AS in their two previous title showdowns, TNT and Barangay Ginebra are tied after four games with their dispute going down to race to two.
They fight for the pivotal 3-2 lead in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the Gin Kings riding the emotional high generated from Justin Brownlee's brave stand.
The Tropang Giga, meanwhile, need not panic. They've been there and done that.
In title duels in the last two Governors' Cup, TNT and Ginebra were tied at 2-2, and the Tropang Giga took the next two games to claim the crown in six in each occasion.
However, Jayson Castro was there in the battle then for TNT and Jamie Malonzo wasn't for Ginebra.
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And then there's the energy and fire the Gin Kings enjoy now on Brownlee playing through an injured thumb on his shooting hand.
Brownlee is determined to carry Ginebra through the battle, and the Gin Kings are pumped up by it.
The Tropang Giga recognize it's an extra battle they have to fight. There's also the task of fighting back from a blowout loss.
With Brownlee's injury and all, the Kings pummeled the Tropang Giga in the fourth quarter and pulled off an emphatic 95-78 win Friday to once again send the series back to scratch.
"I wanted to be aggressive and continue trying to play like I've been playing," said Brownlee on his commendable showing marked by 23 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in 45 minutes of action.
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"I definitely had doubts as far as the tape. You know, it's a different feeling but during practice last Thursday and then before the game Friday, I got a good feel for it and I think I got the hang of it. I don't want to jinx myself but I kind of got a good feel for it now."
Coach Tim Cone commended their medical and conditioning group for making possible the quick return of Brownlee without having the thumb fixed surgically.
Now, they're in a position to break the tit-for-tat pattern and grab the series upper hand going to Game 6.
But Cone stressed it should and it could not be just about Brownlee. He said the biggest thing in Game 4 was it being a team effort for Ginebra.
"Obviously, the focus is on Justin but we played a really good team game," he said. "We played a really good defensive game and we got our offense going a little bit. Hopefully, we can continue that into the next game and hopefully, we can continue to minister Justin and get him through the series."
For the Tropa, they can relax with the fact that it's a tied series.
Game 4 was a tight game until the Kings came through with a key run following the exit of Poy Erram on fouls.(SB)
