Tim Cone expects the Kings to face a hard-fighting Painters within the semifinals. —PBA IMAGES
When Barangay Ginebra faced Rain or Shine within the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round, the Gin Kings barely broke a sweat.
“We felt we had something to prove in that game against Rain or Shine within the eliminations. It’s a special feeling now, though,” coach Tim Cone said after his wards punched a ticket to the semifinals with a victory over Phoenix.
“We’ve got to be certain that we stay neither too high nor too low at this point.”
As someone who has seen and achieved the whole lot within the PBA, Cone knows that after the playoffs begin, previous results not matter.
Naturally, he has chosen to forget Ginebra’s 114-90 rout of the Elasto Painters within the eliminations since it is now back to square one in a best-of-seven series.
Cone can also be fully aware of how dangerous counterpart Yeng Guiao might be in a protracted series.
“I just know the way hard it’s to go up against Yeng,” he admitted.
“They play extremely hard and fast. They compete on a regular basis. They will wear you down in a series due to their depth. There’s quite a lot of concern if you’re facing a team like that.”
In response to league chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, Ginebra won the last two playoff meetings against Rain or Shine. Probably the most recent got here within the quarterfinals of the 2020 Philippine Cup, while the opposite was through the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.
Interestingly, the last time Guiao and the Elasto Painters defeated the Gin Kings within the playoffs, additionally they went on to beat San Miguel Beer within the semifinals of the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
War of attrition
Rain or Shine eventually captured the title of that conference, marking the last time an independent team won a PBA championship.
But Cone was quick to emphasize that past results mean little now.
All he knows is that Ginebra faces a war of attrition against Guiao and the Elasto Painters, who’re coming off a quarterfinals upset of the mighty Beermen.
“I expect it to be a troublesome series.”
Game 1 of the semifinals between Cone and Guiao is ready for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo, serving because the nightcap to the TNT-Meralco opener at 5:15 p.m. INQ