TNT ’s only championship at SMB ’s expense came with coach Chot Reyes in the saddle and now he ’s back for a repeat performance although in the semis. For the record, SMB and TNT have clashed in five finals since 2000 with the Tropang Giga winning only once. Top-seed TNT reached the finals in two of the last three conferences but never ascended the throne.
San Miguel Beer didn ’t make it to the semis in the last two conferences but qualified in four of the previous seven. It ’s difficult to rate which semifinal series is tougher to predict an outcome because both are equally tight with every team hungry to make it to the next level.