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PBA: Bay Area Wants Nicholson in Game 2

January 2, 2023
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In the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals in 2022, in Game 2, Brian Goorjian intends to give their import, Andrew Nicholson, more opportunities to shoot.

On Christmas Day, Nicholson scored just 17 field goals. And the Bay Area Dragons were defeated by Barangay Ginebra 96-81 in Game 1 of the Finals. Holding him to a conference-low 27 points.

Nicholson averaged 36.2 points on 56.6% shooting, and the top-seeded Dragons averaged 13.3 rebounds per game before the Finals. However, he could not produce his standard output in their Game 1 loss, as Ginebra’s defense continued to frustrate him.

Goorjian stated on Tuesday’s OKBET Philippines Sports Desk, “We must free Nicholson and locate a method to cope with the strategies from Game 1,” about his team’s defeat in the series’ opening match.

Standhardinger Defensive Efforts Against Nicholson

OKBET Nicholson

Tim Cone of Ginebra praised Christian Standhardinger for his defensive efforts against Nicholson, and Goorjian concurred that the Filipino-German big man stymied their import for extended stretches. Mainly, Standhardinger’s physicality established the tone for the game and assured that Nicholson would have to work to grab the ball.

“The biggest thing we accomplished was to limit Nicholson’s 3-pointers,” said Cone. “Christian has just done an excellent job protecting him. I’m not sure if he can maintain this level of performance for seven games, but we’ll surely try.”

Goorjian observed that the Gin Kings’ defense restrained him regardless of where Nicholson attempted to go. Nicholson’s debut game in the PBA was a 111-93 loss to the Gin Kings in October, during which he made just 12 24 shots for 28 points.

Goorjian stated, “Our concern with Nicholson was that he did not receive touches.” “We get the ball to him in the elbow, in the middle of the post, and transition. It was challenging to touch him because there was no flexibility of movement.”

“Nicholson’s mobility within our system is crucial, as he could not move. And we did not face that opponent all season. So that’s the first adjustment, “he added.

Ginebra’s Aggressiveness

To get Nicholson into a rhythm, Goorjian wants his guys to handle Ginebra’s aggressiveness better and overcome their Finals anxieties. The coach remarked that his team appeared “frozen” during Game 1 at the Mall of Asia Arena. In front of a crowd of 18,000 who chanted for Ginebra from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

“It’s a challenge for us, and we must make adjustments,” he said. “On our end, this is a first. We had never participated in anything like in a foreign nation. The regulations are unique. This game was neither officiated nor played in the same manner as regular season games.”

Wednesday is Game 2 of the best-of-7 Finals at the Araneta Coliseum.

 

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