 87-82 lead which TNT never relinquished. He’s expected to run away with a third Best Import of the Conference award in Game 4.
2. NAMBATAC DID HIS BEST IMPRESSION OF ‘THE BLUR’ – injured guard Jayson Castro couldn’t have been prouder with the way his supposed understudy stepped to the plate and saved his team from the jaws of defeat following that game-leading three pointer in the final 30 seconds. He finished with a game-high 24 points, including 15 in the second half as he anchored the TNT comeback by knocking 5-of-7 from three-point range. The Letran guard also added five rebounds and seven assists as he finally lived up to expectations of filling the big shoes left behind by the 38-year-old Castro, who is out for the rest of the season following knee surgery.
3. GINEBRA FACES HUGE DILEMMA – Unless Brownlee is declared fit to play, the Kings are in a huge quandary for the rest of the series beginning in Game 4. If the veteran import won’t be available, the team faces the prospect of playing with an all-Filipino crew as it was left with less than 48 hours to bring in a replacement. Tapping a new import on short notice is easier said than done as it still needs to secure clearances from both FIBA and the national federation where the player previously suited up. That’s not to mention hopping in to the next flight available going to the country, then adjusting to the new environment, and learning the new playing system of the team. The next two playdates are just one day apart which meant Ginebra management must scramble and burn the lines looking for a replacement. The Kings also need to put Brownlee in the injury/reserved list just in case there would be time for him to recover and be brought back by Ginebra later in the series.
4. SCOTTIE THOMPSON’S CONSISTENT PLAYS FOR KINGS – outside of Brownlee, only Thompson has been playing consistent on both ends of the floor for Ginebra. It was the former MVP who carried the load for the team when JB went out of the game. His split from the foul line tied the score for the last time at 82-all in the final two minutes, while his offensive rebound and subsequent three pointer cut TNT's lead to two points with two seconds left. He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block shot.
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