FOR the second straight PBA finals, TNT claimed Game 1 over Barangay Ginebra and took the head start in their best-of-seven series.
Behind their hot shooting, the Tropang Giga downed the Kings, 95-89, for a 1-0 lead in the Commissioner’s Cup finals Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
READ: TNT pulls off masterful win over Ginebra in Game 1 of PBA Finals
TNT was burning hot from three-point range, hitting 14-of-37 from the area led by the five of veteran guard RR Pogoy and two each from Calvin Oftana, Rey Nambatac, Glenn Khobuntin, and former MVP Kelly Williams, who was a perfect 2-of-2.
The Tropang Giga also won the series opener of the Governors’ Cup finals against the Kings last conference, 104-88, on the way to winning the series in six games.
This one is still a long way to go though, with Game 2 set on Sunday also at the MoA Arena.
Here are the quick takeaway of Friday's finals opener of the mid-season conference.
1.RHJ MAKING A STRONG CASE FOR BEST IMPORT AWARD
The TNT import was a force to reckon on both ends of the floor. He was just two assists shy of a triple double with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, while posting a steal and a block in a 48-minute, no-relief job.
READ: For Game One at least, Ginebra has no answers for RHJ
The former NBA player was named Best Import in the two occasions when he led the Tropang Giga to the championship. With the way he carried most of the load for TNT in Game 1, no doubt he’s a favorite to win a third Best Import award. Will a third championship follow suit? It remains to be seen.
2.HUGE CROWD WELCOMES PBA BACK AT MOA
It’s been 10 months since the league last held a game at the Mall of Asia Arena, and on Friday night a crowd of 11,802 welcomed the PBA back at the Pasay Arena for the TNT-Ginebra title tiff.
READ: PBA draws big crowd in return to MOA Arena
The throng of fans was the largest for a PBA game in the venue since drawing 21,823 for Game 5 of the Season 47 Commissioner’s Cup finals between Barangay Ginebra and Bay Area Dragons.
For the record, the league last played at the venue during Game 5 of last season’s Philippine Cup semifinals between the Kings and the Meralco Bolts.
3.WILL TROY ROSARIO BE HEALTHY ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The veteran big man admitted not yet totally healed from the severe ankle sprain he suffered in the final game of the semis between the Kings and Northport Batang Pier. And it showed in his numbers as he finished with eight points and two rebounds after averaging 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in the semis.
READ: Ginebra's Troy Rosario admits ankle sprain yet to fully heal
Rosario admitted the injury has not yet fully healed and was swollen again after the Game 1 loss. The National University product couldn’t say for sure if he would be healthy for the rest of the title series, but assured he’ll be playing through the pain despite playing heavy minutes in the opener.
4.JAMIE MALONZO STRUGGLES IN FIRST FINALS IN TWO YEARS
The Fil-Am high-flyer was a non-factor for the Kings playing in his first finals back since the Season 47 Governors’ Cup also against TNT.
The Gilas Pilipinas player didn’t score his first basket until the third quarter and ended up with just two points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field, while being held to just a single rebound.
Remember, Malonzo was the Kings’ top local scorer in the semis against the Batang Pier by averaging 17.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in five games. Ginebra certainly missed those numbers in Game 1.
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