Tropang 5G, Elasto Painters Aim for 2-0 Semifinal Leads

TNT and Rain or Shine are looking to take a commanding step in their respective Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup semifinals, as the race-to-4 series continues later at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

The action kicks off at 5:15 p.m., with the Elasto Painters hoping to replicate their Game 1 success over Barangay Ginebra. They edged the Kings 115-111 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, where 10,412 fans witnessed a thrilling contest.

Coach Yeng Guiao’s squad showed tremendous resilience, coming back from a 10-point deficit early in the fourth quarter and finishing strong with a 13-2 run, fueled by clutch plays from Jhonard Clarito and the team’s reliable core.

They achieved this despite missing Caelan Tiongson due to illness and Luis Villegas, sidelined for the series with a hamstring injury. These absences are a major setback for Rain or Shine, and Ginebra will look to capitalize on any openings to even the series.

Even in their Game 1 loss, the Kings displayed their trademark NSD spirit, bouncing back from a slow start with a strong second-quarter performance to keep the game tight until the final buzzer. That fighting spirit has them favored in the rematch, with Casino Plus setting them at -1.5 points as of 2:30 p.m.

In the other semifinal, Tropang 5G are also favored, with defending champions TNT expected to claim victory by -2.5 points. The over/under for TNT vs. Meralco is set at 193.5, while the Ginebra-Rain or Shine matchup sits at 204.5.

TNT has maintained momentum since the quarterfinals, ousting NLEX and following up with a gritty 94-89 Game 1 win. Jordan Heading stood out with 16 points, while the defense contained Calvin Oftana, who still scored 14. Bol Bol impressed not only with 37 points and 11 rebounds but also by dishing out eight assists—his highest in the conference—highlighting his growing understanding of the team’s dynamics.

Despite their strong showing, Coach Chot Reyes remains cautious, especially of Meralco’s import Marvin Jones, who spearheaded the Bolts’ offense in Game 1.

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