San Miguel Beer's hopes of retaining their PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup title were dashed after a decisive loss to NLEX, ending their elimination round campaign. The team struggled throughout the conference, plagued by roster changes, import issues, and a demanding schedule. Despite efforts to find the right combination, San Miguel failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
San Miguel Beer 's journey to retain their PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup title came to a disappointing end after suffering a decisive 94-76 defeat at the hands of NLEX on Wednesday. This loss marked the end of their elimination round campaign, concluding with a 5-7 record. NLEX , on the other hand, secured their eighth and final playoff spot with a 6-6 record, setting the stage for a quarter-final clash.
San Miguel's struggles throughout the conference were evident, marked by a string of inconsistent performances. Even after acquiring 2021 PBA Most Improved Player Juami Tiongson and Drei Cahilig from Terrafirma in exchange for Terrence Romeo and Vic Manuel, the team failed to find its rhythm. The roster shake-up, coupled with the reinstallation of Leo Austria as head coach, replacing Jorge Gallent, proved to be disruptive. Adding to their woes, San Miguel had to make three changes to their import lineup, starting with Quincy Miller, in an attempt to find a suitable fit for their title defense.This constant change, combined with their participation in the East Asia Super League, created a challenging environment for the team. While Miller had initially shown promise, his performance didn't meet expectations, leading to his replacement with Torren Jones, Jabari Narcis, and Malik Pope. None of these replacements proved successful, leaving Austria unable to guide his team back to dominance. This early elimination marked the first time San Miguel failed to reach the playoffs since the 2015 Commissioner's Cup. Despite the setback, the team now has a chance to regroup during the conference break and prepare for a stronger comeback campaign in the Philippine Cup. Last season, they finished second in the Philippine Cup behind the inaugural PBA champions, Meralco
PBA Commissioner's Cup San Miguel Beer NLEX Playoffs Leo Austria Imports
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