WE’D LIKE TO FINISH THIS IN 4 – CONE
Move on and start a marquee title duel with Talk n Text Wednesday.
That’s San Mig Super Coffee’s goal as the Mixers take their first of two cracks in disposing of the Air21 Express in their PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four faceoff at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Monday.
For all their successes in big games, the Mixers would rather not face the Express in a deciding Game Five in their semifinal series.
“No doubt, we’d like to finish this in four games. We certainly don’t want to go to a winner-take-all game,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.
“At this point, we’re in control and we don’t want to give that up. That would happen it we go to a Game Five,” Cone also said.
Truly, a knockout game is a knockout game. Cone is afraid the Express might pull off another surprise if they play in a do-or-die game on Wednesday.
They want to play the Tropang Texters by Wednesday.
If ever, San Mig Coffee and Talk n Text face in a dream titular showdown between teams that won a combined nine PBA titles in the last six years.
San Mig (then known as B-Meg) and Talk n Text figured in an epic best-of-seven title showdown in the 2012 Commissioner’s Cup that needed five extra minutes to decide the deciding Game Seven. B-Meg import Denzel Bowles nailed two charities with no time left in regulation to force overtime and the Llamados lived on in OT to win the crown.
Cone stresses though that they’re not looking past Air21.
“Air21 has pulled surprises all conference long. We need to be on guard,” Cone said.
But based on the last two games, San Mig Coffee seems to have Air21 all figured out.
Making good use of their deep rotation and match-up advantages, the Mixers won Games Two and Three both in runaway fashion.
That was after losing a close match in the series opener.
Technically, the Mixers aren’t expected to change their approach, being so successful in playing tough defense in Games Two or Three where they held the Express to back-to-back conference-low outputs.
“Every game is different. But oftentimes, you keep the same approach. That’s what we’re gonna do. We’ll try to come out, defend, get to the board and try to make their life miserable defending us,” Cone said.
The Mixers are chasing a third straight Finals while Cone is after a league all-time most 27 Finals.
For the Express, a big concern is how to keep up with the Mixers’ deep, talent-laden lineup.
Air21 is virtually just a 10-man deep team reduced to nine with the sidelining of Sean Anthony.
On Saturday, things became a lot easier for the Mixers with Anthony sitting out the game due to an injured foot.
“Without Anthony, there’s a lot of pressure on (Wesley) Witherspoon to carry the team. That allow us to focus on him,” said Cone.
Anthony is a key player who averages 17.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.75 blocks. (SB)
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