Picking up from where we left off in last week’s column, Rain or Shine is indeed showing signs that it can break the SMC-MVP duopoly in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Elasto Painters have been running roughshod over their opponents so far in the PBA 50 Commissioner’s Cup, winning their first six games — a streak that could already be at seven by the time you’re reading this.

More than just piling up wins, Rain or Shine has been displaying what appears to be a newfound character. Throughout its six-game run, the team has exuded confidence, with players feeding off each other’s energy on both ends of the floor.

In just their second game on 20 March against TNT Tropang 5G, the Elasto Painters lost import Jaylen Johnson, who was ejected in the fourth period after trading blows with Glenn Khobuntin. Even without an import and with 6:20 still left in the game, Rain or Shine still managed to pull off a gutsy 112-109 win over the defending champions and Bol Bol.

A week later, the Elasto Painters went all-Filipino against Meralco, as Johnson served a one-game suspension — along with a P50,000 fine. Still, they found a way, painting the town red with a 109-102 defeat of the Bolts.

Then came back-to-back wins less than 48 hours apart — on 8 and 10 April — against powerhouse teams San Miguel Beer and Converge, respectively.

In both games, Rain or Shine nearly squandered huge leads, blowing advantages of as much as 25 against the Beermen and 23 against the FiberXers. Both opponents mounted serious fourth-quarter threats and even had chances to steal the games, but the Elasto Painters held firm, escaping with a 116-112 win over San Miguel and a 120-111 victory against Converge.

Before those two wins, Rain or Shine also recorded the largest winning margin in PBA’s entire 51-year history, demolishing Blackwater, 151-95, last March 31. In that game, eight Elasto Painters scored in double figures, including two rookies — a testament to the team’s depth and balance.

The numbers back up Rain or Shine’s dominance. The team currently leads the league in scoring (120.7 points per game, nearly 13 more than the next best team), rebounding (60.5), assists (28.0), fastbreak points (25.7), bench scoring (54.3), and points off turnovers (19.8).

The question now is: can Rain or Shine be peaking too early? And is history on the Elasto Painters’ side with this 6-0 start — already the best in franchise history?

Over the last 12 years in the PBA, or since 2014, only one of eight teams that started at least 6-0 in a conference (or just 12.5 percent) went on to win the championship — TNT Tropang Giga in the 2021 Philippine Cup inside the Bacolor bubble in Pampanga.

However, four of those eight teams did reach the Finals.

This is after 13 of 17 teams (or 76 percent), which had at least 6-0 starts from 1980 to 2013, went on to win the championship.

The last team that is not in the SMC or MVP umbrella to win a PBA title, which happened in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup, Rain or Shine would certainly welcome a return to the championship stage, especially after falling short in the semifinals in four of the last five conferences.

And if the Elasto Painters do make it to the best-of-seven Finals of this conference, who’s to say they’ll be satisfied with just getting there?