We're giving away a pair of PBA tickets! All you have to do is weigh in your thoughts.

Image from PBA website pba.ph

We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the PBA matches on Wednesday, December 14.

All you have to do is: 1) write your thoughts on who you think will win the match between Alaska vs. Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text vs. Barangay Ginebra AS WELL AS WHY in at least FOUR SENTENCES for each MATCH, and 2) guess the winning margin. Post it at the bottom area for comments of this Bleachers’ Brew entry. When you send your entries kindly include your name, email and contact number (we will withhold that for confidential purposes unless you don't mind).

We will pick out the two winners (who will get two tickets each) to the PBA games on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Am also working something out to sweeten the prizes.

4:15pm Alaska (3-10) vs. Rain or Shine (8-5)

Alaska no doubt had its season derailed by the loss of their head coach at the start of the season. Imagine that. Normally it’s the loss of a player not a coach that affected the team’s performance. But the woes of the Aces can arguably be traced to the loss of two former players in Larry Fonacier and Joe Devance before head coach Tim Cone’s departure to B-Meg where he was reunited with the latter player.

I do not want to underestimate those three loses (as well as overestimate them), but as much as pro ball is a business, Alaska has long preached “family”. When Johnny Abarrientos was offered an opportunity to come back and play for the Aces he refused and opted to stay with Ginebra. Then when Cone moved to B-Meg, he took two team icons with him in Abarrientos and Jeff Cariaso. So that “family” thing got shattered right there and the team is trying to figure out who they are and what they can be right now.

After a while, the team stopped thinking about Cone’s departure and instead tried to get back on track. I find it ironic that after years of players sounding off about wanting to junk the triangle offense now that Joe Banal runs the ship and a hybrid system, the players get confused. I think that the team needs to get healthy and take some time to bond and learn to accept life and move on.

No doubt they will want to go out with a bang in the Philippine Cup by defeating Rain or Shine. Easier said than done.

The Elasto Painters checked their skid at four games but head coach Yeng Guiao was dissatisfied with their performance against Shopinas. The hot start is a thing of the past and teams have adjusted to the game of Rain or Shine. And the first time these two teams met this conference (October 23), ROS blew out Alaska with a scorching 120-84. It was the Elasto Painters’ biggest winning margin while it was the Uytengsu squad’s worst beating in its history. ROS won their fourth match in five outings then they followed that with another thrashing of Meralco and Shopinas.

When Alaska and Rain or Shine tangle for the second and last time this Philippine Cup, I’m thinking upset here but I thought about it some more and I figure Rain or Shine will repeat over Alaska (even if they have been playing well) because they have a deeper bench and are well motivated at that. But it will be close and decided in the final minute of play.

Elasto Painters by five.

6:30pm Talk ‘N Text (10-3) vs. Barangay Ginebra (8-5)

Wounded or not, I figure that Talk ‘N Text in a one-game match-up is more dangerous as opposed to a protracted series simply because they have a lot of weapons left. Imagine that.

Of course, it would be a different matter if they had their entire roster in place. The reality is TNT head coach Chot Reyes only has Kelly Williams, Larry Fonacier, and Harvey Carey. If Jason Castro plays then that is good. But how effective will he be considering he did not come back into the match last time against Petron. If Japeth Aguilar can contribute consistently then they’ll be handful. Now Shawn Weinstein is proving to be a nice pick up for this squad and I expect him to stay with this team. He’s hit some big shots for them and has been on the floor during crunchtime. How good is that?

Ginebra is playing great basketball now and their confidence is soaring. The problem with this team is you will never know who will get going on any given night. Yes, Mark Caguioa is still the go-to guy but as in their last match, he struggled. And points had to come from different people. Had Barako Bull scored a bit more in the final minute who knows?

Then again, maybe that’s where they thrive.

But Ginebra will be playing the best team in the league (they still are until someone takes it away from them). Both teams are jockeying for position in terms of the standings.

If TNT wins then they finish at 11-3 and will play Barako Bull. If they lose, then B-Meg takes the number one position and they slide down to number two where they play Powerade. Between the two, the Tigers are easier to handle. If recent history will show, it is not a good idea to pick your poison as Petron piped them for the Grand Slam last year.

I feel that TNT will go for the win and by four.