It is back to business in the PBA this Sunday with a pair of doubleheaders on Easter, including a Manila Clasico showdown featuring the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots and the Barangay Ginebra. Will Magnolia stay undefeated in the conference after this matchup? Or, will Ginebra rise up after suffering its first loss?

Catch this game live on Sunday,  March 31 at 6:15 pm, Manila time.

Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (1-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Jio Jalalon
  • Paul Lee 
  • Rome de la Rosa
  • Jackson Corpuz
  • James Laput

Magnolia kicked off their campaign in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup with an explosive performance, as the Chicken Timplados Hotshots walloped the Converge FiberXers, 106-75 just before the lengthy break. Ian Sangalang carved up Converge’s defense to lead Magnolia with 17 points on 7/10 shooting from the field, while Jio Jalalon and Calvin Abueva each chipped in 14 points. 

Magnolia is still operating like a well-oiled machine, and it will look to get more from Sangalang this time around than during the last time these two franchises met back in the import-laced Commissioner’s Cup. In that game, Sangalang only had eight points, while Jalalon and Marc Barroca led the locals with a combined output of 28 points. The Hotshots are also hoping that Paul Lee will start to get it going again. He only produced seven points in the Converge game, though, the game’s narrative held him to only 16 minutes of playtime.

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Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (2-1)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Nard Pinto
  • Maverick Ahanmisi
  • Louis Cu
  • Jamie Orme
  • Christian Standhardinger

After back-to-back wins to start the conference over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Phoenix LPG Fuel Masters, Ginebra suffered their first loss in the 2024 Philippine Cup when the Barangay got thrashed by the Meralco Bolts on Mar. 15, 91-73. Ginebra’s offense misfired heavily in the Meralco game, as the Barangay shot just 33.3 percent from the field and went just 3/21 (14.3%) from behind the arc. 

Hopefully for the Barangay, they will have their shooting touch back after a long vacation. And they will have to do so without former PBA Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson, who is still sidelined with a back injury. Ginebra is still stacked, though. The Barangay have All-Star point guard Nard Pinto and Mav Ahanmisi to take care of business in the backcourt. Meanwhile, Jamie Malonzo is averaging 17.7 points despite scoring just four points on 2/10 shooting against Meralco.

Picks

Spread: Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (-3.5)

Over/Under: Over(188.5)

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