The 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals is all tied up at 1-1 after the TNT Tropang Giga got the win in Game 2. Will TNT taste the series lead for the first time this Friday? Or, will the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel answer right back with a win?
Catch this game live on Friday, April 14 at 5:45 pm, Manila time.
TNT Tropang Giga (1-1)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Mikey Williams
- SG: RR Pogoy
- SF: Glenn Khobuntin
- PF: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
- C: PoyErram
The Tropang Giga hit back at Ginebra in Game 2, as they came away with a 95-82 win on Wednesday to tie the series up. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson still led TNT in scoring with 23 points, but had plenty of help that time around. From just three players scoring at least eight points in Game 1, the Tropang Giga had six in Game 2, including RR Pogoy. The former FEU Tamaraws star only had six points in the series opener but rebounded with a performance TNT hopes he will sustain the rest of the way.
Pogoy scored 17 points in the win, while Mikey Williams and Calvin Oftana had 17 and 14, respectively. A big key in Game 2 for TNT was its outside shooting. Hollis-Jefferson had a great time kicking the ball out to his teammates, with Tropang Giga going 15/35 from deep. The Tropang Giga might have also stumbled upon a lowkey but a seemingly crucial weapon in the series in Glenn Khobuntin, who provided sound defense and hit outside shots in Game 2 that frustrated Ginebra. Expect to see more of him in Game 3.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (1-1)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Scottie Thompson
- SG: Stanley Pringle
- SF: Jamie Malonzo
- PF: Justin Brownlee
- C: Christian Standhardinger
In the 44 minutes he played in Game 2, Justin Brownlee was only able to muster 12 points on an incredibly salty 3/16 shooting from the field. Brownlee still had 10 rebounds and eight assists, but he’s got to bring more to the table, especially in terms of scoring, if Ginebra is to take care of business in Game 3. Ginebra also just gave up so many open looks from deep for TNT, so expect the Barangay to make the necessary adjustments to address that defensive issue.
Perhaps, Ginebra might also attack Hollis-Jefferson’s defense more. Through two games in the series, Hollis-Jefferson has only been called for a total of two personal fouls. Jamie Malonzo, Christian Standhardinger, and Brownlee might have to hunt angles where Hollis-Jefferson will be prone to getting slapped with a foul. Speaking of Standhardinger, he ‘s just having a great time taking advantage of TNT’s slim frontcourt, as he already has 45 points and 22 rebounds in the series .
PREDICTION:
Spread: TNT (+4.5) covers sthe spread.
Over/Under: The total (206.0) hits the Under.
