Grand Slam bid in peril

They say the two best words in basketball are Game 7. Players dream of battling in a do-or-die showdown where there’s no tomorrow and they leave it all on the floor. Four teams get a chance to play in a best-of-seven duel in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals then the two survivors advance to clash in the best-of-seven finals. If the semifinals and finals go the distance, there will be three Games 7 on tap.

Conversely, what players dread is facing a twice-to-win disadvantage where the other team has two chances to close out. In the quarterfinals starting today, Rain or Shine and TNT are looking down the barrel of a gun. If the Elasto Painters lose to NLEX and the Tropang 5G bow to Magnolia, it’s over for both squads. Converge and Meralco are in the same predicament. On Friday, the FiberXers engage Barangay Ginebra while Meralco takes on San Miguel Beer. If Converge and Meralco lose, they’re done for the season.

The end of eliminations situated four teams in a tie for first with identical 8-3 records and three in a logjam for sixth with the same 6-5 marks. Quotients or point differentials settled the standings as only a deadlock for eighth will require a playoff. San Miguel took pole position at +17, NLEX second at +2, Magnolia third at -9 and Ginebra fourth at -10. TNT clinched sixth at +25, Rain or Shine seventh at +2 and Meralco, eighth at -12. The pairings are No. 1 vs No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs No. 5 with the higher seeds enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage.

TNT’s bid to bag a third straight crown for the coveted Grand Slam is in serious peril. Coach Chot Reyes will try to get the job done without Rey Nambatac, averaging 12.2 points this conference. Nambatac is down with a groin injury which has been diagnosed to be more severe than expected. Late additions Jordan Heading, Almond Vosotros, Mike Nieto and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser are pieces that could help to bring TNT over the hump.

Converge was a win away from sliding into the Magic Four and is entering the playoffs with a two-game win streak. Coach Franco Atienza brought in Gelo Alolino from the free agent ranks to add defensive punch to the backcourt. Ginebra has won three in a row and coach Tim Cone reactivated LA Tenorio who hasn’t played the entire conference but his experience will go a long way in boosting the team’s playoff chances. Also in Ginebra’s cast is Jayson David who hadn’t played the entire season until this conference.

Like Ginebra, Meralco is on a three-game win string but to advance, the Bolts must beat top-seed San Miguel two in a row. It’s a rematch of the previous Philippine Cup finals where Meralco beat the Beermen in six. San Miguel is eyeing payback with Juami Tiongson, Andreas Cahilig, Kris Rosales and JM Calma the new faces from the last Philippine Cup.