Toothless aggression: Why Paul Lee returned to game despite losing several teeth

Paul Lee lost a tooth in the third quarter of finals Game Three on Sunday, but the star guard came back midway in the fourth quarter and finished the match for Rain or Shine.

He took an elbow to the mouth at the 5:07 mark of the third courtesy of a charging Ivan Johnson, who was assessed with an offensive foul.

Lee went back to the locker room to have the bleeding checked by team doctors, who found that two of his front teeth sank deeper into the gum.

The Elasto Painter guard, however, returned to the court with 4:15 remaining in the fourth and played all the way, even scoring on a drive, to ensure Rain or Shine's 109-97 victory.

"Sinabi ko babalik talaga ako. Kailangan ko maglaro, kailangan ko ipakita sa mga teammates ko na gusto kong manalo talaga," he said about his decision to play in the fourth quarter.

Lee, who was already suffering from a sprained ankle, earlier vowed to to play no matter what for Rain or Shine, saying that he's ready to put everything on the line for the sake of winning the team's second championship.

"Sabi ko nga nung last interview ko, kahit ano mangyari sa 'kin babalik ako, masaktan ako babalik ako."

Lee said he would head to the hospital to have his teeth treated, and then he is set to go to the hospital to have a further check-up. -- JST, GMA News