THE 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals is set, and it is a rematch of last season’s series with TNT looking to beat Barangay Ginebra for the fourth straight time for the championship. TNT may have won consecutively against Ginebra, but they also don’t want to lose three in a row in the PBA Finals after bowing to San Miguel in the 49th Season and 50th Season Philippine Cup championship.
BARANGAY GINEBRA VS. TNT
When: Wednesday, June 03. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Smart Araneta Coliseum
Ginebra doesn’t need to look far for motivation. Aside from those three defeats to TNT, the Gin Kings haven’t tasted a championship since the 2022-23 Commissioner’s Cup Finals when they beat Bay Area Dragons in seven games.
Can Barangay Ginebra and TNT hit their threes?
Ginebra’s ability to make its threes at a high rate has been the story of its conference. At the end of the semifinals, the Gin Kings have already made 246 threes, and shooting it at a rate of 38.9 percent. With Justin Brownlee, RJ Abarrientos, and Scottie Thompson leading the way, Ginebra averaged 12.7 threes per game during the semifinal series against Rain or Shine. So important was Ginebra’s three-point shooting that the team lost in Game 4 when they only made five.
Meantime, TNT’s inability to connect on its threes was the story of its elimination round. Usually a dependable perimeter team with Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, and Jordan Heading among their weapons, the Tropang 5G finished 12th at the end of the eliminations in three-point shooting percentage with 28.8. That slightly improved during the semifinals against Meralco when TNT converted a more decent 34 percent. TNT must keep up with Ginebra in order to have a shot at the finals.
All roads for the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup has led to a familiar rematch, as Barangay Ginebra dispatched Rain or Shine Elasto Painters through a 118-107 win while TNT Tropang 5G eliminated Meralco Bolts 97-94 in their respective Game 6s on Sunday evening at Ynares Center Antipolo.
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