Ginebra’s LA Tenorio. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–LA Tenorio walked gingerly out of Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday night right after Barangay Ginebra’s sensational Game 5 victory that put the crowd darlings at the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup.
“Going for an MRI,” he told reporters on the heels of a 101-91 triumph at the bayside venue.
That pain that held the league’s “Iron Man” to just 19 minutes turned out to be an abdominal strain, according to head coach Tim Cone.
“LA is day-to-day,” he told the Inquirer on Monday. “He’s questionable to play on Wednesday.”
Tenorio could suffer a double black-eye should he miss Game 6 at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Aside from missing the potential series clincher, the 38-year-old playmaker could also see his long-standing PBA record come to an end.
Tenorio has played in 736 consecutive games, the most by any player—both active and retired—in league history.
Tenorio missing Game 6 would easily slash 11 points from Ginebra’s projected output, but Cone says his old reliable is more than just someone who churns points.
“He’s so key to what we do, especially in the playoffs,” Cone said. “He’s our leader, he is our ball-handler, he is our organizer. He’s our big-shot guy. He’s our emotional leader as well.”