Three QF spots up for grabs ahead of final PBA PH Cup playdate

The playoff race couldn’t get any closer than this.

With one playdate remaining in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup eliminations, three playoff spots are still yet to be claimed, making the Friday tussle between GlobalPort and Phoenix and the duel between Ginebra and Rain or Shine must-watch.

So far, San Miguel and Magnolia are locked in on the top two spots, which means the two teams will hold twice-to-beat advantages in the quarterfinals.

Alaska, NLEX, and Rain or Shine also clinched their spots in the playoffs, with all three set to figure in best-of-three series against still to be determined foes.

That leaves Ginebra (5-5), GlobalPort (5-5), Phoenix (4-6), TNT (5-6), and Blackwater (5-6) disputing the last three spots, with three of those fighting for their lives at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Here’s how things would play out:

For the Gin Kings and the Batang Pier, all they need is to win their duels to advance to the quarterfinals.

A loss for the two would put their playoff hopes in peril, but they still has a chance to make it to the next round as they are still secured of at least a playoff.

The Fuel Masters also need a win to advance to the next round, but will have to root for a Rain or Shine win against Ginebra to not drop down to a playoff against TNT or GlobalPort.

The KaTropa and the Elite sit idle with their identical 5-6 cards, but they don’t have their fate on their hands.

For TNT, the only unfavorable situation for them is for a Phoenix and Rain or Shine win, which would put it on a three-way tie at eighth with Ginebra and Blackwater. The KaTropa will drop to 11th due to an inferior quotient en route to an early exit this all-Filipino conference.

Blackwater, meanwhile, only needs GlobalPort to win over Phoenix to advance to the playoffs. If the Fuel Masters do get the victory over the Batang Pier, they have to root for Rain or Shine to triumph over Ginebra to force a five-way tie at sixth and at least get a chance for a playoff.