Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson. –PBA IMAGES
Tim Cone has at all times acknowledged the issue of getting to work on Christmas Day, even when Barangay Ginebra has been almost an annual fixture on such big day.
“It’s difficult with all of the distractions, nevertheless it’s also an honor,” said Cone because the Gin Kings face the TNT Tropang Giga in a vital tiff for each teams within the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.
The 8 p.m. game at Smart Araneta Coliseum marks the sixth straight time Ginebra will play on Christmas, including last yr’s Commissioner’s Cup Finals opener against the Bay Area Dragons, which it ended up winning.
This time, it can be about Ginebra’s bid to remain in contention for the elusive twice-to-beat advantage within the quarterfinals. Ginebra is tied for fourth at 5-3 with San Miguel Beer, which takes on upstart Phoenix within the 4 p.m. opener.
The highest 4 teams qualify for the quarterfinal bonus, with Magnolia securing one in every of those spots due to its league-best 9-1 (win-loss) record.
Cone and the Gin Kings are coming off a convincing win on Friday against a hot Meralco Bolts side that snapped a two-game skid. However the veteran mentor wants nothing greater than a victory the remaining of the strategy to get a likelihood on the bonus.
“There are definitely numerous things occurring, family-wise, and we recognize that. So it’s really as much as us to get through it,” said Cone. “Principally every game is a do-or-die for us since the twice-to-beat is a big advantage.”
Seesaw ride
The sport can be crucial for TNT, currently on a seesaw ride with a good 4-4 record and with a distant likelihood of getting the twice-to-beat—unless it wins all of its remaining eliminations project.
TNT can be fighting to maintain its inside track for the quarterfinals, sitting at seventh with Rain or Shine (4-5) and NLEX (3-6) not far behind.
Attention may even be on how the Tropang Giga play minus import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who left late in Wednesday’s breakthrough conquer the Taipei Fubon Braves within the East Asia Super League after colliding with an opposing player within the fourth.
Tropang Giga coach Jojo Lastimosa said Hollis-Jefferson must undergo more tests and has been scratched for the sport, leaving them with an all-Filipino lineup.
The opener will see if Phoenix, ranked second within the table at 7-1, is a team that may legitimately compete against the normal contenders like San Miguel.
The Fuel Masters tackle a Beermen squad that had just received news of the death of one in every of its greats, Samboy Lim, and will likely be fidgeting with latest import Bennie Boatwright, who replaced Ivan Aska.
