San Mig Coffee, Ginebra break tie

SAN MIG Coffee and Barangay Ginebra,  two of the more popular teams in the PBA, will each miss two big men when they clash today to boost their standings in the Governors’ Cup playoffs at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Marc Pingris and Joe Devance will be serving out suspensions for the Mixers and Kerby Raymundo and Japeth Aguilar are still in sick bay for the Gin Kings when the sister squads collide at 6:30 p.m.

The game will be San Mig’s first since an ugly brawl that marred its game with Globalport last Wednesday and resulted in a two-game ban on Pingris. Devance was lucky to escape with a one-game suspension for his cheap shot that ignited the fight between Pingris and Kelly Nabong.

Nabong and Pingris were also fined P60,000 each and Devance P30,000 by the commissioner on Friday.

Incidentally, the Batang Pier also make their first appearance since the brawl against Barako Bull earlier at 4:15 p.m.

Globalport is hoping to snap a two-game slide and get out of a four-way logjam for sixth spot with Ginebra, San Mig and idle Talk ‘N Text.

All four squads seeing action today have 2-3 slates and need to string up some victories in order to get to the top four and secure twice-to-beat privileges in the first round of the playoffs.

Marqus Blakely, James Yap and Peter June Simon will continue to be the focal points of the San Mig offense and coach Tim Cone would have to find a new defensive anchor with Pingris out for the next two games.