Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
3p.m. — Phoenix vs San Miguel Beer
6:15 p.m. — Magnolia vs Barangay Ginebra
Defending champion San Miguel Beer guards against complacency in its return to action after a two-week break against struggling Phoenix in the resumption of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Easter Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Fresh from their Commissioner’s Cup title conquest, the Beermen went on an early tear in their grand slam bid after winning their first two games for the solo lead.
San Miguel puts its pristine slate on the line in the 3 p.m. curtain-raiser facing a squad hoping to resurrect its confidence after suffering a blowout loss before the league went on a long All-Star and Lenten ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Magnolia shoots for a second straight win but is sure to encounter tough resistance in the 6:15 p.m. clash against rebound-seeking Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
The star-studded Beermen hold the upper hand in firepower with veterans like Marcio Lassiter and June Mar Fajardo producing consistent numbers to make up for the shaky first couple of games of last conference’s Finals Most Valuable Player CJ Perez.
Lassiter is averaging 17.0 points per game while Fajardo, who just recovered from a calf injury, has been putting up great numbers of 15 points and 13.5 rebounds per outing despite coming off the bench.
But the Beermen’s biggest advantage over the Fuel Masters would be their bench. With Fajardo playing a relief role for the Jorge Gallent-mentored squad, San Miguel’s bench mob has provided a norm of 70 points per game in a team averaging 100 points per outing.
It was San Miguel’s bench that spelled the difference in its 109-97 win over Rain or Shine and 91-89 escape over TNT.
Phoenix’s second group is averaging 43.25 points per game.
The Fuel Masters are coming off an 85-100 crushing at the hands of the Elasto Painters two weeks ago for a 1-3 win-loss record at 10th spot.
Still, Fajardo and the rest of the Beermen are not taking the Fuel Masters lightly.
