Kings target playoff bonus
Games today: (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 3 p.m. — NLEX vs Terrafirma 5:45 p.m. — Ginebra vs Blackwater
The race for the playoffs in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup heats up as three more teams will try to make their move either to salvage their respective campaigns or put themselves in a better position ahead of the quarterfinal round.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is one of those teams trying to chase whatever chance is left to secure a slot in the next round.
The Kings are three games behind Bay Area and Converge and a win over Blackwater in their scheduled 5:45 p.m. main game will boost their hopes for a possible twice-to-beat incentive.
The Dragons and the FiberXers both carry an 8-2 win-loss mark, but the visiting squad from Hong Kong take the No. 2 seed at this time by virtue of the win over the other rule.
But the Kings, who defeated the Dragons in the early phase of the elimination round, can make things possible in quest of a potential top two berth and they can start doing it by winning over the Bossing.
The league’s most popular team carries a 5-2 win-loss record and a victory will put them just two games behind Bay Area and Converge.
Tim Cone and his troops know they have to earn it the hard way as the Bossing will be battling for survival.
“We’re equal in terms of number of losses with Bay Area, which we beat along with Magnolia, and we still have Converge coming up in our schedule, so we are pretty much in control of our own destiny,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said.
“All we have to do is win games and we’ll have a chance of securing a possible top two berth.”
“But our game against Blackwater is very important and that’s one thing we have to focus now. They’ve lost close games due to bad luck and they have a very intelligent and good import in Cameron Krutwig.”
After making the playoffs for the first time in a long while last conference, the Bossing had once again found themselves teetering on the brink of elimination.
With only three wins to show in 10 games, the Bossing will have to win their remaining two games, including this tough one against the Gin Kings, but their destiny will still depend on the other teams.
It’s a similar situation NLEX is facing as it shoots for a must win against an also-ran squad in Terrafirma, which has yet to win in the last 25 outings and facing the prospect of ending up with another winless campaign for the second straight conference.
The Road Warriors will battle the Dyip at 3 p.m. as coach Frankie Lim and his wards try to secure a victory after losing four in a row.