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    Cone says Ginebra must do a better job at defending Maliksi

    Without his shooting, it wouldn’t have been very close, says Ginebra coach
    Nov 24, 2020
    PHOTO: PBA Images

    BARANGAY Ginebra coach Tim Cone hopes his team will be able to do a better job of defending Allein Maliksi, who continues to shoot the lights out for Meralco.

    Even though the Gin Kings are leading 2-1 in the best-of-five semifinal series, Cone remains concerned about the amount of points Maliksi has been producing for Meralco and how he has been a thorn in the side of Ginebra.

    Maliksi scored 23 points on Sunday in a 91-84 loss to Ginebra on Sunday. Cone explained that Maliksi has been effective since Meralco’s ball screens give him a lot of open looks.

    "He has been absolutely lights out. He kept them in the game. Without his shooting, it wouldn’t have been very close,” said Cone of the former UST Tiger, who played for him during a brief time together at B-Meg.

    “We have to spend so much time on the ball screens that they are running – the multiple ball screens for Newsome, Amer, and Quinto. Maliksi’s man is involved in rotations and help and that oftentimes leaves him open," Cone said.

    Maliksi is now averaging 20.3 points in the series and shooting an incredible 63 percent from three-point land on a 15-of-24 clip.

    Cone said stopping Maliksi will take a total team effort.

    “We just can’t sit on Maliksi and destroy our team defense. Our team defense has to be working. We lose him sometimes and that’s just the price you pay," he said.

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      “Ball screens aren’t just involving two defensive players. It’s five defensive players. Sometimes, that fifth defensive player guarding Maliksi has to do rotation or help and that leaves Maliksi open.

      "Hopefully, we minimize that. Kinda like you take choices on defense. You’ll have to choose one from the other. Right now, the ball screens were crucial for us. Hopefully, we can also make an adjustment and we can do a little bit better on both."

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      PHOTO: PBA Images
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