As if his past three games weren’t enough to remind basketball fans that he’s back, Paul Lee capped his PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game Two performance with a game-winning jumper at the buzzer to push Rain or Shine’s series lead against Alaska to 2-0.
Lee finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists in Game Two, leading Rain or Shine to a 105-103 victory. He scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter where the Elasto Painters outscored the Aces, 29-24.
Lee broke down the final possession after the game, saying he was just lucky to be in the right position to hit the jumper after Beau Belga missed a three-point attempt from the corner.
#PBAFinals Paul Lee's shot once again pic.twitter.com/EWqBPrkXCf
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 8, 2016
“Nakita ko malakas eh (yung tira ni Beau), nagbaka-sakali na lang ako na mapunta sa kabila. Ayun, tumama sa ring, napunta dito. Pagkuha ko, nakuha ko, two seconds pa yung mayroon sa oras, nagfocus ako sa shot ko,” Lee said.
Lee got the offensive rebound uncontested, and hoisted a shot which found the bottom of the net just as the time expired.
“Tendency kasi ng player kapag ganoon, mahalaga yung rebound eh. Binuwenas lang talaga ako. Napunta lang sa kabilang side. Buwenas talaga, nakuha ko lang.”
Lee, who is averaging 17.5 PPG on 64.9 percent field goal shooting and 52.9 percent three-point shooting and 3.0 APG in his last four games, added he feels happy to enjoy the experience again, but is also wary the team has remain focus on its goal of winning a championship.
“Masaya, kasi nakabalik na ako. Perfect timing yung nangyari. Semifinals, tapos ngayon sa finals. Sana magtuloy-tuloy,” Lee shared.
The rest of the Elasto Painters are also delighted to see their main star playing high-level basketball again.
“Paul, again, back to his old form. Just like in Game One, he is just back to his leadership role with this team,” head coach Yeng Guiao said.
“We are happy because he has been in the league for four or five years. Just happy to see him back out there, he’s a big help to our team. We need someone who can lead us, hopefully he’ll keep continuing to play like that,” Jericho Cruz added.
Belga, Lee’s teammate ever since joining the league, witnessed Lee’s recovery process, and can’t help but be proud of the all-star guard.
“Si Paul kasi, talagang nagtiyaga siya, coming from injury, nagpa-kundisyon siya. noong bumalik sa amin yan, mataba eh, nakita nyo naman sa laro, parang di niya kayang magtagal ng sampung minuto ng dire-diretso,” Belga recalled.
“Nagpakundisyon, nago-oval mag-isa, talagang sariling sikap siya, practice siya, maaga siya sa practice, and nakikita naman niya kung ano yung nagiging sukli ng sipag niya.”
Lee said he has already lost 18 pounds since he returned to action after a couple of injuries earlier this year. Looking forward, the gunslinger is still expecting a long series.
“Mahaba pa ‘tong series. Focus lang sa kami game,” Lee said.
It’s hard to blame Lee for saying it is just luck getting back to a level he was accustomed to. But with the way he is playing as of late, the rest of his teammates and coaching staff are right: he is back, and that game-winner he converted at the end of Game Two only made it more official.
