As PBA Philippine Cup enters its playoffs, here are 16 scenarios that may happen By Fidel R. Mangonon III

ONLY four games remain in the elimination round of the 2012-13 PBA Philippine Cup.
Barako Bull takes on Rain or Shine while San Mig Coffee battles Globalport on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena while Meralco goes up against the Mixers and two-time defending champion Talk ‘N Text ends the elims with its rematch against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Sunday in the same venue.
Seven teams – Talk ‘N Text, San Mig Coffee, Rain or Shine, Alaska, Meralco, Barangay Ginebra and Petron Blaze – are already assured of places in the quarterfinals and only one slot remains unfilled, left to be fought for by Air21 and Barako Bull.
Globalport is already out of the playoffs and is simply looking to end the conference on a winning note.
If the Energy Cola beat the Elasto Painters Friday, Barako Bull and Air21 will figure in a playoff on Monday at the Cuneta Astrodome for the eighth and last quarterfinal berth opposite the Tropang Texters. Otherwise, the Express will advance automatically to the quarterfinals and the Energy Cola join the Batang Pier in an early Christmas vacation and early preparation for the Commissioner’s Cup.
Aside from that, here are the other pertinent things you should know:
1. Win or loss against Barangay Ginebra on Sunday, Talk ‘N Text will finish the elims on top and with the No. 1 seeding in the playoffs. Even if it loses and San Mig Coffee manages to tie the Tropang Texters at 11-3, TNT will still be No. 1 as it beat the Mixers twice in the elims.
2. The Tropang Texters are going to have the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals against either Barako Bull or Air21.
3. San Mig Coffee will automatically be No. 2 and with the other twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals if it wins any of its last two games. If this happens, the Mixers will square off with No. 7 Petron Blaze in the quarterfinals.
4. If San Mig Coffee loses its last two games in the elims against the Batang Pier and the Bolts and Rain or Shine beats Barako Bull, the Mixers and the Elasto Painters will figure in a playoff for the No. 2 ranking, also on Monday at the Cuneta Astrodome.
5. The quarterfinal pairings are  No. 1 vs. No. 8 and No. 2 vs. No. 7 with Nos. 1 & 2 having the twice-to-beat advantage; No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5 are best-of-three affairs.
6. A win by San Mig Coffee and Rain or Shine on Friday will complete the quarterfinal cast – meaning no more playoff games – and these pairings:
a. No. 1 Talk ‘N Text vs. No. 8 Air21, TNT with twice-to-beat advantage
b. No. 2 San Mig Coffee vs. No. 7 Petron Blaze, Mixers with twice-to-beat advantage
c. Best-of-3: No. 3 Rain or Shine vs. either Barangay Ginebra or Meralco
d. Other best-of-3: Alaska vs. either Meralco or Barangay Ginebra
Here the last 16 scenarios with the resulting rankings and corresponding point-differentials and PBA quotients in case of ties:

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San Mig not taking any chances against minnows By Richard Dy

“We just gotta worry about Globalport because they’re gonna play relaxed. We gotta go out and prepare for that game," says San Mig coach Tim Cone ahead of Friday's match. Jerome Ascano

SAN MIG Coffee has two chances to seal its place in the top two and gain a valuable advantage in the semifinals — against cellar-dwelling Globalport in its penultimate elimination-round match and versus midtable Meralco at the end of its schedule.
The earlier the Mixers can get it done, the better.
A win over the also-ran Batang Pier on Friday at the MOA Arena will give the Mixers the No. 2 spot, a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, and a chance to take it easy on the final elimination match in preparation for the playoffs of the Philippine Cup.
The Mixers take on the Batang Pier at 7:30 p.m. and coach Tim Cone has made clear the team has no intention of dilly-dallying as it tries to clinch the second twice-to-beat incentive after Talk ’N Text secured the first one last week via a 95-82 win over Petron.
The Mixers currently tote a 9-3 record, while the Tropang Texters are at 11-2.
Cone’s charges scored a 93-92 decision over third-running Rain or Shine last week, seriously denting the Elasto Painters’ bid for No. 2 spot and the twice-to-beat incentive. The only chance now for Rain or Shine to steal No. 2 is if it wins its last elimination match and San Mig drops its last two, resulting in a tied record and a playoff game.
Against the Batang Pier in their first encounter, the Mixers went through anxious moments before scoring an 82-78 win.
“We just gotta worry about Globalport because they’re gonna play relaxed. We gotta go out and prepare for that game.  We gotta clinch our spot on Friday,” said Cone, who's got an armada of gunners to lean on in their game against the Batang Pier.
James Yap will no doubt be at the forefront of San Mig Coffee’s offense, though additional scoring support is also expected from steady shooter Peter June Simon, Joe Devance and big men Yancy de Ocampo and Marc Pingris.
The Batang Pier, who officially bowed out of the playoffs following their 101-95 loss to the Alaska Aces in Dipolog City, are playing their final game in the Philippine Cup.
Globalport has lost its last nine games, including a lopsided 92-113 decision against Air21 on Wednesday night that saw Express forward KG Canaleta erupt for a career-high 41 points on six-of-nine shooting from beyond the arc.
The Batang Pier own a woeful 1-12 record, their lone win this conference scored at the expense of the Bolts, 105-104, on October 17 also at the MOA Arena.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

SOURCE: http://www.spin.ph/sports/basketball/news/san-mig-not-taking-any-chances-against-globalport