SAN Miguel and Rain or Shine go up against each other on Saturday in Cagayan de Oro, a game with a lot of implications in the race for twice-to-beat incentives in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
The Beermen are at second-place based on winning percentage with a 6-2 slate, while Elasto Painters are in a tie with Barangay Ginebra and TNT at fourth-place with a 6-3 record.
Judging from how close the race is for the playoff incentive, the result of Saturday’s game will have a significant effect in either team's chances of better seeding in the next round.
Here’s how important the game is for the two teams.
SAN MIGUEL
A victory by the Beermen over the Elasto Painters will bring them to 7-2, while also staying second in the standings. Needless to say, a win will push them a lot closer to the twice-to-beat, with their remaining opponents being Converge on Wednesday, June 11, and lowly NorthPort on Sunday, June 15 in the final day of the eliminations.
A loss, however will drop them to 6-3, and they would be forced to play catch-up for the twice-to-beat, as they could find themselves fifth the standings. With two games left before elims end, SMB can still gain ground even with a defeat to Rain or Shine, but that is something that the Beermen are not looking forward to.
RAIN OR SHINE
With a win over the Beermen, the Elasto Painters will tie Magnolia at second-place with a 7-3 slate, a cushion that they might need before the final game of the eliminations against Ginebra on Sunday, June 15.
Rain or Shine, however, will drop to sixth-place with a loss to San Miguel. RoS will then eventually be in joint fifth with the loser of the Ginebra-TNT game on Sunday. Just the same, the quest for the twice-to-beat will become a lot harder with a defeat, as they take on the Gin Kings in the final day of elims.
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