Maraming dahilan kung bakit dapat bigyan ng paggalang ang dalawa. Una, tila ang Aces ang nakinabang ng husto sa pagkawala ng Shell sa PBA.
"First of all, Shell was a great organization," pagkilala ni Tim Cone, head coach ng Alaska. "We always had fits against them. And we got Rich Alvarez and Tony dela Cruz. Rich was Rookie of the Year and Tony is the best shooter on the national team."
Isa pang dahilan na lumakas ang Aces ay ang pagbabalik ni Tee McClary, ang dating import ng Coca-Cola. Hindi gaanong nanibago ang import dahil magkahawig ang sistema ng Coke at Alaska. Magugunita ninyong assistant dati ni Cone si Chot Reyes, na naging coach ni McClary sa Tigers.
"We used the triangle there, and they use it with Alaska," paliwanag ng nagbabalik na import, na kakatapos lamang maglaro sa Dominican Republic. "And the imports were bigger then, too. But we still won."
Samantala, gigil ang Talk 'N Text na makaakyat muli sa kampeonato. Bagamat namamaga pa ang paa ni Willie Miller (na nabali sa isang biyahe ng RP Team), jackpot naman ang Phone Pals sa draft at sa pakikipagpalitan sa Air21.
Nasungkit nila si Anthony Washington at Mac Cardona. Idagdag pa rito ang pagbabalik ni Damien Cantrell, at mukhang solid ang TNT.
"I've been polishing some of the things I couldn't do so well before, and I hope to deliver," paliwanag ni Cantrell. "The team has always been strong. It's just a matter of coming through in the end."