With another week of action in the Philippine Cup wrapped up, trends across the league are starting to take shape.
The top squads are separating themselves with consistent execution, while others continue to tinker with rotations and roles in search of stability.
As the conference settles in, the finalists of the last Philippine Cup -- TNT Tropang 5G and San Miguel Beermen -- are finding their rhythm, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters' strong start will be put to test, while NLEX Road Wariors, Converge FiberXers and Magnolia Hotshots keep pace atop of the standings.
With momentum beginning to matter, the next stretch will reveal which teams can sustain their form -- and which ones still need to iron out the details.
1. TNT Tropang 5G (5-1): Jalalon's impact beyond scoring
In six games, TNT owns the second best offensive rating of the conference at 117.5 points per 100 possessions. With the plethora of options where they can get offensive production, they have not needed a player like Jalalon to contribute in the scoring department -- yet he has provided so much value to their strong start.
The former Gilas Pilipinas guard has just averaged 4.3 points on a lowly 26.3% field goal percentage. But in TNT's come from behind overtime 109-95 victory over Terrafirma Dyip, Jalalon made winning plays beyond scoring the basketball with his 12 rebounds and eight assists. This activity on the boards should help the team ignite transition opportunities and get extra chances, while his control of tempo and drive-and-kick reads will be crucial in TNT's offense to become more potent.
2. San Miguel Beermen (4-2): Head coach Leo Austria understands
Winning becomes easier with the presence of June Mar Fajardo, who remains the undisputed best player in the league even at 35 years old. But it also helps that head coach Leo Austria knows exactly which players to pair with the nine-time MVP's inside dominance to maximize the team's rhythm and spacing.
One of those players has been Don Trollano, a familiar face under Austria's system and a key contributor during their previous Philippine Cup title run. After missing time due to injury before their matchup against Magnolia, Trollano made a resounding return with 29 points and six rebounds on an impressive 81.6 TS%. The former Adamson Falcon's ability to stretch the floor and complement Fajardo's inside presence has made him a seamless fit -- and under Austria, he's being empowered to tap into his full scoring potential.
3. NLEX Road Warriors (5-2): Bolick's aggressiveness might be back
Through his first four games of the Philippine Cup, Robert Bolick averaged just 11 shot attempts per game -- a figure that wouldn't even crack the top 20 in the conference. But after NLEX's loss to Barangay Ginebra, it was evident that the Season 49 Mythical Five guard needed to assert himself offensively if the Road Warriors wanted to prove they belong among the contenders.
Bolick responded with a statement performance, dropping 28 points, six rebounds and five assists on 29 attempts in their 105-91 win over Rain or Shine. The scoring outburst reaffirmed his ability to take over games, but the next step for him is improving efficiency -- currently at 32.9% from the field -- especially now that he's surrounded by a deeper, more capable supporting cast.
4. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5-2): Center Gabe Norwood as a necessity
A tough reality for Rain or Shine this season is the loss of main big man Keith Datu, who suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee. His absence has left a major hole in the frontcourt, with Luis Villegas and Caelan Tiongson also sidelined -- forcing veteran Gabe Norwood to slide into the power forward or even center role.
Despite playing in what's expected to be his final PBA conference, the long-time Gilas forward remains a crucial piece for the team, averaging 7.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and three assists while ranking 12th in defensive win shares in the Philippine Cup. In their win over Phoenix Fuel Masters, Norwood's defensive instincts were on full display as he limited Kai Ballungay to just nine points on 30% shooting and anchored the team's rotations as the low man all game long.
5. Converge FiberXers (4-2): Growing connection of Arana and Baltazar
As Converge's offense continues to flow with Alec Stockton's scoring and Juan Gomez de Liaño's all-around play, the real difference-maker lies in the emergence of their twin towers Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar -- a duo few teams can match up with inside. Watching them build chemistry throughout the eliminations could be key to the team's hopes of making a deep playoff run.
Against Blackwater Bossing last week, Converge frequently ran simple two-man actions between Gomez de Liaño and either Arana or Baltazar. When the defense blitzed Juan, both bigs handled the pressure well, connecting on quick reads and interior passes for each other along the dunker spot -- highlighted by Baltazar's seven assists and Arana's two. That growing big-to-big synergy will be vital in keeping their offense unpredictable and efficient.
