Reporting note: this article draws on philstar.com; LodiScore provides the summary and editorial framing.
NLEX Record Win Shatters PBA History Against Depleted Macau
The unmistakable vapor of eucalyptus liniment hung thick over the damp floorboards of the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, where the squeak of sneakers on humid maple quickly gave way to a relentless blowout. NLEX wasted no time dismantling the shorthanded Macau Giant Pandas on Wednesday, cruising to a historic 138-78 rout at the PBA Governors’ Cup resumption. The 60-point disparity marks the largest winning margin in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association, completely eclipsing the previous benchmark of 56 points set by Rain or Shine against Blackwater Bossing in March.
Returning from a nearly two-month hiatus, the Road Warriors looked exceptionally sharp from the opening tip against a depleted nine-man Macau unit. The outcome pushed NLEX to an 8-2 win-loss record, virtually sealing a quarterfinal berth with two games remaining in the elimination round. Macau dropped to 2-7, failing to mount any sustained resistance after losing key personnel to regional clubs during the mid-conference break.
Burton and Winston Dismantle Shorthanded Opposition Early
The contest degraded into one-way traffic immediately as the Road Warriors surged to a 30-8 lead in the opening quarter. While Macau managed a 13-4 response behind an outside hit from Xucheng Liu to pull within 34-21, NLEX quickly shut the door by smothering passing lanes and forcing bad looks. New import Deonte Burton adapted instantly to the physical, off-ball pinching in the paint, stuffing the stat sheet with 22 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, six steals, and two blocks.
Schonny Winston anchored the perimeter attack with cold efficiency, collecting a team-high 25 points while shooting 10-of-13 from the floor. Floor general Robert Bolick controlled the pace with 14 points and five assists, while the supporting unit provided relentless depth. Anthony Semerad, Kevin Alas, and LJay Gonzales each contributed 10 markers, steadily building the cushion against an outmanned opponent that ran out of answers before halftime.
Roster Depletion Dooms Giant Pandas Down the Stretch
Macau felt the sudden departure of its top playmakers throughout the afternoon. The Giant Pandas played without Ramon Cao and Jenning Leung, who rejoined Hong Kong Eastern, as well as Damian Chong-qui, who moved to Macau Hou Chon for EASL competition. Despite the barren rotation, Oscar Lopez led all scorers with 36 points and 13 rebounds, while Kobey Lam posted 22 points, eight boards, and seven assists in heavy minutes.
Any faint hope of a respectable finish evaporated in the fourth quarter. After a Lopez jumper brought Macau to within 120-78 with 5:21 left, NLEX closed out the contest with an aggressive 18-0 blitz. The final sequence firmly locked in the record-setting blowout as the general admission rafters fell completely silent, sealing a masterclass in execution and defensive control for the Road Warriors.
Match details and statistics were originally reported by philstar.com.
