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One thing's for sure already in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup eliminations: San Miguel Beermen will be the top-seeded team. The other things? They're all unsure as of yet, with four teams still vying for the second twice-to-beat advantage and four more jockeying for position well inside the playoff picture. Here, we try and make sense of it all in our weekly power rankings. 1. San Miguel Beermen (9-0) San Miguel already clinched the best record in the preliminary phase as well as a playoff incentive for the next round -- and its last two assignments are against Blackwater Bossing and Meralco Bolts; both very much in need of a win, of course, but nonetheless still two teams in the bottom half of the standings. Who's stopping the juggernaut Beermen? We may never know until the semifinals. 2. Barangay Ginebra (7-3) Thanks to its four consecutive victories, Ginebra has the inside track for the second seed and other twice-to-beat advantage. Of course, it ends the elimination round against desperate and determined NLEX Road Warriors, but that remains a winnable game for a Gin Kings side already getting into its groove, even as it still looks for a way to fill its hole at the wings. 3. TNT Tropang Giga (5-4) TNT still has an outside shot at a playoff incentive, but the more realistic goal is actually staying away from the twice-to-win handicap. With a matchup opposite lowly Converge FiberXers up next, the Tropang Giga can boost its bid for a spot at third to sixth in the standings -- while also prepping them for a big game against Magnolia to close the eliminations. 4. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5-5) Rain or Shine was idle the past week -- and, without a doubt, used the much-welcome time off to get ready for a crucial contest against NLEX. 5. Meralco Bolts (5-5)  Coming from a sorry loss to hapless Converge, Meralco has rang off back-to-back wins, the most recent a 23-point takedown of formerly red-hot Magnolia Hotshots. While playoff contention has been turned on once more for the Bolts, however, they'll now also have to move forward without Aaron Black who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in their last game. 6. Terrafirma Dyip (5-5) Terrafirma fanned its flames for the playoffs with a two-point escape from NorthPort. The Dyip can take charge of their own fortunes with an upset of Magnolia up next -- otherwise, they can hope for help from other teams. 7. NLEX Road Warriors (5-4) Technically, NLEX remains in the top five of the leaderboard. With three defeats in a row, however, they've completely lost the edge they built up earlier in the conference. The good news for the Road Warriors is that Robert Bolick -- fresh off the birth of his first child -- will be back just in time for must-win games against Rain or Shine and Ginebra. 8. Magnolia Hotshots (5-4) Starting 1-3, four straight wins, back-to-back losses -- that's how the All-Filipino has gone thus far for Magnolia. And their most recent loss entirely extinguished their once-roaring fire, as the Hotshots were only able to muster 51 points. The roller-coaster better be going up anew. 9. NorthPort Batang Pier (5-6) At 5-6, NorthPort needs the squads around them in the standings to lose out just to have a shot at making the playoffs. Nonetheless, wrapping up the eliminations with a thrilling triumph over Blackwater was still much welcome following five straight losses. 10. Blackwater Bossing (3-6) How long ago was that feel-good start to the conference by Blackwater? Because make that now six consecutive defeats coming from 3-0. Mathematically, the Bossing aren't out of it just yet, but perhaps the more feasible objective is to bookend this downward spiral with winning streaks. 11-12. Phoenix Super LPG (3-7) and Converge FiberXers (1-9) We'll just lump the only two eliminated teams thus far together, as both Phoenix and Converge have long had nothing to play for other than ruining the grand plans of those above them in the standings. The FiberXers can still play spoiler to TNT, while the Fuel Masters get a winnable game when they face off opposite Blackwater.
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