Game 1 - TNT's blazing hot first quarter
If you only watched the first 12 minutes of the first game of the series, you'd think that TNT would come away with the championship. Terrence Jones went wild during the first quarter, which helped TNT gain a 35-19 advantage as the first quarter buzzer sounded. TNT would go on to take Game 1, 109-96, with Jones finishing with 41 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 blocks.
Game 2 - That entire 2 OT stretch
It's hard to pick a single moment to highlight from Game 2 because there were just too many. So we're picking the entire stretch from the final moments of regulation all the way to the second overtime. TNT was in a good position to take this game in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter but unfortunately lost Terrence Jones due to technical fouls. The game was within the reach of both teams until the last few seconds of the second overtime period with the game ending with SMB leading by only 2 points.
Game 3 - KaTropa's 24-0 run
In a complete 180-degree turn from their Game 1 dominance, TNT found themselves in a 19-36 hole at one point during Game 3. It looked like SMB would run away with this game when a miraculous 24-0 run turned the tide for TNT. The run was the second biggest run in PBA Finals history and was enough to give TNT Game 3, 115-105. Jones had another monster game with 37 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 5 blocks. This time, he had a lot of help from the locals as RR Pogoy chipped in 29 points while Don Trollano contributed 18 markers of his own.
Game 4 - Chris McCullough shows up
Don't get us wrong, McCullough was a beast all series long. But on a night that saw Terrence Jones win the Best Import Award, McCullough's 27 points and 22 rebounds was a statement. In danger of losing their double digit lead, SMB turned to McCullough who finished off his big game with huge baskets in the final quarter to tie the series at 2-all.
Game 5 - Arwind Santos' poor judgement
Game 5 was a real battle highlighted by heroic performances from both sides. McCullough went off for 35 points and 22 rebounds while eventual Finals MVP Terrence Romeo had 22 points to help the Beermen's cause. Unfortunately, this game will forever be remembered for Arwind Santos' monkey impression which was clearly a bad joke aimed at TNT's Jones. Santos' antics resulted in a Php 200,000 fine and hopefully, a life lesson for us all.
Game 6 - SMB's big men finally take over
When Christian Standhardinger was acquired by San Miguel, many thought that it was overkill. But it was only in Game 6 where the Beermen enjoyed the full benefits of having three dominant big men in the lineup. After only scoring in double digits once in 5 games (a 10-point performance in Game 1), the Fil-German showed how scary SMB really is when both him and Fajardo play well. The Beermen's trio of McCullough, Fajardo, and Standhardinger scored a total of 72 points, just 18 less than TNT's entire output.