The TNT Tropang Giga hold a twice-to-beat advantage over Hong Kong Eastern in their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals showdown.
The PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup playoff cast is complete.
NorthPort takes take on Magnolia, Ginebra renews its playoff rivalry with Meralco, Rain or Shine and Converge test each other’s mettle, while TNT tackles guest team Eastern in the quarterfinals.
[RELATED STORY: PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoff preview: Youthful Converge, Rain or Shine test each other’s mettle]
The quarters begin on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In this article, One Sports focuses on the duel between second-seeded TNT and No. 7 Eastern, with the Tropang Giga holding a twice-to-beat advantage.
How they got to the playoffs
TNT (8-4)
Playing with a chip on their shoulder after an embarrassing loss to then listless Terrafirma, the Tropang Giga vented vented their ire on Phoenix, 106-70.
That win on Jan. 24 formalized TNT’s entry into the playoffs.
[ALSO READ: RR Pogoy, TNT bring lessons learned from embarrassing Terrafirma loss in win vs Phoenix]
It was a balanced attack led by import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and RR Pogoy for the Tropang Giga, who used a 25-14 second quarter assault to set the tables of for the breakaway.
Eastern (7-5)
After a 5-1 start, Eastern suddenly sputtered owing to a busy schedule that includes games in the East Asia Super League.
The guest team struggled early against Terrafirma after import Chris McLaughlin suffered an ankle injury five minutes into the opening period.
[ALSO READ: Eastern loses Chris McLaughlin early to injury, still dumps Terrafirma for 7th win, QF spot]
Fortunately for the visitors, they picked up the pace late, fired 20 triples overall, and drubbed the Dyip, 134-110, to book a trip to the quarterfinals.
TNT and Eastern’s previous matchup
Eastern gave the Tropang Giga a rude welcome to the Commissioner’s Cup, 105-84, weeks after the latter conquered the Governors’ Cup at the expense of Ginebra.
It was also the first time the Hong Kong-based squad experienced the holiday traffic jam on Dec. 6.
[ALSO READ: Eastern arrives late due to traffic, still comes up with win over TNT]
Eastern arrived late at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, headed straight to warm up, but still went on to beat the Tropang Giga.
But since there’s no more holiday traffic or championship hangover, both teams are back to square one when they tangle quarterfinals.
[ALSO READ: PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoff preview: Ginebra, Meralco renew rivalry]