BARANGAY Ginebra Kings’ coach Tim Cone was almost without words after the TNT Tropang Giga fought back and won Game 4 of their best-of-seven 2023 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup Finals.
The Gin Kings will simply have to step up, now that the series is tied at 2-all.
“It’s a series, we’re tied, now it becomes a best of three. We just played badly today,” said Cone before he hurriedly left the Araneta Coliseum following the Kings’ 104-116 loss to the Tropang Giga.
TNT bounced back in a big way from their Game 3 loss by setting a PBA Finals all-time single-game high of 21 three-point shots.
They converted 51.2% from the field, including 48.8% (21-for-43) from beyond the arc.
“We didn’t start the game well, we didn’t defend, we didn’t rebound. It was quite disappointing and in many levels embarrassing, but like I said, it’s a series, so, you know, we’ll get ready for Wednesday,” added Cone.
The Gin Kings may have done a better conversion from the field at 54.3%, but they only sank 15 of 30 charity attempts and had no answer to the Tropang Giga’s impeccable shooting night from beyond the arc. The Giga were led by Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who dropped 36 points on 13-for-21 shooting.
A few days earlier in Game 3, Ginebra pulled off a 117-103 victory, where they unloaded a franchise record 18 three-point shots.
Gin Kings top player Justin Brownlee delivered 28 points and five rebounds in Game 4. But good defense on him in the fourth period limited him to just three points.
TNT hardly missed the absence of top gunner RR Pogoy, who will be out for the remainder of the series after fracturing a finger in Game 3.