(c) PBA Media Bureau
The Phoenix Fuel Masters is on a high. That was the effect of winning come-from-behind against one of the most loaded teams in the league, Magnolia Hotshots.
Magnolia Hotshots had a 17 points lead in the 2nd quarter before Phoenix slowly ate up the lead and won by a three-pointer of Jason Perkins.
That super high feeling prompted Matthew Wright, their ace offensive player, to say that they are for real.
That is a hard thing to question, knowing that they are already 8-1 in the standings, overlooking all the other 11 teams below.
Pronouncing your team as a "real" legit contender is easy. But, will they back that up in the playoffs?
The playoffs is a different beast. The elimination round is all about compiling Ws against all the other teams. Playoffs though is a stage by stage competition where you will not advance unless you dismantle the opponent that you are currently facing.
Tactics and strategies will be much deeper as teams will try to exploit the weaknesses of the other teams and try to maximize their strengths.
My biggest problem about Phoenix remains to be their obvious need of a bigman who can handle the giants of the SMC Corporation and even of that of NLEX and Rain or Shine.
Gang rebounding and playing fast and athletic is effective in the elimination round but I do not think that will work in the playoffs.
Although, their strengths may actually be so powerful that it will bend the will of the other teams.
Will that happen?
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