6. Magnolia Hotshots (4-2): Keep an eye on Javi Gomez de Liaño
It was a dream start for the 6-foot-3 Javi Gomez de Liaño with Magnolia, averaging 14 points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 43.8% from deep in his first two games. However, his momentum cooled off quickly, as he managed just 5.3 points per game on 22.2% from three in the next four outings.
What's more concerning, though, was his lack of playing time in Magnolia's recent loss to San Miguel, where he didn't see any action in the fourth quarter. It's not time to sound the alarm yet, but for Javi Gomez de Liaño to regain his rhythm, he'll need to impact games in other facets while rediscovering his shooting touch.
7. Barangay Ginebra (2-3): Will Jeremiah Gray stick as a starter?
Due to inclement weather, Ginebra did not see action this past week so their upcoming games will be worth monitoring.
In their recent win over NLEX, the crowd favorites reinserted Gray into the starting shooting guard spot after he came off the bench and went scoreless against San Miguel. So far this conference, Gray has averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists on a 54.8 TS% -- numbers that suggest he might fit perfectly in Ginebra's first unit.
8. Meralco Bolts (3-4): They badly need CJ Cansino
Another team that didn't see action this past week was Meralco, as they fulfilled their East Asia Super League commitments. However, in their last PBA game two weeks ago, leading scorer Cansino suffered an injury against TNT that sidelined him from EASL play.
The silver lining is that the team will have enough time to get him fully healthy, with their next PBA outing set after Gilas Pilipinas' first World Cup qualifying window. Before the setback, the sophomore standout was averaging 17.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals on 51.5% true shooting -- a testament to his growing role as Meralco's go-to scoring threat.
9. Titan Ultra Giant Risers (2-4): Dynamic point guard rotation
Titan Ultra's losing record doesn't tell the full story of how entertaining their up-tempo, transition-heavy offense has been -- ranking fifth in the conference at 105.6 points per 100 possessions. A big part of that comes from their dynamic backcourt, with both point guards bringing different dimensions to the attack.
In their recent win over Blackwater, Fran Yu and Aljun Melecio took charge to steady the team's offense. Melecio, starting at the one, showcased his signature pull-up game off ball screens, punishing drop coverage and exploiting mismatches for 11 points. Meanwhile, Yu controlled the tempo and made winning plays on both ends, finishing with 14 points, seven assists and two steals on an efficient 67.1 TS% -- a perfect example of how Titan Ultra's guard play fuels their offensive identity.
10. Terrafirma Dyip (1-5): Some sort of order in their offense
Terrafirma came close to pulling off a shocker against TNT last week, highlighted by the strong play of Jerrick Ahanmisi, who continues to thrive in a more open offensive system. The sharpshooting guard has been in rhythm all conference long, averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists on an outstanding 62.4 TS% -- numbers that reflect his growing confidence and efficiency as the team's primary scorer.
Beyond Ahanmisi's scoring surge, Terrafirma has also shown major strides in ball movement compared to past conferences. According to RealGM, they currently rank fourth in assist percentage at 61.5%, a testament to their improved offensive flow and willingness to make the extra pass and find the best shot available.
11. Blackwater Bossing (1-5) : Barefield has been nothing short of impressive
In past conferences, questions surrounded Barefield's ability to sustain high-level play over extended stretches. But after missing Blackwater's opening game, he quickly silenced those doubts and established himself as the team's clear go-to scorer.
Through five games in the Philippine Cup, the 2024 second overall pick has been the league's top scorer, averaging 23.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 52.7 TS%. His performance against Converge -- a 33-point outing with three rebounds and five assists -- underscored his elite shot creation and off-the-dribble scoring. Whether attacking in isolation, pulling up off screens, or drawing contact in the lane, Barefield has become the engine that drives Blackwater's offense.
12. Phoenix Fuel Masters (1-5): No real center is a big issue
While Phoenix ranks third-worst in offensive rating at 102.3 points per 100 possessions, their attack has remained serviceable thanks to Jason Perkins' steady inside presence and the rise of Ricci Rivero as a versatile scoring threat. Both have provided enough firepower to keep the team competitive despite their offensive limitations.
The real issue lies in their thin frontcourt rotation. With Yousef Taha sidelined by illness, Phoenix has struggled to find stability at the center spot. Kai Ballungay has done his best to anchor the paint alongside a mix of combo forwards, but the lack of a true rim protector has been costly. The team currently holds the league's worst two-point defense at 49.2%, a glaring weakness that opposing teams continue to exploit through interior scoring and second-chance opportunities.