THE PBA has had several games on Christmas Day in the past.
But this could be the first time Game 1 of the PBA Finals will have a Dec. 25 playdate.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said fans will have a Christmas Day treat as the Commissioner’s Cup title series is penciled to start on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Kahit anong mangyari sa semis, kung matapos ang parehong series ng Game 4 or kung merong Game 5, sa Pasko ang simula ng finals,” Marcial said.
[READ: Paul Lee in race to be fit for Game 4]
Game 4 of the best-of-five semis will be held on Wednesday at MoA. Game 5, if necessary is set on Friday also at the same venue.
Both Bay Area Dragons and Barangay Ginebra lead their respective series against defending champion San Miguel and Magnolia at 2-1.
The Beermen averted a three-game sweep at the hands of the guest team from Hong Kong by gutting out a dramatic 98-96 come-from-behind win, while the Kings regained the upperhand against a Hotshots side that played minus star player Paul Lee with a lopsided 103-80 victory.
If both series ends on Wednesday, a pre-Finals press conference will be held on Friday, according to the commissioner.
This will be the second straight year the league will be playing on Christmas Day under the pandemic era.
A year ago, NLEX played Phoenix while Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia clashed in the main game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Prior to 2021, the league last played on Christmas Day in 2017 at the Philippine Arena which saw Ginebra beat Magnolia, 86-79, in a Philippine Cup game eliminations.
Christmas Day games were shelved in 2018, 2019, and 2020 during the height of the pandemic.
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