Games Wednesday (Cuneta Astrodome)
4:15 p.m. – Blackwater vs San Miguel
7 p.m. – Alaska vs Star
Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:15 p.m. – San Miguel vs GlobalPort
7 p.m. – Ginebra vs Mahindra
MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beer and Star slug it out for the top spots while Alaska Milk and GlobalPort make last hurrah in chase of an outright playoff entry, promising a down-to-the-wire rumble in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round.
Rain or Shine and Phoenix Petroleum, though done with their games, still have unfinished businesses with two play dates left in the single-round-robin elims.
The four remaining games may not resolve all issues, and a playoff may well be necessary to determine the complete cast that fight it out in the post-elims play.
San Miguel clashes with Blackwater while Star collides with Alaska in the penultimate play date of the elims Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome. Then it’s San Miguel versus GlobalPort and Ginebra against Mahindra in the final day of the prelims on Friday over at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Complications abound.
Ginebra and SMB can make it a little less complicated if they win their remaining games. Such scenario will make them the top two finishers, gaining the twice-to-beat incentives in the quarterfinals.
Star can only have a shot at the Top Two if it wins its last game against Alaska then either Ginebra or SMB loses a game. In case of a tie among the three, the Hotshots will end up the last finisher because of an inferior quotient.
The Gin Kings are looking forward to finish on top.
“Top seeding doesn’t guarantee a championship but it gets you in a good road in the playoffs,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
TNT KaTropa, also with an inferior quotient in case it figures in a tie, is likely to settle for a spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals along with Meralco.
Much more complicated is the fight for the last three spots in the quarterfinals among Rain or Shine (5-6), Alaska (4-6), GlobalPort (4-6) and Phoenix (4-7).
The E-Painters are assured of a playoff entry but they can still lose the No. 6 spot in case of victories by the Aces and the Batang Pier over the Hotshots and the Beermen, respectively.
This scenario will also mean outright passage of Alaska and GlobalPort into the quarters and dash Phoenix’s own hopes.
But the Fuel Masters stay alive in case of a loss by either the Aces or the Batang Pier.
The best scenario for Phoenix is losses by both Alaska and GlobalPort. In this case, they will end up tied from seventh to ninth with identical 4-7 marks. By virtue of quotient, Phoenix will wind up No. 7, Alaska No. 8 and GlobalPort No. 9.
Rain or Shine, meanwhile, secures the No. 6 position, a precious spot pitted against No. 3 in a best-of-three playoff.
The seventh and eighth-ranked teams face the top seeds that enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters.