SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – After crippling down in the final moments of the series opener, the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers shoot for the equalizer when they battle the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Game 2 of the PLDT Home DSL PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.
But Coach Yeng Guiao’s troops would want more distance, going for a 2-0 lead which makes the game tonight even more important.
GAME 1: Rain or Shine 83, San Mig Coffee 80
What went right for Rain or Shine: Down 70-76 in the dying minutes of the fourth period, the Elasto Painters relied on one of the league’s best shooters: Jeff Chan. The Gilas Pilipinas sniper knocked down two key triples that gave ROS the 78-76 cushion, before Jervy Cruz tied the game at 80. Gabe Norwood then fed Paul Lee with a perfect alley-oop pass to steal Game 1.
What went wrong for San Mig Coffee: The Mixers almost had it in the bag, with back to back jumpers by James Yap giving them an 80-78 edge. However, Coach Tim Cone’s wards failed to defend in the final play and also burned a timeout with 8 seconds remaining, which only led to a bad shot by Mark Barroca.
What they should do to win
Rain or Shine: Guiao’s boys should keep rolling with his system; in Game 1, he fielded all of his players, with rookies Jeric Teng and Raymond Almazan getting good starts. No one played for more than 29 minutes, with 9 players scoring at least 5 points or more. Keeping that balance is their key to success.
San Mig Coffee: It was a crucial defensive lapse in the end game that spelled trouble for the Mixers, so they must defend well on every possession. San Mig did outrebound Rain or Shine, 55-45 but they allowed the Painters to get second chance points late in the game. They must secure the loose balls and extra possessions to win.
X-Factors:
Rain or Shine: Jervy Cruz
The former UAAP MVP asserted his might inside in Game 1, finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds that included a game-tying basket. He should show that kind of an effort to help his team win.
San Mig: Rafi Reavis
The Mixers’ defensive big man played 27 minutes and tallied only 4 points and 6 boards. He must do a better job of taking care of the paint on both ends to give his squad a lift.
What this game means: Rain or Shine is gunning for a distant 2-0 advantage in the series, but San Mig Coffee wants it all knotted up at 1 apiece. This game could determine if this series will go a long way or be short so both teams will be in for a tough grind.
– Rappler.com
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