MAGNOLIA is on a roll to start the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup with five early victories to grab first place in the leaderboard.
However, blistering starts aren’t exactly a good omen for the Hotshots in recent conferences, leading to rival fans coining the term ‘Introvoys’ because of their constant failure to close out.
But to their credit, Magnolia did have a conference where it was able to claim a title after an impressive start.
READ High five for Magnolia after 33-point romp over sorry Terrafirma
Will this conference finally be the one for the Hotshots?
For now, let’s take a look at recent past performances of Magnolia where they got off to a rousing beginning in the elimination round.
2023-24 COMMISSIONER’S CUP
Magnolia steamrolled to a 7-0 start in this conference with a team led by Tyler Bey, one of the best imports to play for the Hotshots in recent time. The Hotshots ended the eliminations with only two losses in 11 matches to take the No. 1 seed. After victories over TNT and Phoenix in the playoffs, the Hotshots reached the finals but lost to San Miguel in six games even after the Hotshots tied the series at 2-2.
2022-23 COMMISSIONER’S CUP
With Nick Rakocevic leading the way, the Hotshots began this conference with a 5-0 win-loss record, and ended the eliminations with a 10-2 mark, tying the Bay Area Dragons for the best record but taking the No. 2 seed in the playoffs due to an inferior quotient. The Hotshots, however, absorbed a 3-1 loss in the semifinals against eventual champion Barangay Ginebra.
2021 GOVERNORS’ CUP
Magnolia went off to a 6-0 start in the conference buoyed by the stellar play of Mike Harris. It took the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a 9-2 slate, but lost the winner-take-all Game Five to fourth-ranked Meralco, 94-81, in a contest where Harris sustained an injury, limiting his play in the important duel.
2021 PHILIPPINE CUP
Magnolia reached the finals in this conference after going on a 4-0 start. The scene of the tournament later shifted to the Don Honorio Ventura State University for the Bacolor bubble due to the rise in COVID-19 cases with the Hotshots securing the No. 3 seed on an 8-3 slate, and Calvin Abueva eventually being named Best Player of the Conference. The Hotshots clinched a finals berth over Meralco, 4-2, in their best-of-seven semifinals. However, Mikey Williams exploded for TNT to overcome Magnolia in the championship series in only five games to be adjudged as the Finals MVP.
2018 PBA GOVERNORS’ CUP
Good starts didn’t exactly end in disappointments for Magnolia. In fact, during their last championship run, the Hotshots went 2-0, and eventually had a 7-1 mark at one point before finishing the eliminations with an 8-3 win-loss card. Led by Romeo Travis and Best Player of the Conference Paul Lee, the No. 4 Hotshots steamrolled in the playoffs with a quarterfinal win over Blackwater, and blew past Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals, 3-1. The Hotshots defeated Alaska, 102-86, in Game 6 on December 19, 2018 for the franchise’s 14th title in history.
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