TNT and Magnolia will figure in a battle for survival as the perennial contenders look to outdo each other in a bid to strengthen their respective bids for the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals later at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Game time is set at 7:30 p.m., with the corporate rivals already in playoff mode as the elimination round enters its final stretch, with most teams jockeying for better positioning in the Final Eight, which opens next week.
The defending champions, currently at 6-4, are still aiming to keep their slim Top Four hopes alive after losing a close one to Phoenix in their last outing, a 100-97 overtime defeat in which Tyler Tio drilled the game-winning three.
A win against the Hotshots will guarantee them a spot in the quarterfinals, where NLEX, Meralco, and Rain or Shine are already in.
But of course, Magnolia will not make it easy, as the squad is also desperate to win to keep its playoff aspirations alive.
As it stands, they are tied for the No. 7 spot with San Miguel Beer at 5-5, and a victory would give them breathing room over their rivals.
A loss would force Coach LA Tenorio’s men to monitor the results of other games this week, as they would need help from other teams to stay in contention.
Momentum, however, is on Magnolia’s side following its 135-98 beatdown of the also-ran Titan Ultra last Wednesday, though the Casino Plus sportsbook is favoring the Tropang 5G, listing them as 4.5-point favorites.
Bets can be placed here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=basketball&title=SportBet.
Opening Tuesday’s double-header at 5:15 p.m. will be the Road Warriors and the Giant Risers, with the latter keen on keeping hold of the No. 1 spot.
Coach Jong Uichico and company improved to 9-2 after virtually ousting Converge, 100-81, last Saturday, marking their third straight win since losing to Bennie Boatwright and the Beermen last April 19 in Antipolo.
They then found themselves sitting more comfortably atop the standings after the Kings blew out the Elasto Painters the next night, 114-90, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Ginebra and Rain or Shine are now tied at 8-3 after that lopsided result, and an NLEX win later tonight would allow the Road Warriors to secure the top seed—and the twice-to-beat advantage against the eighth-ranked team in the quarterfinals.
Given their current form, the Road Warriors are heavy favorites, according to the Casino Plus sportsbook, which lists them as 16-point favorites, with the over/under set at 213.0 total points.
