TNT’S usually fiery offensive juggernaut was nowhere to be found in the opening match of its finals battle against defending champion Ginebra last Sunday night.
The Tropang Giga simply fired bricks in a 90-102 loss in Game 1 of their best-of-7 title battle in the PBA Governors’ Cup, according to coach Jojo Lastimosa.
“We just couldn’t make shots. We only had nine turnovers in the game. Our team relied so much on offense, of course,” Lastimosa said. “The defense is going to be there in the finals but if you can’t make shots in the finals, you have no chance and they (Kings) hit theirs.
“You make a name in the finals because everybody plays defense in the finals. But if you don’t make your shots in the finals, there’s just no way you can win a series like that,” he added.
In his maiden game in the Big Dance calling the shots for TNT, Lastimosa watched as his troops stayed within striking distance of Ginebra despite going on a paltry 9-of-35 from deep or three-point shooting, one of the key weapons in the Tropang Giga’s arsenal.
“We had multiple opportunities to get back into the game and as badly as we played, Ginebra didn’t really pull away to as much as 20-plus points, they were just in 15, 12,” Lastimosa said.
“So I think that was the positive part for us, that as badly as we played, we were still in the game.”
Roger Pogoy and Jayson Castro combined for measly 10 points on a 4-of-19 clip from the field.
Lastimosa is not one to lose his faith in his two gunners as the race-to-4 series plays out.
“Roger, I’m confident he’ll figure it out. Even Jayson– Jayson played 31 minutes, and we missed Jayson tonight and those guys, they’ve been there, and they know what needs to be done,” he said.
“I’m hoping that we can pick it up offensively in the next game so it can be a better game for us.”
Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson carried the fight for TNT with 30 points, 20 rebounds and five assists, while Mikey Williams added 23 markers and two boards.
Calvin Oftana also contributed 16 and six for the Tropang Giga, who lost big men Justin Chua (knee injury early in the first quarter) and JP Erram (fouled out) in the tiff.
Game 2 is set tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with TNT trying to forge a 1-1 count and avoid falling into a 0-2 hole.
