WITH last season’s champion San Miguel out of the picture for the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup playoffs, only one team is still looking to make it there.
And ironically, it’s San Miguel’s sister team and its finals opponent last year in the Magnolia Chicken Timplados who are still trying to clinch the final spot in the quarterfinals.
The Hotshots are currently at ninth place with a 5-6 win-loss record, half a game behind NLEX with a 6-6 slate.
With their precarious position, Magnolia is on the verge of missing the playoffs together with San Miguel, two of the three San Miguel Corporation-owned teams, for the first time in 14 years, according to statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
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The last time it happened was in the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup when the then-BMEG Derby Ace Llamados finished at seventh with a 4-5 win-loss record, and the San Miguel Beermen finished last among the 10-team field with a 2-7 slate.
Magnolia, meantime, could also fail to reach the postseason for the first time since the 2016 Governors’ Cup when the then-Star Hotshots finished 11th with a 2-9 win-loss record.
The Hotshots can still salvage their season and they have to do it on Friday when they face Meralco in their final game of the eliminations.
Magnolia win over Meralco
Magnolia needs to win over Meralco on Friday in their last game of the regular season to go up to 6-6 win-loss, but it still won’t assure the Hotshots of a quarterfinal berth as they will still have to face NLEX in a playoff for the No. 8 spot.
The Hotshots will have a quick turnaround if they win over the Bolts as that playoff game will be against the Road Warriors to be played on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, SPIN.ph learned.
If Magnolia wins over NLEX, the Hotshots will clinch a quarterfinal berth for the 18th straight time. A loss and it’s an early vacation for the Hotshots.
Magnolia loss to Meralco
The conference also ends quickly for Magnolia in a loss to Meralco on Friday as it will tie them with San Miguel at ninth place with a 5-7 win-loss slate. This will then mark the first time these two ballclubs will both miss out on the playoffs since the aforementioned time 14 years ago when the Llamados and the Beermen were bumped out in playoff contention.
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