Paul Lee downplays finger injury, assures he’ll be ready for Game 4

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net

Paul Lee allayed fears of getting sidelined and promised to play playing for Magnolia in crucial Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Wednesday.

Lee  grimaced in pain as he hurt his middle finger on his right hand when he tried to reach for the ball off a jumpball early in the fourth quarter. He left the game with 9:01 left and didn’t return.

“I’ll be ready. This is nothing,” he said on the heels of the Hotshots’ 87-111 Game 3 defeat. “I jammed my finger. When I reached, my middle finger hit the knee of Matt (Ganuelas-Rosser).”

Coach Chito Victolero opted to no longer check Lee back in as the Beermen already held an 83-71 lead at that point.

“I decided to rest Paul in preparation for our next game,” relayed the bench tactician.

Things just got even tougher for the Hotshots, who are looking to avoid a dangerous 1-3 hole against the highly-favored three-time defending champions, and that fact is not lost on Lee.

“We expected that San Miguel will play this way because they’re really strong. But just like what kuya Ping [Marc Pingris] told us, we need to double the effort especially on defense,” he said.

“It’s going to be hard for us if we go down 1-3. It will be a big game for us next game.”