FOUR teams in contention for a berth in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals slug it out in an action-packed twin bill featured at the Philsports Arena on Friday.
Magnolia battles Terrafirma in the 4:30 p.m. curtain-raiser, followed by the main game between Rain or Shine and NLEX at 7:30 p.m.
To simplify things, the winning teams in both games advance to the playoffs, while the loser will still have to wait on how things will pan out in the two remaining playdates of the eliminations.
The Hotshots and Road Warriors are tied for the no. 3 spot with similar 5-4 records, while the Dyip and Elasto Painters are just a game behind with an even 5-5 slate.
TEAM STANDINGS
San Miguel 10-0
Barangay Ginebra 7-3
NLEX 5-4
Magnolia 5-4
TNT 5-5
Rain or Shine 5-5
Terrafirma 5-5
Meralco 5-5
NorthPort 5-6
Blackwater 3-7
Phoenix 3-7
Converge 2-9
A look at Friday’s all-important doubleheader.
MAGNOLIA vs TERRAFIRMA
When: May 3, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Philsports Arena
Watch: RPTV, PBA Rush, Pilipinas Live
HOTSHOTS LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION
The outing will be the first for Magnolia since a humiliating 74-51 loss to Meralco in a game where the Hotshots were held to their lowest total output in franchise history.
The setback was a second straight one for the team and knocked the Hotshots out of the running for the no. 2 spot and a twice-to-beat advantage.
It’s interesting to see how Magnolia would bounce back from the worst-ever defeat in franchise history, with no less than a playoff berth at stake.
WILL ABUEVA AND JALALON PLAY?
To be fair to Magnolia, it missed the services of Calvin Abueva and Jio Jalalon in the game against Meralco.
Abueva was not around after hurting his right knee in practice, while Jalalon missed out on his second straight game due to a meniscus injury on his left knee. As of the 12-noon deadline on Thursday where teams are allowed to activate player/s for their next game, Jalalon remains relegated to the injured/reserved list.
Before the injury, Jalalon is averaging 23 minutes per game and submitting numbers of 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Meanwhile, Abueva plays 24 minutes per game and averaged 8.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
DYIP EYE FIRST PLAYOFFS IN EIGHT YEARS
Terrafirma is bound for the playoffs should it pull this one off against Magnolia. The Dyip haven’t been to the quarterfinals since the 2016 Governors’ Cup when Chris Gavina was still at the coaching helm and young James White was their import. They will be coming into the game fresh from a dramatic 110-108 win over Northport behind the game-winning drive of top rookie pick Stephen Holt.
But too bad for the Dyip. According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, the Hotshots have a 16-game winning streak over the Dyip spanning six seasons and stays as the second longest active win streak by a team against another.
That should be an added motivation for the Dyip to consider
RAIN OR SHINE vs. NLEX
When: May 3, 7:30
Where: Philsports Arena
Watch: RPTV, PBA Rush, Pilipinas Live
RoS RETURNS AFTER A LONG BREAK
Rain or Shine resumes its quarterfinals bid against NLEX almost two weeks after playing its last game against Magnolia at the Tiaong Convention Center. The loss against the Hotshots snapped the team’s five-game winning run and stalled its march to the next round. Now the Elasto Painters will try it again, with additional firepower coming from the returning Keith Datu. The rookie big man has been reactivated by Rain or Shine for the 7:30 p.m. match, almost two months since suffering a Grade 2 MCL injury.
BOLICK SUITS UP FOR NLEX
The Road Warriors are expected to have top gunner Robert Bolick back in their lineup after missing out on the loss against San Miguel last week following the birth of his first-born son. The team missed the 26.4 points average of the veteran shooting guard, not to mention his 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists. NLEX is currently on a two-game slide and another loss is certainly a knock on their bid to make the quarterfinals.
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