Cone not expecting Finals series to be high-scoring

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone is not expecting the ongoing PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup Finals to yield high-scoring games.

And the American mentor is sure on point with his forecast as seen by the results of the first two games of the best-of-seven championship series.

"We came off the (semifinal) series in which we were allowed to do pretty much what we wanted offensively. There was no real gut it out type of possession to do, no big plays down the stretch we had to make," Cone told media men, shortly after Ginebra tied the title series at 1-1.

The Gin Kings were used to imposing their will against the NorthPort Batang Pier during their 4-1 semifinal series win. That series saw Ginebra averaged 118 points, along with posting a 22.25 points winning margin per contest.

Cone said they entered the championship series against TNT, thinking they could somehow replicate what they were able to do against NorthPort.

But the Gin Kings were proven wrong.

"We came out thinking we would be able to do what we wanted. But they (Tropang Giga) were just too tough of a defensive team so we thought, 'Hey, we finished no. 1 in defense. We can turn the tide and bring our own defense,'" explained the 67-year-old Ginebra coach.

Ginebra held TNT to a frigid 2-of-22 shooting from the field for just nine percent as the Tropang Giga were held to a Finals-low four points in the second quarter.

The Tropang Giga were held down to just 19 points in the first half as they trailed by 13 points by halftime in Game 2.

As per PBA head of statistician Fidel Mangonon, TNT's four points in the second period, along with its 19, first-half output in the Finals are the new all-time lowest productions in a championship series.

Cone, a known defensive coach throughout his multi-titled PBA coaching career, said he never expected Ginebra to limit TNT to just four points in the second period.

"Do we expect to hold them to four points in the second quarter? No, obviously," he said, "We were giving them rushed shots and they weren't getting open look, so just real credit to Stephen and Jamie coming out and giving them and RHJ (Rondae Hollis-Jefferson) a hard time," added Cone, who is gunning for a new league record 26th PBA title as a coach.

With the series reduced to a best-of-five affair, Cone expects the succeeding games to be tougher, knowing TNT coach Chot Reyes as "one of the most brilliant adjustment coaches" in the league.