Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:15 p.m. — TNT vs Magnolia
7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Titan Ultra
TNT and Magnolia vie for one of the coveted twice-to-beat advantages when they clash in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Action starts at 5:15 p.m. with the Tropang 5G and the Hotshots tipped to go all out to secure the incentive that will put them closer to the semifinals before the league enters its holiday break.
Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel also try to book a spot in the top four as it takes on Titan Ultra in the first game at 7:30 p.m.
A win over the Giant Risers will boost the Kings’ chances of getting playoff bonus as they currently hold a 7-4 record.
Carrying a 7-3 win-loss record, TNT is slightly favored over the Hotshots, who have won six of their 10 games in the eliminations of this season-opening conference.
In fact, TNT will be marching oozing with confidence after posting a 113-96 win over Blackwater last Wednesday, a victory that head coach Chot Reyes branded as their warm-up for their crucial battle against Magnolia.
“We talked about it after the results of the previous games of the other teams. We knew we had to win our last two games. That’s why we had to fully focus on playing defense because it will be tested battling a talented Magnolia team,” said Reyes, who drew 25 points from Calvin Oftana.
“We basically wanted to get up to a level to compete against Magnolia on Sunday.”
But beating Magnolia will not be easy.
The Hotshots will be parading head coach LA Tenorio, who will suit up to provide veteran stability following the injuries of guards Paul Lee and Jerom Lastimosa. Lee is nursing a hamstring injury while Lastimosa suffered an ankle sprain during their 92-101 loss to Rain or Shine last Monday in Bahrain.
The eight-time PBA champion, who last played an official PBA game for Barangay Ginebra in the previous Philippine Cup semifinals last July, is set to join an elite group of active players who served as head coach like Ramon Fernandez, Norman Black, the late Bobby Parks, and the legendary Robert Jaworski Sr., who retired in 1998.
Although the 41-year-old Tenorio is not expected to play heavy minutes, the fact that he will be coaching in playing uniform is expected to rally the Hotshots to crucial victory.
“Again that’s going to be part of what we have to prepare for. That’s what we have to talk about and quite honestly, it’s something that I have been thinking about and it’s my job to prepare the players so that we don’t get surprised on Sunday,” Reyes said.