For Bay Area Dragons’ coach Brian Goorjian, their seven-game finals’ series with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings will be about how their team can adjust with the physicality of the other team’s game plan.
Goorjian said this as he reflected on what the Dragons will need to do in Game 2 of their championship series in the 2022-2023 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum
“The seven-game series is about adjustments. Everything is a first win, first basket, first practice together. And now, we’re in a finals situation, first finals. And it’s all learning. Can we adjust, can we grow?” said Goorjian.
Adjusting to the way the Gin Kings play will help the Dragons take a game in the series.
“Again, these are young guys, a first to experience. We got pretty well manhandled tonight, so the ball’s on our court to make some adjustments,” said Goorjian.
The Bay Area Dragons are known to average 38.75 percent on field goals before the finals series and they allow their opponents 37.5 percent on field goals.
And in Game 1, the Gin Kings’ defense forced the Dragons to their lowest output this conference in a 96-81 setback. They had their fewest offensive outing in an 89-92 loss to the Meralco Bolts during the elims.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone said they watched out for the Dragons’ outside shooting in Game 1 and will continue to do so in their next game.
“We were just lucky that (Hayden) Blankly went 0 of 7. And he makes 30 percent. And those are the things that we’re gonna have to look at again,” said Cone.
The Dragons usually make 12.75 points off their triples, mostly from Andrew Nicholson (19 of 37) and Kobey Lam (14 of 30).
And limiting their outside shooting will be one of the goals of the Gin Kings again.