Still some fine-tuning to do as new faces, system welcomes Smith in TNT

Joshua Smith. PBA IMAGES

Joshua Smith is no stranger to the PBA, but in his return to TNT after a one-year absence, the jovial big man admits he still needs a little more time to adjust.

Despite his team’s almost seamless 123-95 victory over Columbian Dyip in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Smith said he still has to work on how to play better with his teammates, especially the new faces.

“We’re running new plays that we didn’t run last year, and this is a new system so I’m just trying to get used to it,” said Smith Friday at Mall of Asia Arena. “I’m playing with some new guys, playing with some guys I played with last year, but all that matters is we won.”

READ: TNT thrashes Columbian for share of lead in PBA Commissioner’s Cup

“We’ll go to practice tomorrow, fix up some stuff, and go about what we got to work on.”

Smith shared the frontcourt with Moala Taututaa in his first foray in the PBA, but the bearded big man is now at Globalport in exchange for guard Terrence Romeo.

TNT also added another backcourt player in Jericho Cruz since during Smith’s time away with the team.

Smith, who put up 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting, said he welcomes the opportunity to work with Romeo and Cruz who can easily put up points on the box score.

Romeo had 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists while Cruz had a similar line of 17 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.

“Terrence is a hell of a player, him and Jericho,” said Smith. “To add two guys like that to the guys we have right now, man, we’re deep.”