BARANGAY Ginebra has one big problem in TNT KaTropa import Joshua Smith and the Kings are hard-pressed to find an answer -- real quick.
Should Ginebra fail to immediately come up with a solution TNT would find itself claiming a daunting lead following Game Two Tuesday of their PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinal series at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Ironically, it is KaTropa coach Nash Racela himself who expressed confidence Kings coach Tim Cone would come up with a solution to neutralize the 6-9, 330-lb Smith.
“People talk about coach Tim Cone every time there's a playoff series," was how Racela started his explanation.
"The only reason why they talk about coach Tim is because he's a master tactician. So (there will be) a lot of adjustments sa Game 2. But of course we hope that Joshua will continue to play the same."
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With Smith proving to be an unstoppable force inside en route to a 35-point, 13-rebound performance TNT fashioned a wire-to-wire 100-94 win last Sunday in the opener of the best-of-five series.
There was little an array of Kings defenders could do to stifle the former UCLA and Georgetown player as he came off the bench to either bully or muscle his way inside for slams, layups or put backs.
Smith did most of his damage in the second half, where he scattered 29 of his points.
He scored 10 during a 15-4 exchange to give TNT its biggest lead at 64-49. His offensive rebound and dish to Roger Pogoy for a triple made it a 95-90 game and his short stab pegged a 97-92 count and practically ensured the win, only 41 ticks left.
“It’s all about making the right basketball play. If they triple team me, that means somebody else in my team is open so I kick out for the shot,” said Smith, who shot an efficient 16-for-22 from the floor and also dished out four assists in a little less than 29 minutes of action.
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He also left Ginebra completely befuddled.
“Not only is he heavy, he’s wide talaga," said Japeth Aguilar, who, along with Joe Devance, Dave Marcelo and, at times, Justin Brownlee, got the tough task of defending Smith.
"Kahit na madikit ka sa kanya, dahil wide 'yung body niya, hindi mo ma-challenge na maabot 'yung bola. 'Yung chance mo lang talaga is full (denial) talaga.”
Brownlee, who finished with 24 points, 14 rebounds and six dimes, admitted they need to do a better job of keeping Smith in check. “He’s a dominant force in the paint, so we have to do something different,” he said.
“We got to get hold of Smith better. He’s not playing his minutes but when he’s in there, he’s pretty much unstoppable.”
“He’s big and tall and wide. He had a good game today. I thought we played a good first half on him,” said Devance. “I think he just found his rhythm and figured out how we have been guarding him.”
It is not just Smith, however. Pogoy set the tone early with 10 of his 17 points in the opening quarter, Ranidel de Ocampo also came off the bench for 12 points, while Jayson Castro dished out six assists and drained a triple in the last 12 seconds that sealed the count.
As a team, TNT made 11 triples, three more than Ginebra, and emerged with a 25-17 advantage in second chance points.
Brownlee offered one facet his team also needs to improve on. “We just have to get our rhythm back on offense,” he stated.
“I don’t think we did a great job on offense today. We’re moving the ball. But with our continuity, we didn’t do very well.”
