There’s simply no room for error for the defending champion San Miguel Beermen, who are hanging by a thread and are in danger of missing the PBA Commissioner's Cup playoffs if they do not get their act together.
Normally under this stage of the tournament, the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen can be found at the upper half of team standings either battling for the top spot or already playoff-bound.
It’s not the same case this time around.
The Beermen are at a crossroads in their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup campaign heading into a critical showdown against the NorthPort Batang Pier, Tuesday, January 21, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Beermen are currently at 4-5 and clinging to the eighth spot in the standings.
Their recent struggles, including three losses in their last four outings, have left them just ahead of Magnolia (4-6) and NLEX (4-6) in the race for the final playoff berth.
Despite parading new import Malik Pope, the defending champion stumbled against the Meralco Bolts in Candon.
Eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo shouldered the load with 20 points and 13 rebounds, while CJ Perez (16 points), Pope (14 points), and Don Trollano (14 points) provided the local support.
With their remaining games essentially must-wins, there’s no room for error for the Beermen to avoid a major collapse in their title-retention bid.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]