San Miguel and Meralco will look to rebound immediately when they plunge back into action in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup this Tuesday night.
But only one of them will leave the Ninoy Aquino Stadium with the victory, as the Beermen and the Bolts are pitted against one another in the 7:30 p.m. bout in what should be a playoff-esque battle between perennial contenders.
The two are coming off narrow–or rather stinging–losses. The reigning two-time Philippine Cup champions suffered a 126-120 upset at the hands of Pat Aquino’s Blackwater last April 22, in which their rally from 22 down fell short.
Meralco, on the other hand, bowed to NLEX in overtime last April 17, 104-101, after rookie guard L-Jay Gonzales nailed the game-winning three at the buzzer.
So, it sure is going to be interesting to see how the two would bounce back in another clash between the 2024 Philippine Cup Finals protagonists, given that they’re also trying to make a serious push for the quarterfinals.
(C) PBA Images
As it stands, the Bolts are at no. 4 with a 5-2 record, while San Miguel is at the eighth spot with a 4-5 record–similar to the Magnolia Hotshots.
It’s also going to be their first meeting since the Season 50 Philippine Cup last December 19, which saw the Beermen dash Meralco’s top four hopes by way of a 113-104 decision. The venue, coincidentally, was at the NAS as well.
But based on the Casino Plus sportsbook, the MVP ball club is coming in as the favorite to win (-1.5), with the over/under in total points scored set at 214.5.
Bets can be made here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=basketball&title=SportBet.
Opening the double-header at 5:15 p.m. would be the Bossing and guest team Macau in another contest pitting teams coming off losses.
Blackwater, for one, fell short in upending another powerhouse and bowed to Ginebra, 115-108, just last Friday, a game in which some fans and observers believed could’ve gone either way although the Kings showed better poise
The Black Knights, on the other hand, struggled in the endgame and ultimately lost to TNT, 119-112, with Jordan Heading delivering in the clutch.
That loss officially eliminated Macau from playoff contention, but later’s game remains crucial for the Bossing, who at 2-7 have no other choice but to sweep their three remaining games in the eliminations to stay afloat.
Still, the Black Knights are coming in as the favorites, as far as the Casino Plus sportsbook is concerned. Coach Marcus Elliott & Co. are seen to emerge victorious by -1.5 points, with the over/under in total points scored set at 222.0.
