San Miguel Beer, the reigning PBA Commissioner’s Cup champions, finds itself on the brink of an uncharacteristic and stunning early exit this conference. Following their 115-97 rout at the hands of TNT Tropang Giga, the Beermen now sit precariously in 10th place with a 5-7 record, three spots out of the Top Eight.
If the standings hold, San Miguel would become the first defending champion to miss the playoffs since Barangay Ginebra suffered the same fate in the 2005 Fiesta Conference, as noted by PBA stats chief Fidel Mangonon. For a franchise synonymous with dominance, this potential downfall has sent shockwaves through the league—and sparked a palpable reaction from fans across the PBA landscape.
How San Miguel Can Still Make the Playoffs
San Miguel’s playoff hopes are still alive but hang by a thread. The Beermen’s fate depends entirely on the results of the final elimination round games:
NLEX must lose to Eastern on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Magnolia must lose to Meralco on Friday at the Philsports Arena.
If both NLEX and Magnolia lose, a triple tie for the eighth spot would occur, with all three teams holding identical 5-7 records. The PBA’s quotient system would then determine which two teams advance to a knockout game for the final quarterfinal berth.
In such a scenario, San Miguel holds a significant advantage with the highest quotient (1.0120), compared to NLEX (1.0051) and Magnolia (0.9833). This means San Miguel would face NLEX in a do-or-die game for the last playoff seat.
However, a victory by either NLEX or Magnolia—or both—would completely shut the door on San Miguel’s playoff hopes.
For a franchise that has defined excellence and consistency over the years, this potential playoff miss would mark the end of a remarkable 22-conference streak of quarterfinal appearances, dating back to the 2015 Commissioner’s Cup. It’s a humbling position for a team that has dominated the league with its talent-laden roster and deep championship pedigree.
Interestingly, there seems to be a growing excitement among PBA fans about the possibility of San Miguel missing the playoffs. This sentiment is largely tied to the image the franchise has cultivated over the years.
San Miguel has enjoyed the undeniable benefit of having a "farm team" system through its sister squads under the San Miguel Corporation umbrella, allowing it to replenish its roster with top-tier talent whenever needed. While this advantage has helped sustain their dominance, it has also created resentment among fans of independent teams, who view the SMC monopoly as unfair.
Now that San Miguel finds itself in a precarious position, many fans see this as a moment of poetic justice. The narrative of "the giant stumbling" has become a rallying cry for supporters of other teams who are eager to see a shift in the PBA’s power dynamics.
San Miguel’s potential elimination from the playoffs is more than just a shocking development—it’s a reflection of shifting sentiments in the PBA universe. While the Beermen’s legacy of dominance remains intact, their struggles this conference have exposed vulnerabilities that many fans are reveling in.
The excitement surrounding San Miguel’s possible failure underscores a deeper narrative: fans are eager for change. The league’s power structure has long been dominated by the SMC trio, and for many, seeing San Miguel falter represents a chance for other teams to shine.
Whether San Miguel claws its way back into contention or not, one thing is clear—the tides of public perception are turning, and the once-mighty Beermen are now the team many are rooting against.
Comments
Post a Comment