THE quarterfinals begin today with limitless possibilities for all four protagonists in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Both Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and San Miguel Beer are the favorites. But that’s only on paper. History tells us that stats do not matter much anymore when push comes to shove—as in one-in-one situations that are prone to knockout punches.
Ginebra is the solid pick in its best-of-three affair against NorthPort mainly because of the Gin Kings’ championship pedigree occasioned by Justin Brownlee’s omniscient presence.
Having an import like Brownlee, the newly-minted naturalized Filipino to reinforce Gilas in the 2023 Fiba World Cup, Ginebra is more than assured of an anchor ready to block hostile winds which he had done so well in the past.
But although NorthPort is not as gilded as Ginebra, the Batang Pier had proven to be worthy of their advance, given that Robert Bolick has been playing with import-like qualities.
And even as Ginebra’s Tim Cone prides in being the league’s winningest coach, NorthPort’s Pido Jarencio, whose guileful coaching is slowly gaining fruition, may yet unleash a rabbit out his sleeves in the 5:45 p.m. contest.
As to the SMB-Converge race-to-two series, the upstart FiberXers need more than their razzle-dazzle to neutralize the Beermen’s barrage of talents.
How to control the back-to-form June Mar Fajardo, the 6-foot-10 SMB lifeline, would remain Converge’s No. 1 concern in the 3 p.m. opener.
It’s nice to know that coach Aldin Ayo leaving Converge was but fake news. Ayo can now resume his beginner’s luck refrain and, who knows, he might yet derail the four-game winning streak of interim SMB mentor Jorge Gallent?
Indeed, in every me-or-you clash, the possibilities are endless—as in a chess match.
THAT’S IT Are the Los Angeles Lakers back? Seemingly, yes, if we take into account the Lakers’ recent 130-119 rout of the Washington Wizards. That was their third straight win and eighth triumph in their last 10 games. Anthony Davis was the Lakers’ biggest hero, firing 55 points as he became the first Laker since Kobe Bryant (+) in 2013 to score back-to-back 40-point games, collecting 99 points in two games following Davis’ 44-point effort against the Milwaukee Bucks last weekend. Against the Wizards, Davis was 22-of-30 tries from the field, made all nine free throws and blocked three shots as he continues to bury injury troubles. Davis got help from LeBron James (29 points) and Lonnie Walker IV (20). Russell Westbrook tossed in six measly points for Los Angeles but issued 15 assists in the match described by LeBron as a “great game for all of us.”… Happy birthday to Valle Verde’s Du Hizon of San Fernando, Pampanga. Cheers Podner!