A familiar rivalry takes center stage once more as San Miguel Beer and TNT Tropang Giga collide again in the PBA Finals for the Philippine Cup title. With history, star power, and lingering storylines shaping this best-of-seven showdown, here are five key things to know ahead of another high-stakes Finals rematch.
How Did They Get Here?
San Miguel lost its first two games this conference as it looked unprepared and uninspired after winning last season’s Philippine Cup. But the Beermen quickly turned things around and rattled off nine straight wins to finish as the top seed. They then beat the NLEX Road Warriors in the quarterfinals to arrange a semifinals rematch with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. The Beermen fought off Team NSD in six hard-fought games to seal a return to the PBA Finals.
TNT, on the other hand, roared to an 8-3 record in the eliminations but still had to win its final elims game against the Magnolia Hotshots to ensure a twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals. The Tropa did just that, arranging a quarters rematch with the LA Tenorio-coached squad in the process. TNT finished off the Hotshots with relative ease and waited for the Meralco Bolts to complete their two-win upset of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. After an early scare in Game 1, the Tropa seized full control of their semis series with the Bolts, ultimately ending it in five.
Who’s Playing and Who’s Not?
At this point in a conference, it’s a given that most players, especially the high-usage ones, are already banged up, if not hurting to some degree. That’s precisely the case in these PBA Finals. On the San Miguel side, June Mar Fajardo has been dealing with a bum shoulder since Game 2 of the Beermen’s intense semis showdown against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
On the other side, Rey Nambatac and Calvin Oftana have been dealing with leg issues, with both suffering scary falls in their semis clash with the Meralco Bolts.
What’s worse for TNT is that one of their main gunners, RR Pogoy, is likely to miss a portion of the PBA Finals after suffering a hamstring strain early in Game 4. The initial prognosis is a two-week recovery, which would mean Pogoy will miss at least Games 1 and 2, and possibly Game 3. But as Chot Reyes pointed out, hamstring injuries are “very unpredictable,” which could put the Cebuano hotshot’s availability for the entire series in question.
When Will the PBA Finals Start and Where Will It Be Played?
The PBA has given TNT and San Miguel several days to prepare for the PBA Finals, as the best-of-seven battle for the Philippine Cup crown will start on Wednesday, January 21, or five days after San Miguel ended its semis series with Ginebra. That break after the semifinals should give both teams at least some time to recuperate and get their bodies right for what promises to be another intense clash for the championship.
Based on the league-provided schedule, the PBA Finals will be held at two venues: the Ynares Center in Antipolo and the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. Games 1 (January 21) and 2 (January 23) will be at the Ynares Center, while Games 3 (January 25) and 4 (January 28) will be at the MOA Arena. If the series goes to a fifth game (January 30), the venue will be the Ynares Center once more, while Games 6 (February 1) and 7 (February 4), if necessary, will both take place at the MOA Arena.
Who Has the Edge?
When two elite teams meet, it’s usually a toss-up, a 50-50 proposition. But recent history suggests San Miguel has the edge going into this PBA Finals rematch with TNT. The last time these two squads met was in Season 49’s season-ending Philippine Cup Finals, where the Beermen edged the Tropa in six games. Then, in the eliminations, San Miguel again beat TNT, 110-95, with CJay Perez doing much of the heavy lifting with his 33 points.
Another big reason San Miguel might have the edge again this time around is June Mar Fajardo. Even at 35, The Kraken continues to be the single most unstoppable force in the PBA, and he will be TNT’s biggest challenge, no doubt. And with Fajardo likely to be the focus of the Tropa’s defensive game plan, scorers like Perez and Don Trollano could break out for the Beermen.
Then again, TNT is a champion team with a champion coach, and it has more than enough talent to match up with San Miguel.
Where to Watch the PBA Finals?
Fans can watch the PBA Finals on free TV via RPTV or on PBA Rush! (available on Cignal TV CH 260 HD and CH 90 SD). Fans can also watch on the Pilipinas Live app or stream the games on One Sports’ YouTube channel.
