Here are the players who made the biggest impact on June 5 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE GAME:
Justin Brownlee GIN SF 24 PTS | 15 REB | 2 BLK | 56.5 FPS
This was another stellar game for Brownlee. Offensively, he has been very impressive, scoring 20 points in every game of the playoffs so far. On the boards, he was even more impressive, matching his conference-high in rebounds today. Obviously, Brownlee will continue to find ways to deliver, and he should continue to dominate in this series.
Christopher Albert McCullough TNT C 19 PTS | 16 REB | 2 BLK | 53.2 FPS
The veteran import opened the game on a strong note, scoring eight points on 4-for-4 shooting in the first quarter to help TNT take control early. Despite that, his struggles have remained evident. After going scoreless in the fourth quarter of Game 1, he was again ineffective today, scoring just four points while making only one basket. His three-point shooting has been even worse, as he has gone 0-for-10. However, he has been making up for this with his versatility on both ends of the court.
Calvin John Oftana TNT SG 31 PTS | 9 REB | 1 TO | 42.3 FPS
Limited to just 12 points on only seven attempts in Game 1, Oftana completely flipped the script today, leading all players in scoring and posting his highest-scoring game of the conference. He was absolutely lethal today, hitting 6-of-8 on two-pointers and knocking down 5-of-10 from deep. TNT definitely needs this kind of performance from him more often.
Rhon Jay Abarrientos GIN PG 21 PTS | 3 AST | 2 STL | 35.1 FPS
The star guard was reportedly not feeling well going into this matchup, and it showed as he finished the first quarter with just a single point. While he picked up his play afterward and rose again in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points, it wasn’t enough for the win. Through two games in this matchup, Abarrientos has been sharp from three, shooting 8-for-15, and that will continue to be crucial going forward.
Jordan Timothy Heading TNT SG 14 PTS | 5 AST | 1 STL | 26.9 FPS
By any measure, Heading delivered an excellent performance in Game 2. He opened strongly, going 3-for-3 from the field and scoring seven points in the first quarter. He also came through in the final period, hitting a crucial three-pointer to help fend off Ginebra’s comeback. He finished the game with a highly efficient scoring performance while also leading all players in assists.
Jeremiah Gray GIN SG 13 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST | 18.1 FPS
The Kings badly needed someone to step up in Game 2 and Gray answered the call. He caught fire from long-range, knocking down a four-pointer and a three to ignite their fourth-quarter comeback and finish with a new conference-high in scoring. The Kings will surely need more of this from him in this series.
Brandon Arnell Ganuelas-Rosser TNT C 10 PTS | 2 REB | 2 BLK | 17.4 FPS
Offensively, BGR has delivered in the Finals, averaging 11 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the two-point area while converting 8-for-9 from the line. His production on both ends of the floor will certainly be huge for TNT in this series.
Earl Scottie Thompson GIN SF 8 PTS | 4 REB | 2 AST | 14.8 FPS
This was far from the performance that we used to see from Thompson. Offensively, he had a hard time finding his rhythm, going scoreless in the first half and finishing in single digits for the second time in nine playoff games. Overall, he has also made a minimal impact. Throughout the conference, Ginebra has been relying heavily on him, and they simply couldn’t afford these types of performances.
Roger Ray Pogoy TNT SF 10 PTS | 2 REB | 1 AST | 12.9 FPS
Pogoy was TNT’s top local scorer in Game 1, recording his fourth 20-point game of the conference. While he couldn’t match that level today due to foul trouble, he was still effective on the offensive end. That said, Pogoy should be poised for a bigger scoring output in the next matchup.
George Isaac Go GIN C 10 PTS | 3 REB | 1 TO | 12.6 FPS
Go rose to the occasion in Game 2, igniting the Kings’ fourth-quarter surge with 10 points on a flawless 4-for-4 shooting. This type of production will certainly make a big difference in this series if he can keep it up.
Rey Benedict Nambatac TNT PG 10 PTS | 1 REB | 1 AST | 11.7 FPS
Just like he did in Game 1, Nambatac came up huge on the scoring end. Though he was scoreless in the opening quarters, he found his groove in the second half, knocking down two four-pointers. Once he gets into a steady rhythm, he’s definitely giving Ginebra a lot of problems.
Jeth Troy Rosario GIN PF 6 PTS | 2 REB | 1 BLK | 10.4 FPS
The center played an important role in Ginebra’s win in Game 1 with his contributions in the paint. However, he couldn’t match that standard today, finishing his worst rebounding game of the conference. Still, Rosario has been mostly reliable for the Kings, and he should be able to respond in Game 3.
Norberto Brian Torres GIN C 5 PTS | 2 REB | 1 BLK | 10.4 FPS
Torres left his mark in Game 2, contributing on both ends of the floor during the second quarter. For much of the conference, he has been a positive presence, and he should be able maintain that same impact in this series as long as he gets enough minutes.
Louis Raphael Cu GIN SF 2 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST | 10.1 FPS
The Kings’ forward has been playing exceptionally well lately, providing the team with a strong offensive spark while also contributing in other areas. Today, however, he never got going offensively, shooting just 1-for-9 from the field and missing all four of his three-point attempts.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Stephen Jeffrey Holt GIN SG 1 PTS | 1 REB | 1 AST | 2.7 FPS
Nothing seems to be going Holt’s way in this matchup. Through two games in the Finals, he’s been a non-factor, recording just one point, three rebounds and two assists. Obviously, the team will need Holt to turn things around moving forward if they want a much better chance of winning.
