When talking about hard-nosed defense and physical play, it’s difficult not to mention the name Cliff Hodge.
No less than Jeremy Lin experienced first-hand Meralco’s imposing brand of play on Wednesday night as former NBA star’s New Taipei Kings outplayed the Bolts, 89-77, in the EASL Home and Away Season at the Philsports Arena.
“[Hodge] makes everything difficult for you. He just plays hard, he just plays physical, and that’s the best type of basketball you would wanna play,” the 35-year-old NBA journeyman said.
“It is physical, very physical. Cliff Hodge is a great example,” added Lin, who became an Asian phenomenon in the NBA, which gave birth to his moniker “Linsanity.”
Lin said that the “physicality” of the Philippine brand of basketball is what will stick to him the most.
But even with Hodge’s hard, tough defense, Lin still came up with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Kings to their third straight win at the top spot in Group B.
It was also Lin’s back-to-back three-pointers that highlighted an 11-0 blast by the visiting team at the start of the third period to finally take control of the game.
Meralco just couldn’t do anything during the telling run and saw their five-point edge at the half wiped out in five minutes as the Knights jumped on to the lead for good, 53-47.
The Bolts never recovered from there and suffered a second straight loss at home for a 1-4 record.
In the game’s waning moments, Lin, aware of the impending victory, approached Hodge after a loose ball situation, gesturing toward the shot clock as if signaling the Meralco forward to ease off, given the secure lead for New Taipei.
Hodge responded affirmatively, tapping all the Kings’ players on the court during the lull.
In recent PBA action, Hodge gained notoriety when his elbow inadvertently fractured the eye socket of rookie Kyt Jimenez during the Meralco-San Miguel Beer clash at the Araneta Coliseum.
Despite the lack of an immediate call during the critical third-quarter collision, the PBA took decisive action, suspending the referee two days later for failing to recognize and penalize Hodge’s foul.