MANILA: Validation for Rain or Shine.

Two nights after scoring a breakthrough win over Talk ‘N Text in a playoff series in two seasons, the Elasto Painters on Sunday night blew the Tropang Texters away, 109-97, for a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven championship playoff for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

The Elasto Painters outhustled, outsmarted and outgunned the Texters the entire night, posting leads of as large as 22 points twice in winning coast-to-coast style that has now totally swung the momentum on their side going into the crucial fourth game on Wednesday.

Wayne Chism, the prime Best Import candidate, scored 13 of his 32 points in the first quarter, where the Painters dropped a 12-0 bomb that turned a tied game at 3 into their first double digit lead.

The third game of the series was the most physical thus far, as players fell and tempers almost flared.

Paul Lee was the biggest casualty, losing a tooth and getting two more upper front teeth misaligned after taking a hard elbow from Talk ‘N Text import Ivan Johnson with 5:07 left in the third quarter and the Painters enjoying a 69-53 lead.

The former Rookie of the Year was out for more than a quarter after that and returned with 4:23 to play to help the Painters put the finishing touches to their most impressive victory over the Texters in the series to date.

Lee still finished with 17 points, shooting nine of his total in the third before stepping out.

Rookie Jericho Cruz scored 10 points in the fourth period and finished with 14 and Jeff Chan scattered nine, including a triple with 1:15 left in the third that gave the Painters an 80-62 lead.

Chan’s only trifectaville conversion for the game gave him a total of 499 triples for his career.

Rain or Shine had lost eight straight playoff series games against the Texters before finally breaking the ice with a 116-108 Game 2 win on Friday night, and the Painters’ Game 3 conquest certainly makes them the favorites for the rest of the series.

“We played fantastic defense tonight,” Guiao, who is seeking a first championship since guiding the Painters to the Governors’ Cup title in 2012, said. “I think it is just the determination of the players to play good defense, that’s all.”

Johnson paced the Texters with 30 points and Jason Castro had 20, but both were effectively taken out of their sweet spots by the Rain or Shine defense when the Painters started breaking away in the third period.

Chism also had 15 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, a performance that did not escape the eyes of Guiao, who minced no words in praising his hardworking reinforcement.

“Wayne showed his class. He just outplayed Ivan Johnson today. It was probably his best game all around. That was a big help.”

Talk ‘N Text coach Jong Uichico, meanwhile, attributed the loss to their poor defense.

“For the second straight game, I thought we scored enough points to win but gave them more points,” Uichico said. “We just gave up too much (points).”

Castro was held down to normal numbers with his 20 points. In Game 3 last Friday, the 6-foot point guard erupted for 44, a career-high built around nine triple conversions.

But on Sunday night, the Rain or Shine defense made Castro bleed for his production, challenging practically every shot that forced Castro to finish with a 6-for-13 clip from two-point zone and 2-for-8 from beyond the arc.