CHICAGO - The anemic 63 points that Blackwater meekly put up in a one-sided loss to Barangay Ginebra on Sunday night at the Ynares Center is a big reason why PBA arenas are turning into deserts of empty seats.
Even though their moniker suggests toughness and leadership, the Bossing are anything but strong as they continue to bastardize the league with a steady supply of bad basketball.
Losers in seven of their last eight outings, Blackwater shot just 29.9 percent from the field (23-of-77) and 24.1 percent from 3-point distance (7-of-29). And for some reason, they took eight 4-point shots and promptly missed seven.
Good teams go through bad shooting nights. Blackwater seems to make it a nightly habit.
SLOPPY, LACKLUSTER.
Paying customers shouldn't have to endure watching Blackwater score a measly 13 points in each of the first and third quarters. Their total output of 63 is a UAAP score, not one you'd expect from a pro team that plays 48 minutes.
George King, who dazzled us all in the Governors Cup so much so that Blackwater brought him back for this Commissioner's Cup despite having the option of bringing in someone bigger and heftier, has lost his aura.
Heavily scouted now, King has been exposed as nothing more than a volume scorer who is as much a liability as he is an asset because he doesn't pass the ball enough.
King took 20 of his team's 77 field goals on Sunday. He finished with 27 points and six rebounds but he was terrible in another stat category that mattered - one assist.
Sedrick Barefield and RK Ilagan didn't play, which compromised Blackwater but that's not an excuse. Phoenix, which arguably has lesser talent than the Bossing, just strung together two wins in a row.
How much longer do we have to put up Blackwater and Terrafirma in the PBA?
COLD CUTS.
After bowing to San Miguel, 85-78, the Magnolia Hotshots just saw their playoffs life flash before their eyes.
With a stout budget, a slew of talent, and a highly-serviceable import, there is no excuse for Magnolia to be a lowly 3-6 at this point.
Magnolia used to send shivers down the spine of opponents with their defense, but in a crucial game it needed to win to keep its quarterifnals hopes alive, the Hotshots gave up three 3s late to somehow pry defeat from the jaws of victory.
I know they had to pick their poison - giving up the penetration or stopping the outside shot - but most teams wouldn't gamble against Marcio Lassiter, the PBA's deadliest 3-point shooter.
Magnolia did. And Lassiter made them pay.
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