THE Philippine Basketball Association takes its act to the Philsports Arena in Pasig City with a pair of very interesting match-ups in the continuing 2016-17 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.
For the first time, Rain or Shine (3-2) is set to face-off with its former longtime coach Yeng Guiao and his struggling NLEX Road Warriors (1-4) at 7 p.m. in a much-anticipated match-up tonight.
The opener is just as intense as rivals TNT KaTropa and sizzling Alaska, both at holding 3-2 slates, are set to collide at 4:15 p.m.
After Guiao’s surprising transfer to the Road Warriors in the off-season, many are already anticipating an emotional and intense match between the Elasto Painters and their then mentor who delivered both of the two championships of the franchise.
Guiao spent six years coaching Rain or Shine before he decided to accept a coaching job at NLEX where he is trying to turn the team’s fortunes around.
Coming in, the Painters and the Warriors are still fresh from losses in their last assignments. NLEX has actually lost three in a row.
Rain or Shine got beaten by Star, 99-91, last Sunday while NLEX got clobbered by league-leading San Miguel, 106-80, last Saturday as it suffered another defeat.
The Painters, the Texters and the Aces are all looking to score wins to be able to tie Blackwater (4-2) in second place.
Currently, those three squads, along with Star and GlobalPort, are in a five-way logjam for third to seventh places.
After losing its first two games, Alaska suddenly got its groove and is now one of the league’s hottest teams, having won three straight.
It made a statement game when it demolished Barangay Ginebra, 101-86, last Sunday.
On the other hand, TNT KaTropa is having an inconsistent campaign so far, alternating wins with losses.
It posted a 117-98 rout of Phoenix last Friday in its last game.
Since becoming healthy, Alaska is slowly but surely getting in the thick of things. The Aces are targeting a fourth straight victory when they take the floor against the Texters.