THE knee felt fine, but don't expect reigning league MVP Mark Caguioa to log long minutes and assume his take-charge role for the rest of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals.
The Ginebra veteran guard played five minutes in the early goings of the series opener, contributing two points on 1-of-3 shooting before retreating to the bench and sitting out the rest of the match.
Caguioa said he expects the same role for the duration of the best-of-five series.
“Sinabi ko nga na before pa, this team without me, got into the finals,” said the 33-year-old Ginebra superstar. “So if they’re having a bad shooting night, probably three or five minutes, I’ll be in there.
"Kung makakatulong ako, dun ako papasok, pero don’t expect me to play long minutes,” he added.
Caguioa said his knees felt good in just his second game back since missing 11 straight after going down with an MCL sprain on his left knee seven weeks ago.
But he said he doesn’t want to disrupt the chemistry the Gin Kings have forged while he was recuperating.
“Para pampabuhay lang, papitik-pitik lang,” he said.
Although Ginebra had a poor offensive night in Game One which led to a 70-87 defeat to Alaska, Caguioa is confident the crowd darlings will bounce back in Friday’s Game Two.
Mentally, Caguioa said they will just have to be prepared especially since they are playing in a short race-to-three-wins Finals series.
“Walang pagod-pagod. Right now when you’re in the playoffs, championship (series), it’s all mental, dahil nandito ka na (sa Finals),” he said.
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