Bolts eye pivotal 3-1 lead over Kings
Three games into the series and the battle is only getting tighter and tighter, and the games decided only at the finish.
All three games could have gone either way.
Up ahead is a pivotal showdown where Meralco seeks to close in on the throne while Barangay Ginebra tries to equalize again and reduce the series to a virtual best-of-three affair.
The Bolts and the Kings clash in Game Four of their PBA Governors Cup best-of-seven titular playoff at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday right after the 2016 PBA Leo Awards where June Mar Fajardo looms as an outstanding favorite to bag a record third straight MVP plum.
Chris Newsome and Sean Anthony are the top bets for the Rookie of the Year honors and the Most Improved Player plum while Fajardo is likely to be joined in the Mythical First Team by Jayson Castro, Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo and Arwind Santos.
The proceedings start at 7 p.m.
The fight for the MVP award is among Fajardo, Castro and Abueva.
With not one of them in contention for the major awards except Newsome for the Best Rookie ware, the Bolts and Kings are not facing any distraction going to their Game Four duel.
The Bolts regained the series upper hand, 2-1, following a 107-103 win Wednesday largely behind the heroics of Allen Durham, Newsome, Jimmy Alapag and Reynel Hugnatan.
Coach Norman Black now eggs his team to march forward, saying they’ve learned their lesson in their 79-82 loss in Game Two.
“We must be better prepared in Game Four than we were in Game Two for any adjustments they may make
especially versus Allan Durham,” said Black.
“Defensive rebounding will also be a priority because our initial defense has not been bad, but we have done a poor job controlling our defensive boards,” added Black. “Slowing down (Justin) Brownlee will once again be a major focus.”
Ginebra coach Tim Cone also talks a lot about defense, insisting that’s what brought the Gin Kings to the finals.
Cone said he was upset of the defensive stand they put up Wednesday night.
“Defensively, we weren’t good,” he said. “We just didn’t play to our identity. I was upset from the first minute onward. I was upset for 48 minutes.
“I just don’t think we played to our identity. If we forgot it, then we’ve got to remember it in a hurry, coz these things gonna get away from us if we’re not careful.”
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