E-Painters, Bolts square off today

Rain or Shine, its franchise-best start finally derailed last week, seeks to get back on track and claim a playoff berth in the PBA Governors’ Cup when the Elasto Painters clash with the Meralco Bolts today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With a 4-1 record and running second to idle B-Meg, the Painters are slightly favored over the Bolts in the 5:15 p.m. game even as Powerade and Barangay Ginebra, two hot playoff contenders, clash in the 7:30 p.m. contest.

The Painters opened up with four straight wins and were at the top of the heap for most of the conference until the Llamados stopped them and went on to grab top spot Wednesday night with a clinical 77-61 dismantling of Alaska.

Finishing as No. 1 in the eliminations is important since the qualifiers carry their records in the semifinals with the No. 2 team likewise enjoying the possibility of landing in a playoff for the title because of the 4-of-5 rule.

Jamelle Cornley and super rookie Paul Lee will continue to lead the Painters, a young squad who made it to the semifinals of the Philippine Cup before playing listless in the next tournament to get the boot.

Powerade is expected to give crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra a tough battle in the second game with the Tigers on a three-game winning streak with Omar Sneed around and Gary David as deadly as ever.

David has now scored 20-plus points for the last 20 games since  Game 2 of the Philippine Cup Finals against Talk ‘N Text.  No team has had much success in shutting him down.

And against the Kings, David seems to have an advantage over any of the Ginebra guards, unless coach Siot Tanquingcen decides to throw import Cedric Bozeman on the local scoring champion.

But that could derail Bozeman’s effectiveness on the offensive end.

Mark Caguioa is still the prime local for Ginebra, though Kerby Raymundo, the former Purefoods/B-Meg superstar power forward, has been playing great of late and could be a huge offensive factor tonight.