Will TNT defy odds?

MANILA, Philippines — Only two of 41 teams survived a 1-3 series deficit to win a PBA Finals and TNT is aiming to defy the odds, entering Game 6 against San Miguel Beer at the PhilSports Arena tonight with a higher sense of urgency. It’s a five percent chance for TNT to win the Finals as San Miguel is left with two chances to close out.

In PBA Finals history, only San Miguel Beer and Ginebra San Miguel recovered from a 1-3 hole to snatch a conference crown. San Miguel did it in the 2016 Philippine Cup, overcoming Alaska’s 3-0 advantage with coach Leo Austria in the saddle. June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross are the holdovers from the “Beeracle” squad, now in the Finals with Austria. Ginebra had its comeback celebration in the 1991 First Conference with playing coach Robert Jaworski calling the shots to beat Shell Rimula X.

Overall, teams with a 3-1 advantage won in 61 PBA best-of-seven series, including the Finals. That’s a winning rate of 93 percent, leaving a slim chance for TNT or any team in a 1-3 crisis to rise from the grave. In the NBA Finals, only the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from 1-3 to win the title as LeBron James engineered the feat over the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

San Miguel blew its first chance to close out in Game 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Wednesday. The second crack to get showered by confetti happens tonight with TNT brimming with renewed confidence after a convincing 86-78 victory to force a Game 6. San Miguel had its “Beeracle” in 2016.

Now, TNT is determined to fashion its own “Tropacle” and it will take winning two more knockout games to clinch it.