The Paul Lee that people have known for being such a lethal piece for the Rain or Shine system is slowly resurfacing, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time.
Lee, who battled injuries to open the 2015-16 PBA season, played his best game of the season yet, chipping in 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting and dishing out five assists as Rain or Shine annihilated San Miguel Beer in Game Four Sunday, 124-99 to close out their semi-finals series at 3-1 and move on to the Finals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“Happy. Buenas, akalain mo dito pa lumabas yung best game ko. Happy na-close out yung game na ganoon nilaro ko. At hindi lang ako, yung buong team, talagang binuhos nila lahat para makuha yung panalo,” Lee said after the game.
“Siguro papunta na doon. Happy na ako, ngayon nag-pe-peak na yung laro ko (ulit).”
Lee scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the second quarter, where Rain or Shine outscored San Miguel, 38-20, to break the game wide open.
During the stretch, Lee showed flashes of his old self, attacking the rim relentlessly while breezing past the Beermen defense to finish strong around the rim. He also hit two triples as the Elasto Painters began to build a double-digit spread.
In the third quarter, Lee switched to a facilitator role, while still maintaining his aggressiveness in splitting the Beermen defense before dishing out seamless passes to get his teammates involved.
This vintage performance earned him his first Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the conference as he beat Alaska forward Calvin Abueva for the period of April 25-May 1.
Such signs, Lee says, are encouraging not just for him but for the entire team, which is trying to break a four-year championship drought.
“Maganda yun para sa akin at para sa team na wala akong iniinda. Tuloy ko lang kung anong ginagawa ko para bumalik din yung laro ko agad,” Lee shared.
Lee averaged 16.5 PPG in his last two games for the Elasto Painters, and at this rate, it would probably be just a matter of time before he returns to a form that had been lethal enough to compete for a Best Player of the Conference plum.
And looking at the bigger picture, with the entire squad healthy and motivated to end the drought once and for all, the mindset is to win it all.
“Sa akin naman, panigurado hindi lang para sa akin. Best chance para sa lahat. Pagtrabahuhan lang namin kung gusto namin talaga,” Lee said.
“Siguro. Ang tagal na rin eh, ang dami na naming championship na pinaglaruan pero di namin nakuha. So dapat pagtrabahuhan na namin ‘to. Kasi ang hirap naman kung mag-u-umpisa ka ulit ng regular season, quarter-finals, semi-finals. Mahirap makarating dito.”
With the “Leethal Weapon” slowly gaining back his form, the Elasto Painters may finally have that shot of winning another crown that has eluded them for the past three seasons.
