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[av_heading heading=’BUZZER BEATER | PBA coaches: GSW winning ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Friday, June 2, 2017
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MOST PBA head coaches see Golden State Warriors exacting its revenge on Cleveland Cavaliers when the NBA best-of-seven championship series unfolds today at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
They have all pointed to Kevin Durant, who transferred from Oklahoma City Thunders during the off-season, to be a huge factor for the Warriors to claim its second NBA title in three years.
“Yung Cleveland malakas din with a healthy lineup pero tingin ko ang factor for Warriors is Durant,” said Road Warriors head coach Yeng Guiao. “Nung natalo sila last year, dun sila nagkulang sa position ni Durant pero ngayon buo na sila.”
“I think Golden State is gonna win it in five or six games,” said Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings head coach Tim Cone. “I just don’t think if the Cleveland has a matchup for Kevin Durant.”
“For me personally I want the Cleveland Cavaliers to win because of LeBron James. But I think the Warriors will win it due to their hunger. Kevin Durant is due for a championship ring,” said Phoenix Fuel Masters mentor Ariel Vanguardia.
“Sa NBA Finals, mahalaga ang home-court advantage kaya dun pa lang lamang na ang Warriors,” said San Miguel Beermen head coach Leo Austria. “But if LeBron will show his dominance, dun lang magkakaproblema ang Warriors.”
While some PBA coaches see the Warriors winning it, others predict that James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will retain their NBA championship.
“I know both teams are really good, but that’s my feeling. I think LeBron is the best player in the world and even though he’s not part of the MVP voting, I think he’ll make the big difference,” said Meralco Bolts head coach Norman Black.
“I want the Boston Celtics but since they are already eliminated kaya Cleveland na lang,” said Rain or Shine Elasto Painters head coach Carlos Garcia. “I rather want to see LeBron win another one. Hindi ko gusto yung ginawang paglipat ni Durant.”
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Playoff pictures is getting clearer by the day as the 2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup is down to its last two elimination round matches today at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings (8-2) and San Miguel Beermen (8-2) remained favored to clinch the top two spot and twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals if they defeat Mahindra Floodbuster (3-7) and GlobalPort Batang Pier (4-6), respectively.
The only chance for Star Hotshots (9-2) to sneak in the No. 2 spot is if either of Kings or Beermen or both of them lose their final matches. In case of a triple 9-2 tie, Hotshots will drop to No. 3 (best-of-three quarterfinals) due to inferior quotient.
If ever both Kings and Beermen surprisingly lose their final matches today, Hotshots will occupy the top spot, while Kings will finish second despite a tie with Beermen at 8-3 due to win-over-the-other rule.
TNT Katropa (8-3) is already assured of the No. 4 seed regardless of a possible triple tie with Kings and Beermen due to inferior quotient. Katropa will face No. 5 Meralco Bolts (7-4) in a best-of-three series.
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5-6) is still not assured of the sixth place (best-of-three quarterfinals) in the playoffs as it will still await the outcome of the Batang Pier and Beermen clash today.
If Batang Pier wins, it will move up to sixth and send Painters to seventh, which has a twice-to-beat disadvantage over the No. 2 seed. If Batang Pier loses, it will have a do-or-die game with Phoenix Fuel Masters (4-7) for the No. 8 spot.
Alaska Aces (4-7) will also wait for the outcome of the Batang Pier-Beermen match. A Batang Pier defeat will give Aces the No. 7 seed and a twice-to-beat disadvantage over the No. 2 squad. A Batang Pier win will send Aces to a knockout game with Fuel Masters./PN
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