Magnolia guns for 6th straight win

Games today:

(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)

5 p.m. — Terrafirma vs NLEX

7:30 p.m. — Meralco vs Magnolia

Five straight wins in an unbeaten roll is no easy feat.

For Magnolia, staying disciplined will be the key to keeping their perfect run going as it shoots for a sixth victory in a row against shaky defending champion Meralco in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

After a revision of the game schedule, the Hotshots had extra days of preparation and will have fresher legs than the Bolts, who are playing their third game in six days.

So, Magnolia marches into battle set at 7:30 p.m. as the fancied team.

But Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero warns his wards always to keep their guards up.

“It’s all about the mindset. We cannot relax now,” he said.

Magnolia has been on a hot streak in the season-ending all-Filipino tournament after prevailing over Blackwater, Converge, San Miguel Beer, Phoenix Super LPG and Terrafirma, which it buried, 127-94, last 4 May.

The Hotshots were given a longer layoff after their original scheduled match against NLEX last Sunday was moved to 6 June. The Magnolia-Meralco tussle was initially set 8 June.

“We’re unbeaten right now, and we want to keep it that way. We have to prepare the right way and we have to get into it with the right mindset,” Zav Lucero, one of Magnolia’s main guns, said.

Another win by the Hotshots will boost their chances of making it to the quarterfinals.

The Bolts, on the other hand, are struggling to steady their repeat bid, blowing hot and cold.

Meralco suffered an 84-101 beating at the hands of grand slam-seeking TNT last Sunday as it slid to a 3-4 card, losing four of its last five outings.

The Bolts will need a better job on defense after allowing the Tropang 5G drain 16 triples and one four-pointer. Magnolia in its last outing connected nine three-pointers and thee four-pointers.

Meanwhile, the streaking Road Warriors aim to extend their scorching win run to five against downward spiraling Terrafirma in the curtain-raiser at 5 p.m.

NLEX is on a roll, winning four straight games including an amazing 89-86 escape over Barangay Ginebra last week for a 4-1 slate.

On the other hand, the Dyip have dropped their last five games after debuting on a positive note.

Still, Road Warriors coach Jong Uichico is not taking Terrafirma lightly.

“They’ve been on a slump lately but it doesn’t mean they don’t play hard. They always play hard, they try their best,” Uichico said.

“Even with their standing, it doesn’t mean they’ll just show up and play the game,” Uichico added, warning his team that Terrafirma will play with a sense of urgency being at the cellar.

Another defeat by the Dyip, who received a 74-110 bludgeoning from TNT last Friday, will put them on the brink of elimination.