THE Cinderella run of TNT is off to a thrilling start. Question is, was the win to force a do-or die match versus NLEX a turning point or an anomaly in what has been an underwhelming stint so far in the PBA Commissioner's Cup for the Tropang 5G?
Underwhelming might even be an understatement, considering the hype and expectations for TNT entering this conference. The defending champions parading the same core, buoyed by the return of Jayson Castro, bolstered by a legitimate NBA talent with a combination of skills and physical attributes unprecedented in the PBA – safe to say, the Tropang 5G were widely considered the title frontrunner.
Flash forward to today, TNT is going against all odds to match or even surpass what only the Powerade Tigers have managed to do in PBA history – to reach the finals as an 8th seed.
How did such a hyped up team fall to 8th place? Castro revealed some symptoms of what ailed TNT.
“Kailangan lang namin matuto kung paano maglaro with Bol,” he said, referring to Best import frontrunner Bol Bol, “kasi masyado namin lahat binibigay sa kanya.”
All Bol?
To pin the TNT struggles on the Bol-centric play makes some sense, but it’s just part of the problem. To be fair, the 7-foot-4 import has been putting up big numbers, leading the league with almost 38 points and 14 rebounds per game. But Bol’s score-first mentality has indeed helped drag Tropang 5G down.
Compared to last conference with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, TNT’s import usage rate has jumped from 28 to 35 percent. Meaning, the ball stays with Bol more and when it does, it often ends up as a shot as he has taken around 20 percent more shots, or a last-second pass to an out-of-rhythm shot for other teammates when Bol’s iso goes awry.
It’s tough to force Bol to be the playmaker that RHJ is as that’s not his game. But there lies another problem, the import assist rate is down from 26 to 11 percent. That’s a huge drop that also affects the entire team. When the ball goes to Bol, it rarely comes back around. The scoring machine that he is, Bol has become a ball movement vacuum, dropping TNT’s team assist ratio from league-best 18.4 to 14.1 (rank 10 in the conference). Last year, 3 players averaged 3 assists or more. This time, only Castro has at least 3 dimes per game.
From hot shooters to cold spectators
It’s not just the assists that have tanked for TNT. Local production has taken a huge dive. Only Calvin Oftana is giving Bol double-digit scoring support, while the RHJ-led squad saw 3-4 locals score 10 or more on a nightly basis. It’s only natural, though, as the locals have shot at least 15 less shots per game, and around 7-8 less three-pointers with the ball not moving as much as it used to.
The quantity of shots have gone down, but making things worse is the efficiency has plummeted as well. Shooting from beyond the arc has slipped from 38 to 33 percent. Even Oftana’s sharpshooting ways dropped from 41.5 to 34.2 percent. Jordan Heading’s sniping has gone M.I.A, and double-digit scorers like RR Pogoy and Rey Nambatac have become spectators waiting for emergency heaves once Bol looks for a bailout.
Castro’s call for balance could be key, and it showed in the win over NLEX where Oftana, Pogoy, and Castro all scored in double figures. But fixing the offense is just half the battle.
Defensive dip
Make no mistake, TNT with Bol is a force to be reckoned with on defense. The former Phoenix Suns forward offers elite rim protection with a league-leading 4.2 blocks per game. Still, there’s a glaring hole in TNT’s previously impenetrable armor.
The Tropang 5G had the highest defensive rating in a switch everything scheme with RHJ. That defensive rating has slipped to the middle of the pack with Bol in drop coverage.This shift has left TNT vulnerable to shifty guards in pick and rolls.
As Bol drops to the paint, opposing playmakers have room to manipulate in the midrange and break down the defense for open shots. Rain or Shine’s guards first showed this flaw as they beat TNT even without their import for most of the game. NLEX also almost beat them last game even with the TNT offense clicking, as the Road Warriors playmakers found gaps to attack.
TNT turnaround looming?
Reaching championship aspirations remains doable for TNT, especially if the Tropang 5G shifting from Bol-centric to Bol-anchored.
Turning Bol into more of a high post threat on pick and pops with Castro, and less of a ballhandler to allow Castro and other TNT guards to facilitate can be a good start. More high-low integration with Bol and other TNT bigs can free up space in the paint, draw the opponent’s rim protector out of the shaded area, and put Bol in the perimeter where he loves to attack.
This much is true: Bol Bol is arguably the most talented baller ever to wear a TNT jersey. If he embraces lesser usage and more facilitating, TNT’s Cinderella run might end up where no 8th seed has gone before – a championship finish.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
