Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Tallying a measly eight points in Magnolia’s Game 1 loss, Paul Lee knew he could have done a much better job.
Lee was hard on himself that in the lead up to Game 2, all he was thinking of was how his former coach Yeng Guiao would have given him a tongue-lashing after his paltry performance.
READ: Stifled by NLEX defense, Lee vows to bounce back in Game 2
“Back when I was with him, I knew that he wouldn’t be happy with that kind of performance and would have been mad at me for that,” Lee, who spent his first five years in PBA under Guiao at Rain or Shine, said in Filipino.
“I thought of the same with our coaching staff, that they’re counting on me and we need to bounce back and get even.”
Seeking for a better performance in Game 2, Lee came out to play as he fired 27 points and collected four rebounds, and three assists to lead the Hotshots in a 99-84 drubbing of the Road Warriors and level the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals to 1-1.
READ: Lee catches fire as Magnolia torches NLEX to even series
“I was just aggressive from the start,” he shared. “My goal was for my energy to rub off on my teammates for us to be aggressive from the start and I’m happy that we responded.”
As ironic as it sounds, Lee said Magnolia has Guiao to thank for his solid outing.
“I used that thought of coach Yeng as my motivation going into this game,” he said.
Guiao said he isn’t really surprised with how his former star rebounded in Game 2.
“I expected that. I know he can come back,” the NLEX mentor said.
But with Lee’s good showing, a better game plan from the Road Warriors must follow.
Lee can expect to face a tougher NLEX defense in Game 3.
“He also knows we will prepare harder for him the next time. He knows that when we’re preparing for Magnolia, he is one of the priorities in the game plan. So we’ll find another way to make life hard for him,” Guiao said.
.@M_Hotshots’ @lethalweapon03 shares his thoughts on his bounce back performance in Game 2. #PBA2018 pic.twitter.com/KdaS53ukXM
— Randolph B. Leongson (@RLeongsonINQ) March 12, 2018