#PBA2017 Philippine Cup Finals Game 3 Preview: Can San Miguel bounce back?

Image from the PBA/Inquirer.

*This also appears on PBA.ph.

The difference between Games 1 and 2 of the 2016-2017 PBA Philippine Cup Finals was like night and day. Unlike in Game 1, Ginebra did not start flat in Game 2. Tim Cone's wards were, by far, the more aggressive team early on, but for all their bravado and energy, the Gin Kings weren't able to convincingly get rid of the Beermen. Ginebra needed an extra period to stave off the defending champs. 

So now that we have Game 3 looming, the big question is can San Miguel Beer bounce back and retake control, or will Ginebra capitalize on their momentum to notch a 2-1 series lead.

#PBA2016 Position Battle: The Top 5 Point Guards of the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup

(Images are from the PBA/Inquirer and Paul Ryan Tan/Sports5)

As of this writing, the San Miguel Beermen just got the boot thanks to Rain or Shine, while the Meralco Bolts are going to try and stay alive against Alaska in Game 4 of their own semis series. Needless to say, the season’s second conference is reaching its home stretch, and the time is ripe for us to look back and show our appreciation for the players who really stepped up and made their mark. 

We’ll begin by looking at the best point guards of the league, which isn’t a very easy thing especially since this is an especially stacked position. Tries and tested veterans like LA Tenorio, Jayson Castro, and Paul Lee are top of mind, but will all of them make this list? Let’s see.

Note: All of the following stats are based on each player’s stats as computed by PBA-Online.net. They were taken on May 1, 2016.

The Top Five PBA Point Guards Right Now (March 25, 2014)

With each team now having played at least three games, the time is right for us to, once again, look at the top playmakers in Asia’s best play-for-pay league. What makes this a little different than previous posts is that the stats will be culled from only the Commissioner’s Cup and not for the entire season.

Without further ado, here they are – the top five point guards in the 2013-2014 PBA Commissioner’s Cup as of the morning of March 25, 2014 (as always, this is based on the Player Efficiency ratings as calculated by PBA-Online.net):

Some new names have popped up among the
league's best PGs!
(composite image by Enzo Flojo/Hoop Nut)