Five losses in seven games including a heartbreaker on Christmas Day.

Troubled Magnolia is in a tight spot as the perennial contender struggles to steady itself in a rocky Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup campaign.

The challenge now is how the Hotshots will lift themselves up heading into the crucial stretch of the mid-season tournament when action resumes in January.

“What’s happening with us right now is pretty alarming. I think it’s just a matter of how we’ll gather ourselves and stick with one another. Not to give up on each other,” veteran guard Paul Lee said.

Lee was at a loss for words after Magnolia’s collapse as it squandered a 22-point third quarter lead to fall victim to Scottie Thompson’s buzzer-beating triple in Barangay Ginebra’s 95-92 escape in the featured Manila Clasico presentation last Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The stunning defeat denied the Hotshots a chance to string their first back-to-back wins in the conference.

Magnolia has lost five of its last six games including four straight to slide down to 10th spot — dangerously falling behind in the playoffs race.

Of those losses, three came from disappointing meltdowns.

The Hotshots blew a 20-point lead to bow against Converge, 93-91, last 1 December and then again let the game slip out of their hands after allowing Rain or Shine erase an 11-point deficit with a scorching closing run for a 102-100 escape.

But dwelling on the past won’t help.

Lee, who is averaging 8.5 points and 3.5 assists per game in the contest, has remained optimistic despite the funk.

“I think what’s important right now is to focus on our next game rather than pointing fingers at who’s at fault for our loss,” he said.

“All we can do right now is gather and build up in our return to practice.”

Magnolia has resumed practice after a three-day break, hoping to turn things around in its last five elimination round assignments.

And it won’t be an easy stretch as the Hotshots will take on a hungry Terrafirma on 10 January before facing San Miguel Beer two days after.

The Magnolia will clash with Phoenix (16 January) and Hong Kong Eastern (26 January) before wrapping up the elims against Meralco (31 January).