The Magnolia Hotshots stand in the way of TNT as the Tropang 5G start the playoff part of their Grand Slam bid in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The no. 3 Magnolia Hotshots square off against the no. 6 TNT Tropang 5G in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinals, with Magnolia holding a twice-to-beat edge over a TNT squad chasing history.
TNT enters the playoffs still in the hunt for a Grand Slam, having won the season’s first two conferences.
But fate draws them against a team with its own Grand Slam legacy—Magnolia (then San Mig Coffee), the last franchise to achieve the rare feat in 2014.
Magnolia secured the third seed with an 8-3 record, clinching its playoff advantage with a pivotal win over TNT in the final game of the eliminations.
Still, the Hotshots head into the postseason on shaky ground, having lost three of their last five after a blazing 6-0 start.
TNT, meanwhile, also cooled off after a mid-season surge. The Tropang 5G finished at 6-5, losing their last two games after a strong six-game winning streak.
Both teams also made aggressive mid-conference moves—Magnolia added Will Navarro, while TNT brought in Jordan Heading to reinforce their rotation to make this pairing among the most explosive to start the playoffs.
Magnolia-TNT quarterfinals schedule:
June 18 (Wednesday) – PhilSports Arena
- 7:30 p.m. – Magnolia Hotshots vs. TNT Tropang 5G
June 21 (Saturday) – Ninoy Aquino Stadium (if necessary)
- 5:00 p.m. – TNT Tropang 5G vs. Magnolia Hotshots
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]