(c) PBA Media Bureau
For the whole 48 minutes of a basketball match, you will see 10 players giving their all, trying to provide the W to their team.
All those 10 players bring different things to the table. And being unique, means they have different levels of importance in determining the winner of a game.
How much more for a seven-games series. And how much more for a Finals series.
These are the five players that will decide the winner of the 2018 Commissioner's Cup Finals.
#5 Renaldo Balkman
Balkman has a very colorful history with the San Miguel Beermen. He now has a chance to validate the forgiveness that the Beermen franchise gave him. He averaged 29.4 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.9 blocks per game in the elimination round.
Renaldo's job in this Finals series is simple, fill up the statsheet. That is the import that the most loaded team in the league, needs. If he will be that guy, San Miguel could make this a quick work.
#4 LA Tenorio
Tenorio's size is a huge disadvantage against Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross on the defensive end. He needs to equalize with his offense. If he can be consistent with his shots for the entire series, it will put pressure on the fantastic duo of San Miguel.
#3 Justin Brownlee
Brownlee is capable of winning a game by himself. Except, when he is facing San Miguel Beermen. Do not expect him to be a superman again, like in game 3 against Rain or Shine when he tallied 44 of their 75 points. Beermen has capable stoppers and players with good defensive fundamentals.
But, he should scare the Beermen. The guy is capable of impacting the game on both ends of the court. He always makes winning plays in close games. He can hit threes way beyond the arc which can magnetize Fajardo or Balkman out of the paint.
#2 Christian Standhardinger
Who is the most talented back-up in the PBA? He is playing in the most loaded team in the league. The #1 pick of 2017 draft can totally turn this series into a one-sided affair. Christian's ability to score inside will provide 48 minutes worth of muscle exercise for the Ginebra frontcourt that are not known for their strength.
#1 Greg Slaughter
Finally, we will see Junemar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter battle it out in the finals. For the entirety of Greg's career, the consensus was he was way below Fajardo. The supposed gigantic Gregzilla-Kraken rivalry had been disregarded because of the dominance of the Kraken, and the struggles of Greg.
But, let us not forget that Greg is bigger than Fajardo. He has the size to compete with him. And if he is lock-in, he can score at-will inside.
He is the guy that can neutralize Fajardo. Ginebra cannot let Fajardo feasts inside. They need Slaughter to be there and go toe-to-toe with him.
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