Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:15 p.m. — Meralco vs TNT
7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Rain or Shine
Back on equal ground, Rain or Shine and Barangay Ginebra return to Smart Araneta Coliseum to tip the balance of a heated and tied semifinals series in Game 5 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup today.
Bad blood started to boil in this emotional series when Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao and Kings governor Alfrancis Chua figured in a shouting match in the final stretch of Game 4, making the 7:30 p.m. main game an action-packed encounter.
Rain or Shine halted a two-game skid with a dominating 97-85 victory last Wednesday to even the best-of-seven series to 2-2.
The Elasto Painters’ bench mob stepped up big time with ample offensive support that overwhelmed Ginebra, which got buried in a 26-point hole in the second quarter and never got closer than 10.
Guiao believes his squad’s convincing victory has shifted the momentum on Rain or Shine’s side.
“Well, if you’re coming off a win, you have momentum, you have confidence,” he said.
Now that their semis pairing is down to a virtual best-of-three, Guiao is determined to get Game 5, which gives the winner a better probability of winning the series.
“If it’s a best-of-three, whoever wins Game 1 of a best-of-three, which is going to be on Friday, has more than a 50 percent chance of winning the series. So, I think the biggest game is going to be on Friday,” Guiao said.
The fiery mentor is pinning his hopes once again on import Jaylen Johnson, Gian Mamuyac, Adrian Nocum, Jhonard Clarito and Christian Manaytay, who scored 11 points off the bench the last time.
The Kings will need more help aside from the usual suspects in resident import Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson to better their chances of returning to the finals and settle an unfinished business.
Meanwhile, defending champion TNT and Meralco try to untangle their own even series in the curtain-raiser at 5:15 p.m.
The Bolts knotted the series to 2-2 after a 101-90 victory behind a crucial 8-0 closing run, ignited by four-pointer by CJ Cansino.
New Meralco import Patrick Gardner debuted with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three assists to best a fellow newcomer in Tropang 5G reinforcement Chris McCullough, who had 24 points and nine boards in his first game as replacement for injured 7-foot-3 Bol Bol.
“Season on the line, backs against the wall, so it’s really a big boost for us and, you know, momentum-changer,” said Bolts forward Javee Mocon.
McCullough has vowed to bounce back big time for TNT.
