TNT Must Rethink RHJ’s Ball-Dominance – Tim Cone Can Easily Exploit It
TNT Tropang Giga’s one-point loss to Barangay Ginebra in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals was heartbreaking, but it also exposed a serious problem—their over-reliance on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RHJ).
While RR Pogoy and the rest of the TNT squad are fully backing RHJ, their insistence on living and dying with him as the primary decision-maker could be a fatal flaw against a well-prepared Ginebra team led by coaching mastermind Tim Cone.
Tim Cone Can Easily Adjust to RHJ’s Ball-Hogging
In Game 2, Ginebra’s defense clamped down on RHJ in crunch time, forcing him into a costly turnover and a broken final possession. If TNT continues this one-dimensional approach, it becomes easier for Cone to prepare.
🔴 Cone is a master at defending predictable offenses.
🔴 He can throw multiple defenders at RHJ, forcing bad shots or turnovers.
🔴 He can pressure him into decision-making situations where RHJ struggles.
TNT cannot afford to be so predictable against a Ginebra team that already has a track record of figuring them out.
TNT Needs to Get Others Involved
TNT has too many capable scorers to let RHJ dominate every offensive possession. Players like:
✅ RR Pogoy – A streaky shooter who thrives in clutch moments.
✅ Jayson Castro – A veteran leader who can create plays.
✅ Calvin Oftana – A versatile forward who can stretch the floor.
✅ Glenn Khobuntin – A gritty role player who can hit open shots.
Instead of forcing RHJ into isolations, TNT needs to run a more fluid offense where these guys get more touches. Otherwise, Ginebra will keep suffocating RHJ and daring TNT to beat them another way—a bet Cone is more than willing to take.
Will TNT Adjust or Stick With RHJ Ball-Hogging?
TNT is at a crossroads. They can continue to live and die with RHJ’s ball-dominance and let Tim Cone exploit it, or they can spread the offense and make Ginebra’s defense work harder.
If they don’t adjust, this series could follow the same pattern as the last two finals matchups—with Brownlee and Cone once again outsmarting RHJ and TNT when it matters most.
Comments
Post a Comment