IT didn't show but Justine Brownlee wasn't feeling well during the PBA Commissioner's Cup game Sunday night between Barangay Ginebra and defending champion San Miguel.
Coach Tim Cone bared the Ginebra import's condition shortly after the Kings secured the 93-81 win at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in the league's first playdate for 2025.
"Justin was really under the weather," Cone said shortly after the post-game presser. "He actually didn't practice the past couple of days."
And yet the 36-year-old beloved Ginebra import was all business in the team's third straight win that raised its record to 5-2 overall and solo fourth place.
Brownlee finished with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, while adding seven rebounds, two assists, and three blocked shots.
Sponsored content: He scored 10 out of his total output in the fourth period, helping the Kings weather several mini-rallies by the Beermen, who suffered their third straight loss and tumbled out of the .500 mark at 3-4.
The game was the first between the two powerhouse teams since Ginebra finished off San Miguel in six games of the Governors' Cup semifinals.
Brownlee later said he caught the flu at the most unfortunate time.
"I think a flu-like thing is going around during the holidays. A couple of guys in the team caught it as well," said the import.
"That's all that there is, I guess. Hopefully, in the next day or two, it will just pass through."
Sponsored content: Next game for the streaking Kings is league leader Northport Batang Pier (6-1) on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena. (RG)
