NLEX holds a twice-to-beat advantage against Rain or Shine, but Robert Bolick and the rest of the Road Warriors are not leaving anything to chance in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
With a twice-to-beat cushion in hand, Robert Bolick and the NLEX Road Warriors look to make quick work of Rain or Shine in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, June 18.
The match starts at 5:00 p.m. at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
[RELATED STORY: PBA quarterfinals: No. 2 NLEX targets semis return vs dangerous Rain or Shine]
NLEX, under head coach Jong Uichico, earned a top-2 seed for just the third time in franchise history — the last of which came during the tenure of former coach Yeng Guiao, who now calls the shots for Rain or Shine.
This quarterfinals duel marks the first playoff meeting between Guiao and his former team, adding another layer to an already-intriguing matchup.
The Road Warriors enter the playoffs with confidence after a 109-95 win over the Elasto Painters in the elimination round. Much of that success has been driven by Bolick, who is averaging 18.27 points and a league-best 7.18 assists.
With the ball in his hands, NLEX’s offense thrives — young guns and veterans alike feeding off his vision and pace.
Rain or Shine, meanwhile, opted to rest several key players in its final game of the eliminations, a 98-80 loss to Ginebra.
Despite strong showings from Adrian Nocum and Jhonard Clarito, Rain or Shine faces a must-win scenario against a hungry NLEX.
[ALSO READ: Winning a PBA Grand Slam? Pingris, Barroca, Reavis recall San Mig Coffee’s 2014 feat]
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
——
[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.]