By REYNALD MAGALLON
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and TNT are refusing to get too carried away with a 4-1 semifinals series victory over Rain or Shine which gave them the chance to defend their Governors’ Cup title in the PBA 49th Season.
Make no mistakes though, the Tropang Giga were allowed to celebrate their Finals returns especially after only making it to the quarterfinals of the last two conferences. They just didn’t want to, knowing full well that there’s bigger things ahead of them.
“We got the win and we’re going to the Finals but it is not the end for us,” said Hollis-Jefferson who exploded for 36 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and six steals in TNT’s 113-95 Game 5 win over Rain or Shine.
“We want to be champions at the end of the day. We know what we want to do, take the rest and lock in and see who wins in the next series and start that process because that’s what it is all about at the end of the day,” he added.
Needing only five games to oust its semifinals opponent, TNT now has the luxury of a couple of days rest depending on how long the series between San Miguel and Ginebra could go.
It was pretty much the same scenario the Tropang Giga enjoyed ahead of their semis pairing with the Elasto Painters after only needing four games to dispatch the NLEX Road Warriors in the quarterfinals.
TNT took advantage and was extra sharp in the series against a weary ROS team which went the distance in its own quarterfinals assignment against Magnolia.
Having that luxury doesn’t necessarily mean an immediate advantage for TNT in the Finals according head coach Chot Reyes.
The veteran mentor, who is back to the Finals for the first time since his return to active coaching duties, said it’s on the Tropang Giga to make good use of the extra days of rest and preparation.
“We have to go back and make sure that we take advantage. There’s always two sides to that, you can dull and lose your edge or you can continue to well and use it as a good recovery and keep sharp,” Reyes pointed out.
“It’s incumbent upon us now, to the coaching staff and the players, to prepare again whoever it is that we are playing, regardless of parehong malakas iyon,” he added.
Regardless of how long the series between SMB and Ginebra gets, the PBA Finals is expected to fire off on Sunday, Oct. 27, giving TNT a full week to recuperate and prepare for another grueling seven-game series.
