The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots and the TNT Tropang Giga are each on a two-game losing skid to start the conference. One of them will finally break out of a slump when they square off at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Will Magnolia get to .500 with a win? Or, will the Tropang Giga score their very first win in this conference at the expense of the Hotshots? 

Catch this game live on Wednesday,  December 11 at 5:00 pm, Manila time.

Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (1-2)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Jerrick Ahanmisi
  • Paul Lee
  • Zav Lucero
  • Rome Dela Rosa
  • Richardo Ratliffe

After a great start to the conference with a 118-100 win over the Blackwater Bossing, Magnolia found themselves on a losing skid. The Hotshots dropped their first game of the conference in a 93-91 loss to the Converge FiberXers before losing another close one to the NorthPort Batang Pier, 107-103. It is not about to get easier for the Hotshots, with the Tropang Giga coming up next for Magnolia. 

However, the Hotshots could be catching TNT at just the right time, with the Tropang Giga winless through their first two games. Another encouraging sign for the Hotshots is the play of Jerom Lastimosa, who scored 27  points on 9/16 shooting from the field to go with eight rebounds and eight assists in the loss to NorthPort. Hopefully for the Hotshots, the former Adamson Falcons star will be as effective this Wednesday — with or without Paul Lee, who sat out the Batang Pier game with a contusion.

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TNT Tropang Giga (0-2)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Rey Nambatac
  • RR Pogoy
  • Calvin Oftana
  • Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
  • Henry Galinato Jr.

Are the Tropang Giga suffering from a case of championship hangover? Coming off a successful run in the Governors’ Cup, TNT is now having a poor start in the Commissioner’s Cup. The Tropang Giga are still without a win through two games, having lost to Hong Kong Eastern, 105-84, in TNT’s opener. That was followed by a 100-95 loss to the Batang Pier for the Tropang Giga, whose defense has looked suspect of late. NorthPort, for example, scored 48 points in the paint in the TNT meeting. 

That said, the absence of former PBA Defensive Player of the Year and big man Poy Erram hurt TNT’s defense, especially in the shaded area. With Erram done serving his one-game suspension, he can be expected to be back in action and help the Tropang Giga on the floor versus Magnolia. Meanwhile, import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will look to rebound from a subpar performance in the Batang Pier game in which he scored 19 points on 19 shots from the floor.

Picks

Spread: TNT (-1.5)

Over/Under: Under (195.5)

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