Cone says Ginebra win over Bolts has little relevance in playoffs

Justin Brownlee (with ball) performed restricted minutes for the Ginebra Gin Kings of their final assembly in opposition to the Meralco Bolts. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Barangay Ginebra took care of enterprise when it final battled Meralco, a aspect that seemingly has began to determine the Gin Kings in what was a one-sided rivalry.

But, coach Tim Cone believes that his expenses’ 91-87 conquer the Bolts that closed their respective Commissioner’s Cup elimination spherical schedules will hardly be of use after they open their best-of-three quarterfinals collection on Wednesday.

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SCHEDULE: 2024-2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals

“It’s laborious to learn off that sport as a result of the import didn’t play and Justin [Brownlee] performed minimal minutes,” Cone stated on the eve of their 7:30 p.m. conflict at Sensible Araneta Coliseum. “Each groups additionally performed their guys off the bench for elongated minutes, so you already know, it’s laborious to [predict] what’s going to occur.”

Cone is especially cautious of Meralco import Akil Mitchell, who sat out their final assembly no due to an ailing again.

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“Clearly, he has an enormous, big influence on the sport, and that’s one thing we now have to account for going into the collection,” he added.

Mitchell has been integral within the Bolts’ marketing campaign this convention, main Meralco to a 7-2 document in video games he performed in.

Curiously, Meralco coach Luigi Trillo struck an analogous chorus when he talked about his American import.

“You take a look at the accidents [that shelved] Akil and we’re 7-2 all through these video games. We may’ve simply been 9-2,” he stated, however not with out stressing how stacked the Gin Kings are.

“Loads of complications with all these guys added—Troy Rosario, [RJ] Abarrientos added, [Stephen] Holt—all these guys,” he added.

Painters vs FiberXers

And so it will be fascinating how the 2 groups would navigate the rekindling of their rivalry.

The identical may very well be stated within the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser that may pit a younger, retooled Converge aspect in opposition to an unpredictable Rain or Shine crew that share putting similarities.

Just like the ElastoPainters, the FiberXers are additionally crammed with youthful abilities that play like veterans. Each groups have additionally been making an attempt their darndest to recover from their respective humps, making for a very mouthwatering collection the place quarters received’t be given.

“Hopefully, we get to place ourselves in an opportunity to get a win [toward] the top,” interim coach Franco Atienza of Converge advised the Inquirer.

Converge beat Rain or Shine, 103-96, of their first assembly.