NLEX, behind new import Deonte Burton, hit two birds with one stone in routing hapless guest team Macau, 138-78, as the PBA Governors’ Cup finally resumed from a long break on Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The 60-point victory enabled the Road Warriors to secure the first quarterfinals berth in Group A while also setting the record for the most lopsided game in league history, erasing the previous mark of 56.
That margin, which Rain or Shine orchestrated at the expense of Blackwater, 151-95, in the Commissioner’s Cup, came only last March.
Burton finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and six steals in a splendid debut after being tapped by the Road Warriors following DeQuan Jones’ gruesome leg injury before the break.
With Burton showing no signs of being on an adjustment stage, Schonny Winston topping all scorers with 25 and Robert Bolick adding 14 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals, the Road Warriors regained sole possession of the lead in Group A with an 8-2 record.
Macau was forced to be on the gloomy side of the new league mark and fell to a 2-7 win-loss slate.
The Giant Pandas came into the contest with only nine players after main players Damian Chong Qui, Ramon Cao, Jenning Leung and import Devondre Perry left during the break.
New import Oscar Lopez, who played as a naturalized player for Cambodia in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games, had 36 points and 13 rebounds for the depleted Macau squad.