KEN Tuffin and the Taranaki Mountainairs try to get their act together as the playoffs of the 2020 Sal's NBL Showdown begins this week.
The Airs, finishing the regular season with an 8-6 win-loss card, ended as No. 4 seeds and will play No. 5 Franklin Bulls, which carry a 7-7 slate, in a knockout duel on Wednesday at The Trusts Arena in Auckland, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
It won't be an easy game for Taranaki, especially with the lackadaisical finish in the eliminations, losing three of its last four outings.
The Mountainairs are coming off a 92-65 loss to the Bulls, unexpected after a 102-88 win over Franklin in their first meeting last July 7.
Tuffin, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws skipper, has also been on a slump 9.5 points on a 43-percent shooting from downtown, on top of 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist in that stretch.
Leading MVP candidate Derone Raukawa is on a solid run, posting 22.8 points, 7.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, while Marcel Jones has been a double-double machine with his 22.1 points, 13.4 boards, and 4.4 dimes.
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