MANILA, Philippines — With the top seeding in the playoffs already in the bag, Talk ‘N Text goes through the motions against Rain or Shine Wednesday even as San Mig Coffee tries to keep the No. 2 rank within sight when it battles Air21 in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Having bagged topped spot even before the annual All-Star break, the Tropang Texters can take the rest of this round easy with a view from the top and let everyone else slug it out for positions in the quarterfinal round.
The Elasto Painters need to win their 8 p.m. clash with the Texters badly in order to have a shot at the second twice-to-beat bonus—or a place in a best-of-three series at the least—as they could even end up tied for third at the end of tonight’s doubleheader.
That’s why it is crucial for the Mixers to prevail over the Express in the 5:45 p.m. contest, since a loss would knock them all the way down into a tie for sixth spot heading into the final two weeks of the preliminaries.
With just one twice-to-beat advantage left, teams are now jockeying to at least make it as Nos. 3 to 6 since qualifying as the seventh and eighth seeds would mean having to beat Nos. 7 and 1 two straight times, respectively.
Falling into the middle of the pack would mean seeing action in a best-of-three series where No. 3 slugs it out with No. 6 and Nos. 4 and 5 making up the other quarterfinal pairing.
A win by Rain or Shine coupled by a loss by the Mixers would put the Painters in a momentary third-place tie, just a full game behind the 5-2 San Miguel Beermen.
That scenario would make the race for No. 2 wide open again. A San Mig win would more or less make the race for the second twice-to-beat spot between the Mixers and the Beermen heading into the homestretch.
Globalport, winless after seven starts, became the first team to get the boot with Barako Bull hanging on to dear life at 2-5 and needing to sweep its remaining two assignments to have a mathematical chance of advancing.
“The challenge (for the coaching staff) right now is how to keep them (players) sharp for the playoffs,” Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black said last week after pinning a second straight loss on the Mixers.
Wayne Chism will play just his second game for the Painters and is expected to have adjusted fully well to the Philippine brand of play.