The PBA Governors' Cup playoff situation has become clearer as some teams have secured their quarterfinal tickets, some have fallen by the wayside, while others are still chasing slots. Here are where the 12 teams rank after Week 6.
1. Barangay Ginebra (7-2)
Previous rank: 3rd
Here come Ginebra. The Kings executed a sweep of all three of their Week 6 games to catch San Miguel Beermen in second place. With Japeth Aguilar still sidelined by a knee injury and LA Tenorio out for the season with a groin pull, Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray have stepped up in their absence. Over the past five games, Standhardinger has averaged 28.6PPG, Malonzo 18.6 and Gray 12.1 off the bench. It's lightened the offensive load for Justin Brownlee, who is averaging a PBA career-low 25.9PPG but is close to putting up a triple double average with 10.8 boards and 8.0 assists.
Up next: Terrafirma Dyip (March 8), TNT Tropang Giga (March 15)
2. Magnolia Hotshots (6-4)
Previous rank: 9th
The Hotshots moved two games above .500 for the first time this conference with two big wins in Week 6. They followed up their 20-point blowout of NorthPort Batang Pier with a huge come-from-behind overtime win over the luckless Terrafirma Dyip to stay alive for a top two finish and a twice-to-beat quarterfinal incentive. It wasn't all good news, though, as the team announced that center Ian Sangalang will sit out the rest of the conference to recuperate from illness.
Up next: Blackwater Bossing (March 8)
3. Meralco Bolts (7-4)
Previous rank: 4th
In a tough Week 6 where they played three games in five days, the Bolts emerged with a 2-1 record during this span to fan their hopes of claiming one of the two twice-to-beat seeds. It was a rather eventful week for Meralco. First, the Bolts blew a 13-point lead in a five-point loss to Ginebra. Then, they outdueled Converge FiberXers in overtime in a tense game that saw Allein Maliksi getting ejected for putting his hand on Barkley Eboña's neck. Maliksi was suspended for one game, but the Bolts didn't miss him as they held off Phoenix Super LPG to end their elimination round campaign on a winning note.
Up next: None
4. NLEX Road Warriors (7-3)
Previous rank: 4th
The Road Warriors' lone appearance in Week 6 was one to remember as Don Trollano dropped a career-high 44 points and set a new PBA record with nine consecutive three-point shots made in a 142-125 win over Terrafirma. Already assured of a quarterfinal slot, NLEX is still in the running for a top two finish, but they'll have to do it at the expense of San Miguel Beermen in their final game next week.
Up next: San Miguel Beermen (March 15)
5. TNT Tropang Giga (8-1)
Previous rank: 1st
The Tropang Giga spent the previous week in Japan for the EASL Championships where they went winless in two games. They'll take this week off for the All-Star Weekend before finishing their elimination round campaign with two games in three days. To claim a top two spot, they will need to sweep their last two assignments. Otherwise, the quotient system might come back to bite them.
Up next: NorthPort Batang Pier (March 15), Barangay Ginebra (March 17)
6. San Miguel Beermen (7-2)
Previous rank: 2nd
Like the Tropang Giga, the Beermen were in Japan getting routed by other Asian club teams. They also have this week off for the All-Star festivities before resuming their quest for a twice-to-beat advantage in their final two games. The team's main concern now is the health of June Mar Fajardo, who barely played in Japan after injuring his knee just minutes into their first game.
Up next: NLEX Road Warriors (March 15), Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (March 17)
7. NorthPort Batang Pier (3-7)
Previous rank: 6th
The Batang Pier's playoff hopes are hanging by a thread thanks to a 1-1 record in Week 6. They face a must-win situation against top seed TNT in their final game on March 15. If they pull off the upset, they need to beat Phoenix in a one-game playoff for the eighth seed. That's what happens when you lose your first six games. A couple of highlights from last week were Kevin Murphy's franchise-best 10 3-point shots made, and Paul Zamar's 20 points, which represent the second-highest single-game output of his journeyman career.
Up next: TNT Tropang Giga (March 15)
8. Phoenix Super LPG (4-7)
Previous rank: 5th
The Fuel Masters took one step forward and two steps back last week, beating Rain or Shine but losing to Ginebra and Meralco to finish their elimination round with a shaky 4-7 record and a tenuous claim to the eighth and last quarterfinal spot. They will have to wait until March 15 to find out their fate when NorthPort (3-7) takes on TNT. If the Batang Pier upset the Tropang Giga, then Phoenix will be dragged into a one-game playoff for the final quarterfinal slot. Otherwise, they move on to the quarterfinals.
Up next: None
9. Converge FiberXers (6-5)
Previous rank: 7th
The FiberXers dropped both their Week 6 assignments -- to Meralco and Ginebra -- to finish their elimination round with a 6-5 record on a three-game losing streak. While they're already in the quarterfinals, the string of losses knocked them out of contention for a twice-to-beat incentive. The overtime loss to the Bolts was pretty tense with Eboña earning the ire of Maliksi for a dangerous clothesline foul, prompting team management to release a statement the following day denouncing Maliksi for his "assault" on Eboña. Two days later, Converge got blown out by Ginebra with import Jamaal Franklin taking just five shots.
Up next: None
10. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (2-8)
Previous rank: 10th
This just wasn't Rain or Shine's conference. After they axed Greg Smith II for a lethargic effort, the Elasto Painters were forced to play all-Filipino in their two Week 6 games after Smith's replacement Jordan Tolbert was measured an eighth of an inch above the 6'6" height limit. Predictably, they lost both games to formally bow out of contention. The Elasto Painters have a chance to end their conference and season on a good note on the 17th, but they'll have to contend with the powerhouse Beermen. Stranger things have happened, of course, but if they'll still play with no import then it doesn't look good.
Up next: San Miguel Beermen (March 17)
11. Terrafirma Dyip (2-8)
Previous rank: 10th
This was another dubious week for the Dyip. First, they allowed Trollano to score a career-high 44 in a 17-point loss. Then two days later, they coughed up a 10-point lead with less than three minutes left and lost to Magnolia in overtime, the 14th straight time they've lost to the Hotshots. Ouch. Those twin losses officially knocked Terrafirma out of the playoff race, so their game against Ginebra on Wednesday will be their swan song for this season.
Up next: Barangay Ginebra (March 8)
12. Blackwater Bossing (1-9)
Previous rank: 12th
The Bossing were inactive in Week 6, which means they still haven't won a game in over a month. That's enough reason to keep them in last place. They finish their 2022-23 season on Wednesday against Magnolia.
Up next: Magnolia Hotshots (March 8)