TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.–PBA IMAGES
Getting the results against the big teams is obviously important for the TNT Tropang Giga if they want to come away with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup crown.
But running the table against teams in the middle or lower tiers—the next stretch of games the Tropang Giga will have after improving to 2-1 in the season-opening conference—are as important in the eyes of coach Jojo Lastimosa.
“We have games that are crucial in our push to the playoffs: the teams that are not in the ‘elite’ category,” Lastimosa said, speaking following TNT’s 133-93 rout of Terrafirma at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday that set a record for the biggest winning margin in franchise history.
That stretch starts on Sunday with TNT taking on its fellow PBA representative to the East Asia Super League in Meralco, before it battles NorthPort on Dec. 1, both at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Following a trip to South Korea for an EASL away match against Anyang on Dec. 6, TNT has two games in three days with NLEX on Dec. 13 and Blackwater on Dec. 15.
“No offense to those teams that we will play against, but imagine if we sweep that (stretch), we’re gonna end up at [6-1] coming into our serious games against San Miguel and Ginebra,” Lastimosa said. “It’s going to be a big bonus for us if we win our next four games.”
TNT meets San Miguel at Ynares Center in Antipolo City on Dec. 17, eight days before its Christmas Day showdown with Barangay Ginebra at the Big Dome.
The Tropang Giga remains a formidable force even without some key players like the ailing RR Pogoy, the injured Poy Erram and elite scorer Mikey Williams, who is still far from reaching a settlement to his contract dispute with management.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 37 points that went with six rebounds and six assists before calling it a night in just 29 minutes.
Calvin Oftana (15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists) and Kelly Williams (13 points) were among those key in TNT pulling away in the third quarter to register the franchise’s biggest win in terms of the scoreline.
Terrafirma was given a reality check after entering the game with two straight wins, falling to 2-2 in the conference.
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But the Dyip came into the contest with an all-local lineup as import Thomas de Thaey sustained a groin injury during the thrilling weekend triumph over the NLEX Road Warriors.