IT'S a Friday sizzler at the PhilSports Arena, featuring a pair of duels for outright entry into the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
NLEX and Rain or Shine slug it out in the 7:30 p.m. mainer, each side shooting for win No. 6 that will cement the victor's passage into the Last Eight, joining early qualifiers San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra.
Despite the Road Warriors' three-game slide, they remain at joint third with the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots. At 5-4, they have two cracks at the post-elims play.
A sweep of their last two games (the last versus Barangay Ginebra Sunday) would even make them the second seed with a twice-to-beat bonus in the quarters.
But that's easier said than done.
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Firstly, Rain or Shine wouldn't be easy picking for NLEX.
Coach Yeng Guiao and his troops have won five of their last six games, and are determined to end their elims campaign with a win.
A loss will mean a slide to joint eighth with NorthPort at 5-6.
A heavy jam at the spot is a possibility at the close of the elims on Sunday. Ties will be resolved by a quotient system tiebreak with the two teams with the worst quotient to duke it out in a knockout setto for the eighth and last quarterfinals berth.
Both wanting to avoid that situation, the Road Warriors and the Elasto Painters are likely to figure in a fierce showdown.
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For NLEX, Robert Bolick is likely to be a player highly inspired by a newborn son.
The NLEX hotshot missed their last game against San Miguel Beer Sunday to be by his wife's side.
The Elasto Painters, however, are an inspired unit, aching for an automatic playoff entry. (SB)
