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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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05
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05
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
05
05
2024
In any sports event, a three-game-to-one lead in a best-of-seven series is too great to overcome.
In the PBA, 32 of the last 33 teams that enjoyed that huge advantage went all the way to close out the series.
Rain or Shine looks at building that insurmountable lead when it tackles the beleaguered Talk n Text side in Game Four of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup title playoff Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Favorite whipping boys of the Tropang Texters in the past, the Elasto Painters have seemingly turned things around the way they dominated Games Two and Three of their current Finals duel.
And going to Game Four, the E-Painters seem to have everything on their side.
They’re on a roll yet look a lot fresher than the Texters. They’re relaxed and confident. And they’re riding the momentum of a breakthrough run.
They also have Paul Lee who has decided to defer major procedure on his damaged tooth structure to be able to finish the series and help the E-Painters complete a victorious run.
“Kahit ano ang mangyari, I will come back. Gusto kong manalo,” said Lee.
Losing a tooth with two more badly damaged by a wayward elbow from Talk n Text import Ivan Johnson in the third quarter Sunday, Lee went straight to the lockers and missed precious minutes but returned towards the end, helping ROS go up 2-1 in the best-of-seven series following a dominant 109-97 victory.
Lee suffered the injury as he drew a charging foul from Johnson.
“It was a serious injury. It’s just Paul’s heart. His desire to help,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao on Lee’s fourth-quarter comeback in the fateful Game Three.
“Paul is crucial for us. If he doesn’t play, we’ll have a hard time to win. It’s tough but doable. But I’m confident that he can play,” Guiao also said.
Lee has been the team’s lead local in the tourney, averaging 16.67 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the Finals and 16.76, 5.29 rebounds and 3.41 for the conference.
Technically, Guiao said they would be ready for Talk n Text’s possible adjustments.
“We had anticipated some things they might do (in Game Three). Pero di nila ipinakita so we just keep our game plan in the warehouse. We’ll probably make use of it based on the kind of defense they will play in Game Four,” said Guiao.
The Elasto Painters dealt the Texters severe beatings on two-man games in Games Two and Three, striking hard on pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop.
“We didn’t see any adjustment on their defense. And so we did what’s working for us. Kung ano ang uubra para sa ami, yon pa rin rin ang ginawa namin,” said Guiao.
On that ploy, the Elasto Painters knocked in 13 three-pointers and hit at 42 percent clip on the way to a second straight above 100-point production. No team had done that in the Finals in the last six years. (SB)
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