FOUR teams who were consensus preconference picks to go deep in the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs, counting defending champion San Miguel Beer, plunge into action as the elimination round heads into its crucial stages at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
The Beermen, with import Arizona Reid nursing a hurting Achilles, and struggling powerhouse Alaska collide at 7 p.m.
San Miguel will be coming off just its second loss in the season-closing conference, a close 92-98 to GlobalPort last Friday when Reid first bared the injury that, he said, gives him limited movement on defense.
He still scored 41 points that night at Ynares Center in Antipolo. It is still uncertain if the two-time Best Import winner can play tonight.
With a 4-2 record, San Miguel needs to catch idle Barangay Ginebra and surprising Mahindra in second spot and keep a buffer on the rest of the field in the chase for a top four berth and first round playoff bonus.
For Alaska, a win would enhance its playoff chances.
Sporting a 2-4 card, the Aces have but a long shot of booking a twice-to-beat privilege with a top four finish, though beating the Beermen would boost that scenario since they would be bringing down one of the leaders.
Meanwhile, Meralco shoots for a berth in the quarterfinals in the 4:15 p.m. contest against sister squad NLEX.
The Bolts (4-3) were installed as one of the teams to beat here after signing up Iranian national team star Mohammad Jamshidi, racing to a 2-0 start before dropping their next two.
Jamshidi was gone after five games after failing to get a grasp of the PBA brand of play, although there have been insinuations that he left to rejoin his national five. Coach Norman Black will not be bringing in a new Asian import “unless he is very, very good that he will not disrupt the [Meralco] system.”