CHICAGO - The Paul Lee story was a spicy, saucy page-turner, a "comeback kid" fairy tale that always tugs at the heartstrings of gullible sports fans.
After being held to just 29 points in the first three games of the Magnolia-Meralco semifinals series, Lee sprung back to life in Game 4 with a 17-point outburst that aided the Hotshots' 94-73 win over the Bolts.
We should all be happy for Lee, a great guy who somehow managed to exorcise his playoffs demons by playing through the pain and discomfort of a badly sprained left ankle.
But the fate of Magnolia's season, which hangs in the balance in tomorrow's deciding Game 5, lies in the hands of one man not named Paul Lee.
Mike Harris.
To insist otherwise is like, as the saying goes, "not seeing the forest for the trees."
This is, after all, an import-laden conference where powerhouses TNT and San Miguel each had multiple hires before eventually flaming out.
Magnolia only had one from Day One. A gem of a find, Harris proved himself again last night.
Under the backdrop of Lee's struggles and Calvin Abueva's foul-happy frenzy, Harris quietly put up 34 points and 18 rebounds, a feat that easily over-performed his 25 points and 16.3 rebounds average in the previous three games.
Harris sank 16 of 22 field goals, a blistering 72.7 percent rate. But all he talked about was the missed free throws, "2 in and out and 1 bounced to the left."
A DOTING PERFECTIONIST, THE FORMER HOUSTON ROCKET STILL FINDS HIS PERFORMANCE WANTING. HIS TO-DO LIST IS LONGER THAN DRAKE'S HITS LIST.
"I have to do better. I have to be more accountable. I have to take advantage of more opportunities out there," he told me during a phone interview prior to Magnolia's practice this morning.
An AAU coach back home in the States when he isn't saving a pro team in other parts of our basketball-happy universe, Harris spoke to me like a grizzled tactician and broke down Game 4 the way an accountant itemizes an expense report.
"They're a great defensive team that protects the paint well. Their inside-out defense is just as good, so we need to be patient with our offense, move the ball, and set solid screens that allow driving angles," said the 38-year old whose style of play is as cerebral as it is physical.
Harris mentioned two keys that sank Meralco in Game 4.
"We held them to just 4 second-chance points and 8 fastbreak points."
As Harris continues to shine, Meralco's Tony Bishop struggled in Game 4 with just 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting while coughing up six turnovers.
For the Bolts to advance, Bishop needs to be better and the injured Chris Banchero, who is a game time decision for the rubber match, has to be on the floor, not on the bench.
PRESS PA MORE. One of the adjustments Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero made in Game 4 was unleashing a full court press in the second quarter.
It was a thing of beauty, a 1-2-2 zone that collapsed into a 2-3 zone once Meralco made it to its half-court. That alignment induced much of the Bolts' 14 turnovers while holding them to 30 first-half points.
I asked coach Norman Black about it and he said Magnolia employed that trap against them in the elimination round. Last night, however, "we didn't handle it well."
Knowing coach Norman's attention for detail, I expect him to find an easy fix on the press. It would help a lot to have his best ball handler - Banchero - to be in uniform.
Who wins Game 5?
It's a coin toss.
But whichever team shoots more free throws and commits less turnovers tilts the odds heavily on their favor.
And whoever wins that imports battle is likely going to have a seat in the Finals.
Have fun, drink responsibly. Game 5 should be a dandy.
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