NLEX plays its last game for the year while Magnolia sets out for its last outing before its much-anticipated Christmas Day clash with Barangay Ginebra.
For both, the goal is to check an alarming skid as the Road Warriors and the Hotshots slug it out in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Friday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
The Road Warriors are now barely clinging to a Top Eight spot following back-to-back losses the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 100-109, and to the Converge FiberXers, 91-102.
Meanwhile, the Hotshots are languishing near the bottom having dropped all their last four games interestingly after a conference winning debut against the Blackwater Bossing, 118-100.
Both have a lot of catching up to do, but the immediate goal is to stop the bleeding and have some relief at least for the coming holidays.
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Coach Jong Uichico's NLEX troops hope to right the ship and be above the .500 mark before taking a Christmas breather. Their next game is already on Jan. 10 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium versus the Meralco Bolts.
They're currently tottering at eighth place with a 3-3 win-loss card, trailing NorthPort (5-1), Hong Kong Eastern (5-1), Meralco (3-1), Rain or Shine (3-1), Barangay Ginebra (3-1), San Miguel Beer (3-2) and Converge (3-2).
A surprise is Magnolia, a consistent contender, now bunched with the regular cellar-dwellers.
Ricardo Ratliffe and his teammates are coming off a tough loss to Rain or Shine where they blew away their effort of rallying from a 13-point deficit then surging ahead at 98-86.
They earlier dropped close matches versus the TNT Tropang Giga, 100-103, the NorthPort Batang Pier, 103-107, and the Converge FiberXers, 91-93.
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The issue for coach Chito Victolero and his wards is how to handle tight endgame battles.
And they're at 1-4 heading to these tough back-to-back assignments versus NLEX and Ginebra.
After their Christmas Day gig, the Hotshots won't return to play until Jan. 10 versus the Terrafirma Dyip. (SB)
