Cone cites TNT’s defense

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone’s main focus is diffusing TNT’s firepower but with the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals entering Game 6 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight, he’s also concerned that on the other end of the floor, the Tropa have brought more emphasis on playing defense. Ginebra’s back is against the wall and facing a 3-2 series deficit, the defending champion has to win two in a row to clinch. In contrast, TNT is a win away from bagging its third title since the 2014-15 Commissioner’s Cup.

“We always talk about being a defensive team first,” said Cone on SEAG Live. “TNT, as the conference has gone along, has become much more defense-oriented and I think that’s part of (coach) Jojo’s (Lastimosa) influence. They’ve brought a little bit more balance to the game. They’re a team that’s so explosive. They start hitting shots from the perimeter, the game can change in a heartbeat.”

In Game 5 last Wednesday, TNT came back from 15 down in the second quarter to win, 104-95, behind a scorching 8-0 windup triggered by stifling defense. Ginebra trailed by one with 3:47 to go and made a fight of it despite missing Justin Brownlee in the last 20 minutes. Then, TNT tightened the screws, forcing Ginebra to miss four shots, two from deep and lose possession thrice, two off turnovers. Poy Erram shot four points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jayson Castro two each to highlight TNT’s final salvo. Down the stretch, it was defense that took TNT home.

If Brownlee hadn’t gone down with food poisoning, the outcome could’ve been different. But the moment clearly belonged to TNT. Hollis-Jefferson took advantage of Brownlee’s absence to scatter 10 of his 32 points in the payoff period. Brownlee played only 4:41 minutes in the second half, none in the fourth quarter.

Cone said TNT has transformed itself into a two-way machine in the Finals. “They’re different from the team we played in the elims,” he said. “There’s a lot of talk about the Finals being a contest between Jojo and me. Everybody knows Jojo used to play for me and was my assistant coach. But it’s not about us. I don’t look at Jojo and he doesn’t look at me during a game. Our job is to put players in a position to excel. It’s about the players, not the coaches.”