This huge matchup between the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the TNT Tropang Giga shouldn’t have come this early….but PBA. In this best-of-seven series between the top teams in the elimination phase, which will come away with a win in Game 1 this Wednesday? 

Catch this game live on Wednesday,  October 9 at 7:30 pm, Manila time.

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (0-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Adrian Nocum
  • Andrei Caracut
  • Jhonard Clarito
  • Gabe Norwood
  • Aaron Fuller

The Elasto Painters booked a spot in the semifinal round of the 2024 Governors’ Cup after a grueling quarterfinal series against the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots that went the distance. In the deciding game of that series, Rain or Shine leaned on a balanced attack to score a 113-103 victory. Aaron Fuller, after a number of tries in the past, is now about to play in his first semis series in the PBA, as he poured in 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the Magnolia game. 

Fuller isn’t going to be the juggernaut offensive weapon that Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is, but his style of play just fits Rain or Shine and always comes up as a plus-guy. Fuller also got lots of help in the series-clinching win against Magnolia from five ROS locals who produced at least 11 points each, including Jhonard Clarito and Andrei Nocum, who each had 17 points. Rain or Shine hit just 22.8 percent of their attempts from the 3-point region in the quarterfinals, but still found a way to win. 

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TNT Tropang Giga (0-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Rey Nambatac
  • RR Pogoy
  • Kim Aurin
  • Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
  • Kelly Williams

Unlike Rain or Shine, TNT had a relatively easy series in the quarterfinals, as the Tropang Giga needed just four games to send the NLEX Road Warriors to Boracay. Hollis-Jefferson averaged 32.3 points in that series. There’s no doubt that the Tropang Giga will get him plenty of touches against Rain or Shine, whose defense can present a tougher challenge for the former Arizona Wildcats star, but RHJ is RHJ. 

There’s only so much opponents can do to slow down Hollis-Jefferson. But TNT is also more than just about RHJ. There’s Rey Nambatac, who is on a revenge-game watch heading into the semis. He just had 19 points on 7/12 shooting from the field in TNT’s 126-96 Game 4 demolition of the Road Warriors. RR Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, and even Kim Aurin can make life harder for Rain or Shine’s defense as they are all capable of coming up with great scoring nights while playing alongside their import.

Picks

Spread: Rain or Shine (+2.5)

Over/Under: Under (209.5)

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