Could this be a preview of the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals? The top two teams in the conference will be facing off in a titanic matchup this Saturday at PhilSports Arena, with the Magnolia Chicken Timplados meeting the Bay Area Dragons. Read on for more about this showdown in Pasig.

Catch this game live on Saturday,  November 19 at 6:45 pm, Manila time.

Bay Area Dragons (8-2)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Myles Powell
  • SG: Glen Robertson Yang
  • SF: Songwei Zhu
  • PF: Hayden Blankley
  • C: Duncan Reid

After getting stunned in a 92-89 loss to the Meralco Bolts, the Dragons switched back to Myles Powell as their import and have gone 2-0 since. Bay Area is still undefeated when Powell is reinforcing the team. In their last game, the Dragons thrashed the NLEX Road Warriors, 118-98. Prior to that, they blasted the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 120-87. Over that two-game stretch, Powell played like prime MJ and collected a total of 86 points on a ridiculous 58.3 percent shooting from the field. 

On the season, Powell is putting up 38.2 points per game, though, he’s not exactly alone in carrying the burden for Bay Area, as three other non-import Dragons are averaging double-digits scoring this conference, including the reliable Glen Yang, who is making 11.0 points per game. Bay Area has the best offense in the league with 110.8 points per outing and also has arguably the stoutest defense in the PBA right now, allowing just 97.2 points per 100 possessions – No. 1 in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

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Magnolia Chicken Timplados (8-1)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Paul Lee
  • SG: Mark Barroca
  • SF: Calvin Abueva
  • PF: Ian Sangalang
  • C: Nicholas Rakocevic

The Dragons already have two losses this conference but they haven’t faced the toughest local team yet. They will get the chance this Saturday against Magnolia, which is as complete of a team as they come. The Chicken Timplados are on a 3-0 win streak. Their only loss came at the hands of the same team that first beat Bay Area this season, losing to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel last month, 103-97. 

Since then, Magnolia took down the Blackwater Bossing (91-69) and then the San Miguel Beermen (85-80). Magnolia’s defense has simply been fantastic defense. It won’t shut down a guy like Powell, but the Timplados will make him work harder for his buckets. The Chicken Timplados allow the fewest points per game (89.9) in this conference and owns the second-best defensive rating (97.4).

PREDICTION:

Spread: Magnolia (+7.5) covers the spread.

Over/Under: The total (199.5) hits the Under.

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