Games today:

(Dasmariñas Arena)

4:30 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs San Miguel

7:30 p.m. — Meralco vs Ginebra

San Miguel Beer has already built a two-game series lead over Rain or Shine, but the defending champion has no intention of lifting its foot off the pedal.

The Beermen try to bury the Elasto Painters deeper in Game 3 of the best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinals showdown today in an out-of-town battle at the Dasmariñas Arena in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Game time is at 4:30 p.m. followed by the pivotal series tiebreaking clash between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco at 7:30 p.m.

“As of now, having two wins is nothing, we have to get four. There is nothing to celebrate until we get the No. 4,” an all-business San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent said.

Historically, teams that have gone up 2-0, go on to win the series 84 percent of the time, specifically 46 out of 55 including the last five series and 20 of the last 23.

But Gallent isn’t interested in what the odds say. He wants his wards to accomplish what’s needed to be done on the court to keep their repeat and season title sweep alive.

“This is our third step. The first was the eliminations, second was the quarterfinals and this is the third which is not over yet. We need to have four to finish this step,” Gallent said.

The Beermen have effectively taken out Rain or Shine’s running game in the series with the Elasto Painters held down to just seven fastbreak points in their 106-89 blowout win in Game 2 last Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

San Miguel also pounded Rain or Shine inside the painted area with big man June Mar Fajardo bulldozing his way to 22 points in an efficient 9-of-13 shooting.

Support cast CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Terrence Romeo, Don Trollano and Chris Ross have been working their roles well for the Beermen.

The Elasto Painters, who have lost nine straight head-to-head matches against San Miguel, will need to find ways to keep Fajardo away from his comfort zone while speeding up the tempo where they have an advantage with a younger more athletic roster.

Santi Santillan has to bounce back from a five-point output the last time out to help other young bloods Adrian Nocum, Gian Mamuyac, Anton Asistio and Keith Datu on offense.

Meanwhile, Bolts head coach Luigi Trillo braces for the Kings’ retaliation.

“We know they’re gonna come back, we just have to be ready,” Trillo said.

Meralco wasted a 17-point lead but recovered just in time to turn back Ginebra, 103-91, and weathered a 41-point barrage from Gin Kings forward Christian Standhardinger to even the series, 1-1.

Standhardinger was the lone Ginebra player who scored above 20 points in Game 2 while Japeth Aguilar, rookie Ralph Cu and Scottie Thompson were all quiet with just single-digit outputs.

“Again, we’re gonna have our hands full because they’re gonna be prepared,” Trillo said.

“Standhardinger’s gonna try to score and free up the other guys. It’s pick your poison. We gonna have to be able to read what we’re willing to give up.”

Powering the Bolts’ drive to take the series lead are Chris Newsome, Chris Banchero, Cliff Hodge, Allein Maliksi and skipper Raymond Almazan, who sparked the run that opened Meralco’s separation in the fourth quarter of the last game.