TWO knockout games will be held on Saturday at the close of the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup quarterfinals, and here are the keys to victory in these games.
But no mistake about it, the matchups between TNT against Magnolia and NLEX against Rain or Shine are no longer about the numbers and the Xs and Os, but about who wants it more.
TNT VS. MAGNOLIA
When: Saturday, June 21. 5 p.m.
Where: Ninoy Aquino Stadium
End or extend Grand Slam bid
TNT plays another knockout game when it goes up against Magnolia in the first game.
READ: Pogoy not about to let Grand Slam-seeking TNT go on vacation this early
The Tropang 5G’s Grand Slam bid remained alive after they beat the Hotshots, 89-88, last Wednesday, setting up the do-or-die contest.
Hotshots don’t want their conference to go to waste
Magnolia is now facing elimination despite a sizzling start to the conference where the Hotshots won six straight games. A win against Grand Slam-seeking TNT would definitely help Magnolia shed the ‘Introvoys’ tag that several fans have labelled it to be.
Magnolia might need more from Zavier
Zavier Lucero had a decent outing against TNT, but that proved to be insufficient for Magnolia.
The fourth-placer in the Best Player of the Conference statistical race at the end of the elimination round had 14 points and shot 5-of-8 from the field. Lucero needs to get more touches and opportunities to give Magnolia a chance.
Controlling the boards
TNT outrebounded Magnolia, 51-40, during Wednesday’s game, with the Tropang 5G’s output more than the 46.36 average they hauled during the eliminations. Calvin Oftana led TNT in crashing the boards by collecting a conference-high 16. The Hotshots grabbed less than their average of 47.36, with Lucero grabbing a conference-low four, just half of what he normed.
Watch out for the four-point shot
Paul Lee tied the game at 88 late in the ball game after draining a four-point shot, his team’s third during the match. Magnolia has proven all conference long that it can hit the long bomb from way out, and doing it against TNT in the win-or-go home game will definitely help its chances of winning the contest and advancing to the semifinals.
Barroca on pace for another big game
Mark Barroca had his best game of the conference as far as sharing the ball is concerned on Wednesday when he dished out 11 assists in the loss to TNT. Thanks to Barroca, Magnolia actually had more assists than the Tropang 5G, 23-17. The Hotshots must continue that good ball movement for the knockout game.
RAIN OR SHINE VS. NLEX
When: Saturday, June 21. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Rain or Shine looks to complete upset
Rain or Shine forced a decider last Wednesday when the Elasto Painters beat NLEX, 92-89, sending the No. 7 seed team closer to ousting the No. 2 seed.
READ: Clarito's 20-21 game against NLEX saves Rain or Shine season
History on the side of NLEX
There have been two previous times that the No. 7 team forced a knockout game against the No. 2, but in both occasions, the higher-seed squad went on to win and advance to the semifinals. One of those was NLEX, which was drawn into a KO match against Alaska after losing the first game, 93-79, before winning the rubber match, 96-80, during the 2021 Governors’ Cup.
History also not on the side of NLEX, Bolick
While NLEX was the most recent No. 2 seed to avoid an upset by the No. 7 squad, the other team that did such feat was Meralco - and, ironically, it came at the expense of the Road Warriors in the 2021 Philippine Cup. The Bolts were defeated, 81-80, in the first game before finally clinching a semifinal berth with a 97-86 win.
History isn’t also friendly in the No. 2 vs. No. 7 series to Robert Bolick. The last time a No. 7 squad defeated a No. 2 was San Miguel when the Beermen defeated then-Bolick-led NorthPort twice, 98-84, and 90-88, during the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup. SMB eventually captured the crown that conference.
Can someone box out Michael Jhonard?
Jhonard Clarito had a game to remember on Wednesday when he had 20 points and 21 rebounds in Rain or Shine’s three-point victory over NLEX in the opener. Even with Clarito’s numbers, the Road Warriors actually had more rebounds than the Elasto Painters, 61-55, with three players led by JB Bahio (14) rebounding in double-figures.
But the fourth quarter proved to be the difference when RoS outrebounded NLEX, 21-12, in that period. Clarito even outrebounded all of their opposition by his lonesome, 13-12, in the fourth.
Bolick must bounce back from cold shooting night
Bolick had 15 points in NLEX’s loss to Rain or Shine, but mightily struggled from the field by going 0-for-8 from three-point range. It was only the second time this conference that Bolick missed all of his threes- the first being when he misfired in his only three-point attempt in their first game of the all-Filipino against San Miguel.
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