Games today:
(Ynares Center)
5 p.m. — Magnolia vs Eastern
7:30 p.m. — TNT vs San Miguel Beer
Back against the wall defending champion San Miguel Beer fights for survival against a supremely confident TNT in a slam-bang collision in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Playing their last game in a rough elimination round run, the Beermen are in a make-or-break situation when they charge back to the war front at 7:30 p.m.
Sporting a 5-6 win-loss record in solo eighth spot, a second straight victory will secure San Miguel at least a playoff for the last quarterfinals seat.
A loss could doom their chances of advancing into the next round. Although if fate would have it, the Beermen could still clinch a playoffs ticket even if they bow to the Tropang Giga, that is if Magnolia (4-6) and NLEX (4-6) drop their remaining games.
But head coach Leo Austria doesn’t want their situation to get even more complicated than it already is.
“It is the most important game for us (to win) to avoid any complications. We have to win because the other contenders for the eighth place Magnolia and NLEX have two remaining games each. We can never know what could happen,” Austria said.
“That’s why we have to be ready for our game on Sunday against Talk ‘N Text.”
San Miguel has built momentum heading into the game after snapping a two-game skid at the expense of quarters-bound Converge, 116-113, last Friday with import Malik Pope and Juami Tiongson leading the way with 22 points each.
However, bringing down the Tropang Giga, who are fresh from a masterful blowout victory, won’t be a walk in the park.
Reinforcement Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, RR Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, Rey Nambatac and Kim Aurin were at the forefront of TNT’s 106-70 whipping of Phoenix two nights ago in a rebound win to formally enter the quarterfinals and improve to a 7-3 card.
The Tropang Giga are still in the running for a quarterfinals twice-to-beat advantage but head coach Chot Reyes would rather not think about shooting for the incentive.
“I think it’s very remote at this point because even if we win our last two games, which is not a certainty, we will tie, most probably, NothPort and Eastern to whom we both lost. So, we’re out in that situation,” he said. M. Escarlote
“Right now, our fate is no longer in our hands. So, the best thing we can do is focus on what’s in front of us and right now it’s San Miguel on Sunday.”
Meanwhile, Eastern aim to fan their Top Two aspirations when they face the desperate Hotshots at 5 p.m.
The guest team sports an 8-3 card and a second straight win would put the squad in a good position to clinch a playoffs incentive.
Magnolia, on the other hand, could face elimination if the runner-up in last year’s edition drops the match and San Miguel defeats TNT.