NLEX missed the presence of two key players in Kevin Alas and Kris Rosales in the opener of their PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal against Magnolia on Sunday.
Alas already recovered from a hip injury, but was later put under the league's health and safety protocols, while Rosales is just about to complete his quarantine for the same reason.
Without two of their key players, the Road Warriors failed to sustain their fast start and suffered a 98-89 loss at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[See Magnolia handily beats NLEX in series opener]
Alas is the third leading scorer of the Road Warriors, averaging 16.1 points to go with 4.3 rebounds, a team-best 5.6 assists, and 1.2 steals.
Rosales meanwhile, is norming 9.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
Both Alas and Rosales also missed NLEX’s final game in the eliminations, a 109-95 blowout win over NorthPort.
The good thing, the two still have a few days to fully recover for Game 2, which won’t be played until Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
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