Justin Arana steps up for Converge to close in on semis berth
Justin Arana returned to the hardcourt to guide Converge past Rain or Shine as it eked out a 130-118 win in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinals series in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday, February 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Converge’s big man put up 22 points and eight rebounds in his return from a knee injury that saw the FiberXers overcome a 17-point deficit to win the first game of the best-of-three quarterfinals.
“This is our fifth time being in the quarterfinals but we have yet to reach the semis. We’re really eager to seal the win,” said Arana in Filipino. “Hopefully, we get another win so we can make our first semis trip.”
As Rain or Shine continued to dominate despite the manpower problem, Adrian Nocum then made a three-pointer to put the deficit at 104-105 early in the fourth quarter.
After being forced to sit out due to a blatant foul late in the third, Arana came alive and made up for lost time.
Unfazed by the hyperextended knee he sustained in their penultimate elimination round matchup against the San Miguel Berrmen on January 24, Arana gave Converge a comfortable 122-108 cushion after sinking nine points in a 17-4 run.
Import Cheick Diallo top scored for the FiberXers with 35 markers on top of 17 boards and three rejections, capitalizing on the premature exit of Elasto Painters counterpart Deon Thompson in the third period due to six fouls.
Jordan Heading posted 21 points with nine assists and two blocks for the FiberXers, while Schonny Winston registered 17 markers, pulled down four boards, and dished out four dimes.
Alec Stockton delivered a 13-point, 10-assist double-double, with rookie Justin Baltazar adding 13 markers and six boards, highlighted by his poster slam on veteran Beau Belga during their fourth-quarter breakaway.
Meanwhile, Caelan Tiongson scored 23 points, three rebounds, and two assists to lead the Elasto Painters. But his efforts went down the drain as it was unable to cover the void left by Thompson, who played just under 25 minutes.
Adrian Nocum and Anton Asistio contributed 14 points each in the defeat.
Converge will look to conclude the series and advance to the semifinals when Game 2 unwraps on Friday, February 7, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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The Cavaliers earned a 121-112 victory behind the heroics of their starters—Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Max Strus.
Mitchell tallied 30 points, six rebounds, six assists, and one steal, while Garland added 21 markers, two boards, and nine dimes. Mobley chipped in 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal, and Strus finished with 14 markers, one board, six dimes, and two deflections.
De’Andre Hunter also contributed off the bench with 12 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
The Cavaliers’ win overshadowed the strong performances from Heat stars Tyler Herro, who had a game-high 33 points along with six rebounds and five assists, and Bam Adebayo, who nearly notched a triple-double with 11 markers, 14 boards, and nine dimes.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Celtics pulled away in the third quarter and held their lead until the final buzzer, claiming a 109-100 win over the Magic.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with a monster performance of 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a forehead cut after catching an elbow from Goga Bitadze, recorded a double-double with 20 markers and 10 boards, on top of his two steals and two blocks.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday also scored in double figures with 17 and 11 points, respectively, while Payton Pritchard added 14 off the bench.
For the Magic, Paolo Banchero led the way with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven steals. Franz Wagner followed with 25 markers, four boards, four dimes, and two deflections, while Wendell Carter Jr. added 16 points, eight rebounds, and one assist.
The Los Angeles Lakers shrugged off a late rally by the Minnesota Timberwolves to come away with a 94-85 victory, tying their NBA Playoffs Round 1 series at one game apiece on Wednesday, April 23, (Philippine time) at the Cypro.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Luka Doncic, nearly posted a triple-double finishing with 33 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, and one block, providing the offensive spark and playmaking Los Angeles needed to secure the much-needed win.
Veteran superstar LeBron James also delivered a well-rounded performance, contributing 21 markers, 11 boards, seven dimes, one steal, and a block.
The supporting cast stepped up as well. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura provided valuable contributions, scoring 16 and 11 points, respectively.
The Oklahoma City Thunder once again played dominantly to take a 2-0 advantage in their Round 1 Playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies after securing a 118-99 Game 2 victory on April 23 (Philippine time) at the Paycom Center.
Thunder star and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the West’s No. 1 seed with 27 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Jalen Williams added 24 markers, six boards, and four dimes to help Oklahoma grab their second straight win.
Chet Holmgren put up double-double numbers with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Alex Caruso—who didn’t attempt a single shot in Game 1—poured in 13 markers on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, grabbed four boards, issued three dimes, stole the ball thrice, and recorded one block.
Aaron Wiggins, their Game 1 hero, was limited to just eight points in seven minutes of playing time.