‘Win or go home’ for TNT

TNT KaTropa fights for life while Rain or Shine chases a spot in the bestof-three quarterfinals as they take on separate opponents merely trying to build momentum for the playoffs in the penultimate play date of the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations at the

The Texters seek a playoff crack at the eighth and last quarters berth in tangling with the NLEX Road Warriors at 4:30 p.m. while the EPainters shoot for a Top Six finish in going up against the San Miguel Beermen at 7 p.m.

Going to these games, San Miguel (8-2) is assured of a top finish in the elims while NLEX (6-4) is guaranteed of a windup inside the Top Six.

Both, however, still express determination to win to build a momentum they can ride on in the post-elims play.

Finishers in the Top Four in all conferences last year, the Texters (4-6) are now in danger of missing the playoffs after dropping their last three games against the Phoenix Fuel Masters, the Barangay Ginebra Kings and the GlobalPort Batang Pier.

They would need to win two do-or-die matches to salvage a spot in the playoffs.

The Road Warriors, meanwhile, are now safe in the Top Six at 6-4 plus a good quotient in case they fall in a tie with the Elasto Painters, the Gin Kings and the Batang Pier.

Win or lose, San Miguel is finishing atop the heap and will enjoy a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.

But the Beermen insist they would not take the game for granted as they’re determined to build a momentum to carry on in the playoffs.

As the top seed, San Miguel will face the eighth seed in the quarterfinals.

SMB coach Leo Austria, however, is anticipating a hard game as the E-Painters will surely come out to chase an important victory that could enhance their hope to finish in the Top Six.

The E-Painters were actually in strong contention for the Top Two until they dropped their last game against the Alaska Milk Aces, 95-99, Friday.

At 5-4, the E-Painters are now in a mad scramble for the two remaining spots in the best-of-three quarterfinals (No. 3 versus No. 6 and No. 4 versus No.5) with the Kings (5-5) and Batang Pier (5-5).

Alaska Milk, at 7-4, is another team assured of a finish inside the Top Six. —