Cone: Playoffs a different animal

- Advertisement -

GINEBRA put one over Meralco last Wednesday but Kings coach Tim Cone refused to make a big deal of it.

After all, the combatants will meet anew in a best-of-3 quarterfinals in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

“It was an opportunity. This game was more of an opportunity for us to get ready for the playoffs, so we wanted to make sure guys who’ve not been getting a lot of minutes, you know, you just don’t know what’s going to happen in the playoffs,” Cone said.

- Advertisement -

“So you don’t want your starters or your core to get injured in a game like this, going into the (quarterfinals), and you want to make sure that your guys who are not playing a lot of minutes have a chance to stay sharp in case something does happen in the playoffs.

“So that was basically our goal today. We’ll just come out and play the game as best we can, and knowing that you’re going to have limited minutes, and just do the best when you, with the minutes that you have,” he added.

Cone spoke after his charges outdueled the Bolts 91-87 to end their eliminations campaign with an 8-4 mark.

Meralco, which chose to rest import Akil Mitchell due to back spasm, dropped to 7-4 and will clash with Ginebra regardless of the outcome of its final game in the elims against Magnolia today at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

Cone said he also gave minutes to the likes of reserves Von Pessumal and Raymond Aguilar in a move he believes will serve them in good stead.

“We wanted to give them minutes so they can get a feel for playing, and you know, those guys do the work in practice every day. I was really pleased with the way Raymond came out and played. He showed he could execute. He showed he could defend. It was good to see those guys really step up and play,” Cone said. “Obviously, Meralco, they didn’t play their starters long. They rested their import, I think that both teams were kind of the same mindset trying to get ready for the playoffs.

“If I’m not mistaken, I think we’re going to end up playing each other at the four to five (spots), so kind of like a short preview of what the series is going to be about.”

Rookie RJ Abarrientos showed the way for the Kings with 17 points while resident reinforcement Justin Brownlee added 15 markers.

Troy Rosario and Stephen Holt also combined for 26 points for Ginebra.

Cone insisted the playoffs will be a different animal.

“They’re (Bolts) going to be well motivated because we knocked them out last conference, so they’re going to be well motivated coming into this conference, and, you know, we played them without the import, and obviously, he’s a huge, huge impact in the game, and that’s something that we’re going to have to account for in the series,” he said.

“So, it’s hard to read off of this game because the import didn’t play, and Justin played, you know, minimal minutes, and both teams played their guys off the bench for, elongated times, it’s hard to read off of this game what’s going to happen in the series.”

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: