PBA Finals: RJ Abarrientos plays down Game 6 reputation

LIVE: 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 6 – TNT vs Ginebra

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ RJ Abarrientos during Game 5 of the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals vs TNT Tropang 5G. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—If the NBA has “Game 6 Klay,” the PBA might as well have “Game 6 RJ.”

The numbers don’t lie, and over the past two seasons they show RJ Abarrientos tends to shift into another gear every time a Game 6 rolls around.

READ: PBA Finals: RJ Abarrientos focused on title chase despite BPC win

Now, Barangay Ginebra is in prime position to close out TNT in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, with Game 6 set on Sunday at Araneta Coliseum.

Based on recent history, the reigning Best Player of the Conference could be due for another big performance at the most crucial moment of the series.

Abarrientos, however, brushed off the narrative built around his Game 6 reputation.

“Wala. I don’t think about that,” he told the Inquirer after dropping 13 points in Ginebra’s 100-95 overtime win in Game 5 on Friday night.

READ: PBA Finals: RJ Abarrientos delivers after Tim Cone challenge

“That’s not how we think. There’s no JB Game, RJ Game or even a Scottie game. We can all contribute to this team. There’s no ‘I’ in this team. All of us need to contribute, not just me.”

The last time Abarrientos played a Game 6 in a series, he helped Ginebra close out Rain or Shine. The FEU product finished with 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals in that 118-107 win over the Elasto Painters.

Entering Sunday’s Game 6, Abarrientos is 3-3 in such games in his career. He is averaging 18.8 points, 4.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in Game 6 appearances.

But to him, all those numbers mean nothing.

What matters now is finishing the job and helping Ginebra secure its first championship since 2023.

“We just need to dig deeper as a team. We’ll look at how we can help individually on offense and defense,” Abarrientos said.

“This is more on our character at this point. Whoever has the biggest heart and whoever wants to win more will end this series.”