Jordan Murphy’s first two games in the PBA have resulted in a 1–1 record for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel after the reigning Commissioner’s Cup champs suffered a 112–93 blowout against the Magnolia Hotshots on Sunday.
After the game, Murphy refused to blame his still learning Tim Cone’s intricate Triangle System for the rout. But the 6-foot-6 former NBA G League player did point out other aspects that could explain Ginebra’s loss.
Defense Was Non-Existent
For Murphy, Ginebra’s lack of defense was particularly disastrous as the team simply could not stop the Hotshots’ near-flawless execution. That defense was so porous that Magnolia repeatedly got to the basket and knocked down open treys.
“There’s just a lot of factors that go into it too,” Murphy rued. “We didn’t come out the way that we should’ve came out, that’s the fact of the matter. Then there’s our defense [which] really wasn’t there today. I can’t really blame the offense, I mean the offense gotta come when we play good defense.”
The Hotshots were, in fact, shooting the lights out against Ginebra. Magnolia converted 42 of its 83 field-goal attempts, while Murphy and his team struggled offensively, shooting just 29-of-76 from the field. Magnolia also dominated perimeter points, 48–34, and points in the paint, 50–34.
“If we got out and got more stops and get into transition, there’s no telling what change or the outcome is. I mean, I can blame it on the lack of understanding of the triangle but then we gotta play defense,” Murphy explained.
Just Keep Growing, According to Murphy
Despite the loss, which is Ginebra’s fifth against only three wins, the team still has a chance to make it to the quarterfinals depending on how the rest of the eliminations play out. But the barangay will have to keep growing with Murphy if they want to catch the playoff bus.
“I mean, just try to use this week to grow and get these next two [games],” he said. “That has to be the mindset. We can’t stay low on these loss, we gotta watch the film, learn from [it], and move on,” he added.
Ginebra’s final two assignments in the eliminations are against the Phoenix Fuel Masters on October 18 and the Blackwater Bossing on October 23.
