The TNT Tropang 5G and the Meralco Bolts will go at it again at the Mall of Asia Arena in Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup semis showdown—and it could be the final game of the series.
That’s what the Tropa are hoping for when they take the court later today with a chance to seal their fourth straight PBA Finals appearance. TNT put itself in this position after beating the Bolts, 102-83, on Sunday to take a commanding 3-1 lead.
Expect the Tropang 5G to go all-out for the kill in Game 5, as ending the series early would give the team a couple more days to rest and recover. This is especially vital as the injury bug has bitten TNT, with RR Pogoy expected to miss at least two weeks due to a strained hamstring, Rey Nambatac nursing leg and back injuries, and Calvin Oftana dealing with his own leg injury.
Meralco Likely to Be Without Chris Newsome in Do-or-Die Game 5
The Bolts might have it worse, though. Not only are they fighting for survival in Game 5, but they also have to do it without Chris Newsome, who hyperextended his left knee in Meralco’s Game 3 win.
“Right now, it’s just going through the recovery process and taking the precautions I need to do for me to be able to get back on the court…,” said Newsome as he updated reporters about his status. “As of right now, it can be anywhere between three to five weeks from what we know. There is a possibility it could be shorter depending on the severity of the sprain. Right now, we’re just waiting for the inflammation to go down a bit, and I will be able to clear things up to where we have a better timeline for my return.”
Without Newsome in Game 4, the Bolts unsurprisingly struggled to generate consistent offense, especially in the face of TNT’s swarming defense. That could be the case again in Game 5—unless the Bolts can figure out a way to solve that stifling Tropang 5G defense.
Game time between Meralco and TNT is at 5:15 p.m.
