Too Close To Call

Top PBA Teams Brace For Wild Finish

Games tomorrow (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 will figure in the race  for the top spots while Alaska Milk and GlobalPort make their final charge for an outright playoff entry in the last two days of the the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round.

 With only four matches left, a playoff may be necessary to determine the complete cast that will fight it out in the post-elims play.

San Miguel clashes with Blackwater while Star collides with Alaska in the penultimate elims playdate tomorrow 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.

Ginebra and SMB could ease the logjam if they win their remaining games, making  them the top two finishers with 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.

It is expected top be down-to-the-wire 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.

It will also mean outright passage of Alaska and GlobalPort into the quarters while dashing Phoenix’s hopes.

But the Fuel Masters stay alive in case of a loss by either the Aces or the Batang Pier.

 Phoenix wil gain a lot if Alaska and GlobalPort drop their rsepective games. 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.