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| Arriving way too early for work in Game 2, Chris McCullough vowed to be super punctual again for Game 3. Peter Baltazar |
QUEZON CITY—It was 1 p.m. on a Friday.
Some were probably still eating their lunch at that time.
For many others, it was time to work again.
Chris McCullough also went to work during that time, but his "time in" should have been six and a half hours later.
While the Cignal crew was already doing their early chores to make sure the live television broadcast of Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals would be smooth, McCullough, who was the first player to arrive at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, was already doing some shootarounds alongside his friends.
When asked by reporters why he was that early to warm up, McCullough implied that it was part of his job as a professional athlete, especially that he wanted to improve his perimeter game to match up against Ginebra's own outside shooting.
"That's just being a professional. I'm not really shooting well from the three, so I came early to shoot more," McCullough said.
His answer made sense.
After all, McCullough was 0-for-5 from beyond the arc in Game 1, and even just one three-pointer would have made a difference in TNT's two-point loss to Ginebra, which was essentially Justin Brownlee's fadeaway off the glass against his outstretched arms with 0.6 seconds left.
The Tropang 5G bounced back in Game 2 behind a season-high 31 points by Calvin Oftana.
However, McCullough, who struggled once more from long range when he missed all his six three-pointers, was far from satisfied.
"Today, I didn't shoot well again, so I'll be there early again. I'm just being a professional. That's all," C-Mac, who had a solid stat line 19 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals to backstop Oftana but finished 8-for-21 from the field.
The energetic power forward then reiterated his vow that he will show up at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay way before the 7:30 p.m. tip-off for Game 3 on Sunday.
"You're going to see me early again," McCullough said right before heading for the exits.
What time will he actually arrive for Game 3? Your guess is as good as the others.
For sure, though, with the series tied at 1-1, an explosion from the six-foot-nine former Gilas naturalization prospect, especially from 22 and even 27 feet out, would be huge for TNT.
