TNT is prepared to open the new PBA season without Mikey Williams as uncertainty remains about his stint with the Tropang Giga.
Team manager and head coach Jojo Lastimosa said Williams’ absence hasn’t had an adverse effect on the Tropang Giga as far as their preparations are concerned.
See Ricky Vargas on Mikey Williams: 'Ayaw n'ya pang umuwi. So what can we do?'
TNT will open the new season against Magnolia on Nov. 5 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, ready to parade a line-up without Williams.
“Nothing,” said Lastimosa on the latest about Williams during Tuesday's PBA Media Day at the One Esplanade.
Lastimosa said life goes on for TNT after its PBA Season 48 build-up that included a training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
The TNT coach said it is just fair to give the playing time to the guys who have been practicing with the team since the start.
“He is not here. We have been practicing for a month now and it’s unfair for the guys to go to the season and not be included in the line-up,” said Lastimosa.
“If you are not on the first day, it’s going to be hard for you to get back to the line-up,” said Lastimosa.
Lastimosa hopes that TNT will make up for the absence of Williams as well as RR Pogoy with defense in the coming season.
“We try to make due with what he have, realizing that we won’t have our top two scorers Roger and Mikey. But we still have the guys that can help us to have a decent success this conference. We are hoping to bring something different, not necessarily on scoring but on defense. We have to improve their a lot,” said Lastimosa.
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