TNT rides the momentum of a four-game romp while NorthPort sizzles on a five-game streak as they clash in a big game to close out the PBA Governors' Cup elims play at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.
The two teams slug it out at 6 p.m. with the Tropang Giga shooting for an automatic Top Four spot and a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, and the Batang Pier eyeing playoff entry.
Complications abound as TNT and NorthPort are in a tight bunch of seven teams - San Miguel at 7-4, TNT and Meralco at 6-4, Barangay Ginebra and Alaska at 6-5 and NorthPort and Phoenix Super LPG at 5-5 - fighting for No. 3 to No. 8 places.
There's the possibility of six teams finishing tied at fourth place at 6-5 if NorthPort beats TNT and Phoenix prevails over Meralco in the final play date of the elims.
The Tropang Giga quash the scenario of figuring in a complicated logjam with a win that will even make them the No. 3 seed in the playoffs behind Magnolia and NLEX.
That's after going through a grueling grind necessitated by a duty with Gilas Pilipinas in the recent window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
"The way we look at it is it's a test of how well we'll do in the playoffs. If we get through this schedule, the good thing is it's going to prepare us for the playoffs; the bad thing is, it might not get us to the playoffs because of how tough that schedule is," said TNT coach Chot Reyes.
"We're just fortunate to have this opportunity to win a game on Friday that will get us a twice-to-beat advantage. But we're not looking past NorthPort at all, in the same manner that we didn't look past Terrafirma (Wednesday)," he added.
After dropping back-to-back games to start their four-game schedule over eight days before their WC qualifying games, the Tropang Giga have since picked up a good rhythm, winning their last four games against San Miguel, Ginebra, Blackwater and Terrafirma.
But the Batang Pier have had their great recovery run from a shaky start, giving themselves a playoff shot.
"Players just didn't want to quit. Everybody's helping out," said NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio of their successive wins over Meralco, Magnolia, Phoenix, Blackwater and Terrafirma.
"Pero itong five straight wins ay mababale-wala kung hindi namin maipapanalo ang next game namin against TNT. Itong game na ito is crucial kung papasok kami ng playoffs," Jarencio added.
The Batang Pier miss the playoffs with a loss to TNT coupled by a win by Phoenix over Meralco.
But they stay alive if they beat the Tropang Giga.
