Rain or Shine Elasto Painters stretched their winning streak to four games after grinding out an 85-83 victory over the shorthanded Meralco Bolts, while Magnolia Hotshots claimed an important 88-73 win over Barangay Ginebra in the first Manila Clasico of the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup on Aug. 2 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Despite both teams enduring offensive struggles, here's how Rain or Shine found a way to execute in the clutch, and why Zav Lucero's ability to deliver proved crucial for Magnolia.
The switching and closing lineup of Rain or Shine
For the second straight game, Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao turned to an unconventional closing lineup in the fourth quarter. It featured Adrian Nocum at point guard, Jhonard Clarito as the attacking off guard and a frontcourt of import Aaron Fuller, Caelan Tiongson and Luis Villegas.
While it may not be a conventional five-man unit, it has delivered on both ends of the floor.
Offensively, the biggest adjustment has been putting the ball in Nocum's hands as the primary playmaker, allowing him to either create his own shot or generate looks for his teammates.
That approach fueled his career-high 31-point outing against Magnolia, but Meralco made a better effort to contain him by loading up on his drives. Coupled with the injury he sustained in the third quarter, the 26-year-old high-flyer was limited to just six points, though he still orchestrated the offense well with eight assists.
However, the biggest difference in this assignment came on the defensive end.
Rain or Shine held the Bolts to just eight points in the fourth quarter, largely because of the lineup's ability to switch almost every action and eliminate defensive breakdowns.
What makes the unit particularly effective is Villegas' versatility. Despite standing at 6-foot-7, he has shown the ability to stay in front of smaller guards on the perimeter, even switching onto Chris Banchero on several possessions and forcing stops.
The former UE Red Warrior also came up with arguably the biggest defensive play of the game, rejecting Antonio Hester's attempt with 25 seconds left to help preserve the Elasto Painters' victory.
Lucero feeding off Magnolia's two-man game
For more than a decade, Magnolia's offense has been anchored by its two-man game.
Whether it's Mark Barroca or Paul Lee initiating the action with Ian Sangalang as the screener, the Hotshots have consistently leaned on their pick-and-roll execution to create quality shots through reads, timing and spacing, rather than pure isolation.
The arrival of Zav Lucero, however, has added another dimension to those actions.
Unlike a traditional roll man, Lucero gives Magnolia far more versatility depending on how defenses choose to cover the screen. He can dive hard to the rim, slip screens before contact, relocate to open pockets in 4-on-3 situations after the defense commits to the ball handler, or even space out beyond the arc as a pick-and-pop threat.
That versatility forces defenders to think twice about helping off him, making Magnolia's bread-and-butter action even more difficult to contain.
The biggest question entering the conference was whether Lucero could consistently make the right reads and capitalize on those opportunities. Against Ginebra, the answer was a resounding yes.
From the opening quarter, Lucero repeatedly punished Ginebra's coverages by putting himself in the right spots. Whenever the defense collapsed on Barroca or Lee, he instinctively cut into open space for easy finishes.
When Ginebra stayed home on the rollers, he comfortably popped into the midrange or perimeter for open looks. This activity without the ball also kept weak-side defenders occupied, creating cleaner driving lanes for Magnolia's guards throughout the first half.
That chemistry was evident in Lucero's production. He poured in 22 of his 24 points before halftime, consistently finishing plays generated out of Magnolia's two-man actions and giving the Hotshots a reliable secondary scoring option whenever Ginebra keyed in on the backcourt.
Rather than forcing offense, Lucero simply read the defense possession after possession, making him the perfect complement to Magnolia's long-established pick-and-roll identity.
Ginebra's offense continues to sputter
In four games to start the conference, Ginebra has ranked second worst in scoring at just 94 points per game while placing only eighth in effective field goal percentage at 49.7%.
That trend continued against Magnolia, as the Gin Kings managed just 73 points on a dismal 38.6% shooting from the field.
The Hotshots consistently disrupted Ginebra's offensive rhythm by taking away early actions and forcing the ball into late-clock situations, resulting in a heavy diet of contested jumpers and difficult isolation possessions.
Without consistent paint touches to collapse the defense, Ginebra also struggled to generate quality kick-out opportunities from beyond the arc.
Magnolia did an excellent job staying attached to shooters while rotating on time, leaving the crowd favorites with little offensive flow throughout the night.