The NLEX Road Warriors will have to go through Hong Kong Eastern to make the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.
With their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup campaign hanging in the balance, the NLEX Road Warriors face a must-win situation against Eastern on Jan. 29, Wednesday, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
At 5-6, NLEX is teetering on the edge of the playoff race and needs a victory to strengthen its bid for a postseason berth.
A loss could put them in a triple-tie scenario with San Miguel and Magnolia, leaving their fate uncertain.
If Rain or Shine secures the No. 7 seed and the aforementioned end up in a three-team logjam, NLEX may have to go through a do-or-die playoff against the Beermen for the final quarterfinals spot.
Coming off a crucial 122-110 win over Rain or Shine, the Road Warriors must carry their momentum into this high-stakes clash.
Import Mike Watkins has been a dominant force, but he will need strong support from the local core as they battle an Eastern squad that remains in contention for a twice-to-beat advantage.
With everything to play for, expect NLEX to go all out in their final elimination-round test.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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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.]