San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra, playoff protagonists for the fourth time in the last five conferences, are both equally motivated as they start their 2017-18 PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.
Both sides anticipate a heck of a series, knowing well each of them are raring to come out to beat one another and get a shot at the ultimate prize in the league's premier tourney.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. for the opener of what could be a long, grind-out series.
Game time decision for Ginebra is whether Greg Slaughter will play. Coach Tim Cone, however, has hinted at continuing to rest the 7-foot-1 giant to prepare him better for the next games.
Slaughter could be a big key for the Kings as they try to avenge their loss to the Beermen in the 2016-17 all-Filipino finals.
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"Big thing for us is whether Greg can play. That will really help us equalize. That would be the great equalizer," said Cone.
For San Miguel, this playoff is also payback time after losing its quarterfinals matchup with Ginebra in the last Governors Cup. The Beermen actually have dropped playoff matchups with the Kings in the last two Governors Cups.
For SMB coach Leo Austria, another motivation is to win something for his wife who has just undergone a kidney transplant operation.
As the underdog, Cone said he would just stick to his scheme of things.
"I don't play off revenge. Me personally, I don't talk about they beat us and we have to beat them back, we have a reason to beat them. For us, it's just going out and make sure we play our game," said Cone. "In fact, if you do that, sometimes you're gonna try too hard, extend yourself too much and get yourself out of what you do well."
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Cone said they would try to focus hard as they're facing a foe that he labeled "a monster."
"You can refer that to San Miguel Beer or you can refer that to June Mar (Fajardo). We know how good they are. Motivated or unmotivated, it doesn't really matter, they are still great. We're gonna have a hard time," said Cone.
Winner twice over versus San Miguel in the Governors Cup playoffs, Cone said the Philippine Cup is a different arena.
"We knocked them out as we had Justin (Brownlee). We don't have Justin now. We're a different team without Justin and they're a different team in all-Filipino. They're better in all-Filipino than with imports. There's the difference," said Cone.
Curiously, the Kings topped the Beermen, 100-96, in their elims duel last Jan. 28.
Ginebra then drew a big game from an Aguilar not named Japeth.
Raymond Aguilar came through with an improbable 16-point explosion against Fajardo, helping the Kings back on track after three straight losses to Blackwater, Alaska Milk and Phoenix Petroleum.
Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Jervy Cruz and Scottie Thompson had their own moments as the Kings made an amazing fightback from an early 16-point deficit before beating the Beermen in a wild, wooly finish. (SB)
