Lee has levels to his game.
Paul Lee gets buckets. Apparently, he can get stops, too.
He proved as much Thursday night, doing his part to limit NLEX Road Warriors import Wayne Selden Jr. in the second half of the Magnolia Hotshots’ comeback victory—their third after an 0-3 start to the conference.
On this game at least, the Leethal Weapon proved just as lethal on defense, particularly in the second half. Matched up against the NBA veteran, Lee used every bit of his stocky 6-foot-2 frame to body up the NBA veteran to deny him his touches. The Angas ng Tondo also used some good ol’ mind games to throw Selden off his game, as Lee was seen having animated back-and-forths with the NLEX import a couple of times.
Lee’s tactics appear to have worked, as Selden could only muster 9 points after the break. Selden was so thrown completely out of his game that he was non-factor when Magnolia ended the third quarter on a 33-13 run to turn a 55-66 deficit to an 88-79 advantage. Neither could he do much in the fourth period—with Lee continuing to stay in his grill aggressively.
And, evidently, Lee himself wanted all the smoke, according to Hotshots coach Chito Victolero.
“Kinuha 'yun ni Paul [matchup with Selden on defense]. Siya mismo nagsabi na gusto niya kunin 'yung import,” said Victolero after the game.
Victolero trusted Lee, and the rest was history.
“Kilala naman namin si Paul. 'Pag gusto niya, kaya niya 'yan. Kaya niya gawin ‘yan,” Victolero added. “He’s a two-way player, hindi niyo lang napapansin, magaling din dumipensa ‘yang si Paul.”
Lee, of course, added 18 big points for the Hotshots as well, including 11 in the second quarter to keep Magnolia within striking distance of a hot-shooting NLEX squad. Then, with his teammates getting hot in the second half, Lee showed he can help Magnolia even on defense.