To think that things will become easier given Justin Brownlee’s uncertainty for the rest of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals is make-believe for TNT.
Coach Chot Reyes and the Tropang Giga refuse to fall under the illusion that the odds will shift in their favor, now that the Kings are facing the possibility of playing in the title series without the three-time Best Import due to a broken thumb.
“This is not over by any means,” warned the champion mentor, also worried about the Gilas’ naturalized winger. “We have to make sure we’re ready.”
Reyes offered his comments moments after their thrilling 87-85 victory in Game 3 on Wednesday night, the same match where JB got hurt and had to be sent to the hospital, reducing Barangay Ginebra to an all-Filipino unit.
The 36-year-old got injured at the 6:54-mark of the third quarter after his right hand slammed onto the Philsports Arena hardwood, when he tried to jump for the loose ball as Rey Nambatac briefly lost the ball but got it back.
#WATCH: Justin Brownlee is taken out of the Philsports Arena and into an ambulance for a hospital checkup on his hand injury 🏀
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times#PBA2025 pic.twitter.com/mUcBvbenn2
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 19, 2025
Brownlee left the match with 19 points on 7-of-12 field-goal shooting, four rebounds, six assists, and a steal in the 28 minutes he saw action.
Still, the remaining Kings made life difficult for TNT even without their main man behind the troika of RJ Abarrientos, Scottie Thompson, and Troy Rosario.
In fact, they even held an 82-80 lead entering the game’s last two minutes, but Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tied things up before Nambatac dealt the go-ahead trifecta that put the Tropa up for good, 85-82, with 30.1 seconds left.
Soon, Reyes’ wards would find themselves bouncing back after that stinging 71-70 defeat back in Game 2 last Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Now, the series heads to Antipolo for Game 4, and everyone from TNT, especially after Wednesday’s great escape, is bracing for another war ahead.
Because everyone on the team believes there are many other Kings capable of stepping up if Brownlee misses the game — or even multiple games, depending on the severity of his condition.
As of this posting, there’s no word yet from the Ginebra camp regarding the six-time champion’s injury, which compounds what’s already been a challenging past few weeks for him health-wise after battling asthma.
“We don’t know. But even without him, nakita niyo naman today how strong, how tight that team is,” said Reyes as five players finished in double figures for Ginebra, including the aforementioned local trio of theirs.
“Without Justin, somebody else is going to step up. They’re going to rely on their defense, their ability to defend us, to generate stops for themselves.”
#WATCH: Even without Justin Brownlee, Chot Reyes and Rey Nambatac believe Ginebra remains strong after their close win in Game 3 of the #PBA2025 Commissioner’s Cup Finals 🏀
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/iwGwCtvZHO
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 19, 2025
