TIME TO SHINE
PAUL Lee relishes the idea of ending the 39th PBA season with a league championship for Rain or Shine.
No wonder, the former University of the East combo guard played his heart out in steering Rain or Shine back from a 1-2 series deficit to beat Alaska in the semifinals and advance to the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
The 6-0 Lee banged in 21 points, powered by five three-point shots, while adding four rebounds to lead Rain or Shine to a pulsating 123-121 overtime win in Game Four on June 26 and force a winner-take-all match.
Two days later, the streak-shooting gunner overcame a shooting slump after scoring the team’s last four points – a tough drive to the basket, before capping his heroics with a pair of free throws down the stretch to tow Rain or Shine to a 97-94 win in their sudden death match.
The Game Five victory towed Rain or Shine to its second Finals appearance this season.
The “Lee-thal Weapon” capped his fiery plays by earning his second Accel-PBA Player of the Week this conference, beating out San Mig Super Coffee’s Joe Devance, James Yap and Mark Barroca for the weekly citation for the period of June 23-29.
“Sa amin naman, nag-trabaho lang talaga kami. Alam namin na ang San Mig, gusto nila makuha ang Grand Slam, pero sana kami ma-stop namin yun at mag-champion kami,” said the former PBA Rookie of the Year.
Lee admitted that his absence in Rain or Shine’s breakthrough championship during the 2012 PBA Governors Cup has motivated him to stay healthy and get better, hoping that he could finally help his team end the season with a bang.
“Sa akin, I just need to stay healthy lang, siyempre, eh kailagan pa rin magtrabaho para makabawi lang kami,” added Lee, who dislocated his shoulder during the 2012 Governors Cup Finals.
The Elasto Painters are playing in their second Finals stint this season following the team’s runner-up finish behind Mixers, who ruled the Philippine Cup early this year. (RD)
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