Brownlee reinstalls Kings as title favorites, himself as standard for other imports

Justin Brownlee continues to be a difficult puzzle to solve for the opposition despite playing in the seventh season. —PHOTOS FROM PBA IMAGES

The renewal of what was once a one-way rivalry between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco is a tale of two imports where one makes a claim without even trying.

After a rare struggle last week when coach Tim Cone labeled him a “scam”, Justin Brownlee stepped up as if he had done so many times for Gin Kings over the past six years, leading Leading the crowd to Sunday’s 99-91 victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup knockout game gave the field the dreaded prospect once again.

Considering it came just days after Ginebra inexplicably lost to Rain or Shine, that effort by Brownlee and the Kings was nothing short of a declared match against a team that was won. deemed formidable and imported NBA pedigree made a lot of people notice he was the best on paper.

“I told my wife that if you turn on the TV and you’ve never watched the PBA and watched Justin have one of his clumsy games, you’d think ‘Why is he in this tournament? ‘ Cone said with a smile after Brownlee scored a good portion of his 34 points in the fourth quarter. “How can he be an importer?”

Unforgettable first game

“But you know he’ll be back,” Cone continued, referring from his imported clip seven to 25 in a 93-71 loss to Elasto Painters. “His history is that he’ll come back and he’s only done it in the five, six years he’s been here. So it’s not something that annoys us. “

And while Brownlee is impressive, Meralco’s Johnny O’Bryant isn’t bad either.

The three-team NBA veteran has averaged more than 30 points with 19 rebounds and 4.5 steals in his first two games. The bad thing is, the Bolts have lost both.

“I’m not saying he’s not playing well now, that’s not what I’m saying,” said Meralco coach Norman Black, who, before the conference started, touted the signing of the club. O’Bryant is like “playing a home game. “

“What I’m saying is he has to do more because we’ve lost a key player,” Black added.

That player was Chris Newsome, who was forced to sit out the game against Ginebra after straining his calf in the first half of the Bolts’ astonishing collapse against NorthPort Batang Pier last Friday.

COACH TIM CONE

And sure enough, Black is hoping to see a comeback performance from O’Bryant – like what Brownlee did against the Bolts.

Johnny’s bounce?

Meralco prepares for a five-day holiday before facing the lowly Terrafirma, and that could be the chance that Bolts and O’Bryant can maximize to redeem themselves—even if Newsome is out and O’Bryant seems as if trying to find his niche.

“We knew Justin was going to come out and be Justin. I think the moment you start doubting Justin, I think you’re a bit silly,” Cone stated.

“I just think you just have to keep with him and stay with him and he’ll deliver like he did tonight, like he did in the knockout stages,” he added. .

And for good measure, Cone reminded how Brownlee’s early struggles reflected towards the final Governors Cup.

“I remember halfway through the last conference he was here, everyone was wondering, would we change Justin? [with another import]? Does he need to be changed? And then we flip through a championship,” he shared.

“Be careful if you doubt Justin.”

—With a report from Denison Rey A. Dalupang INQ

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