Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:15 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs Ginebra
7:30 p.m. — TNT vs Meralco
It’s not just defending champion TNT that will be making adjustments in the pivotal stretch of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals after all.
Meralco is doing some recalibrating as well.
Both teams march back to war with debuting imports in tow for crucial Game 4 of the best-of-seven series today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang 5G now have a replacement reinforcement in Chris McCullough to fill the big shoes left by injured super import Bol Bol as they eye to extend their 2-1 series lead at 7:30 p.m.
Despite going all-Filipino last Sunday, TNT pulled off the improbable with a 77-75 escape.
Expectations are high for McCullough, who helped San Miguel Beer win the 2019 edition of the tournament, as Bol set a high standard with an average of 35.8 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per outing before going down with a conference-ending Achilles tear during the Tropang 5G’s 76-87 Game 2 loss.
“I think the one thing he can bring is the maturity and stability to our team,” TNT head coach Chot Reyes said of their new guest player, who ironically helped the Beermen best the Tropang 5G in the finals seven years ago.
“Skills-wise, we all know he’s both (an) inside-outside (threat). But again, it remains to be seen what kind of value he will bring to this team,” Reyes added.
The 6-foot-9 McCullough is the fourth option of TNT after considering National Basketball Association (NBA) veterans Marquese Chriss and Darius Days and recently naturalized player Malick Diouf.
Meralco, on the other hand, decided to give import Marvin Jones the pink slip and tapped 7-footer American-Egyptian Patrick Gardner.
Pending the completion of pertinent documents and requirements, Gardner is expected to suit up and help the Bolts avoid falling into a deeper hole.
Gardner has an impressive resume despite going undrafted in the 2023 National Basketball Association (NBA) Rookie Draft. He had stints in the G-League with the Long Island Nets and Osceola Magic.
Gardner is coming off a campaign in the Japan B.League with Fukushima Firebonds.
Meanwhile, streaking Barangay Ginebra tries to move on the hill against Rain or Shine in the curtain-raiser at 5:15 p.m.
After a slip-up in their series opener, the Kings have won two in a row, with momentum clearly on their side.
Ginebra outworked the pesky Elasto Painters, 103-98, to take Game 3 last Sunday.
The Kings now shift their focus to extending their lead and drawing closer to a finals return.
“(Game 3 is) very crucial for us. It’s a big win for us, which could become the turning point in the series,” said Ginebra winger Scottie Thompson, who dropped a 25-point sizzler spiked with seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists.