There's a three-way logjam at the top after two weeks of action in the 2022-23 PBA Governors' Cup, while three winless teams bring up the rear. Meanwhile, the defending champions debut in style. Sid Ventura ranks the 12 teams after Week 2.
1. San Miguel Beermen (4-0) Previous rank: 6th
The Beermen zoom to the top of the rankings after going a perfect 3-0 in Week 2, crushing the Terrafirma Dyip and Blackwater Bossing and just barely holding off the Magnolia Hotshots. SMB has a league-best plus-15.5 point differential (tied for first with Converge), a 48.0% field goal shooting (tied for first with NLEX), and five players averaging double-digits in scoring. What's scary for the competition is Vic Manuel has only played one game and Terrence Romeo is still out.
Up next: Meralco Bolts (Feb. 9), Converge FiberXers (Feb. 11)
2. NLEX Road Warriors (4-0) Previous rank: 3rd
Jonathon Simmons delivered on his promise to leave the Road Warriors with a perfect 4-0 mark, carrying them to wins over TNT and Phoenix in Week 2 before flying to China for a bigger contract. Now NLEX will have to adjust to a new import in Wayne Selden, Jr., who will have just three days to shake off jet lag and get to know his new team before he's thrust into a primetime match-up with Justin Brownlee on Wednesday.
Up next: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Feb. 8)
3. Converge FiberXers (4-0) Previous rank: 1st
The FiberXers looked impressive in their lone Week 2 game, a clinical 112-98 decision over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Jamaal Franklin dropped a monstrous 25-13-15 triple double and rookie Justin Arana toyed with the ROS bigs en route to 21 points. Seven players on Converge are averaging at least 10.0 points per game, so it's no surprise that the team is tops in scoring with 118.8. Two big tests, though, await in Week 3, with TNT Tropang Giga and SMB on the schedule.
Up next: TNT Tropang Giga (Feb. 8), San Miguel Beermen (Feb. 11)
4. TNT Tropang Giga (3-1) Previous rank: 4th
The Tropang Giga had mixed results in Week 2, blowing a big lead in a two-point loss to NLEX and then pulling away late to beat Magnolia. Import Jalen Hudson was a reverse barometer in the two games: He scored 39 against NLEX but struggled with just 14 versus Magnolia. TNT is a paradox when it comes to shooting percentage. They are second overall in 3-point field goal shooting (37.8%) but are still struggling from the free throw line, hitting just 65.7% to rank 11th.
Up next: Converge FiberXers: (Feb. 8), Terrafirma Dyip (Feb. 11)
5. Meralco Bolts (3-1) Previous rank: 5th
The Bolts took care of business in Week 2, blowing out the Blackwater Bossing by 26 to remain a game behind the leaders in the standings. Allein Maliksi has been on a tear, averaging 17.8 points per game on 53-39-88 shooting percentages on 2s, 3s and free throws, while KJ McDaniels is leading the league in rebounds with a 19.8 clip on top of his team-best 28.0 ppg. Getting past the Beermen on Thursday would give Meralco an early boost in their playoff drive.
Up next: San Miguel Beermen (Feb. 9)
6. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (1-0) Previous rank: 2nd
Sparked by Brownlee's triple-double, the defending champs made their conference debut with a 116-108 win over the luckless Elasto Painters. Rain or Shine appeared to take control in the third period only to collapse amid a barrage of Ginebra 3-pointers in the fourth. Ginebra face a busy Week 3 with three games in five days, capped by a Manila Clasico showdown on February 12.
Up next: NLEX Road Warriors (Feb. 8), NorthPort Batang Pier (Feb. 10), Magnolia Hotshots (Feb. 12)
7. Terrafirma Dyip (1-2) Previous rank: 7th
After upsetting the Bolts in Week 1, the Dyip crashed back to Earth in Week 2 in a 20-point beatdown at the hands of the Beermen. There are encouraging signs, though. Import Jordan Williams is second in scoring with 35.0 ppg, while Juami Tiongson is adding 22.7 ppg. Alex Cabagnot is also back and chipping in 9.7 ppg, although he's still struggling with his shot (26.5% FG shooting).
Up next: Blackwater Bossing (Feb. 9), TNT Tropang Giga (Feb. 11)
8. Phoenix Fuel Masters (1-4) Previous rank: 11th
The Fuel Masters split their two Week 2 assignments to inch up slightly in the standings after an 0-3 start. Du'Vaughn Maxwell is putting up 26.0 points and 14.4 boards and leads the league in blocks per game (3.4), but he is also No. 1 in minutes played (45.2). Aside from Maxwell, only Jason Perkins is averaging more than 17.0 points per game as Phoenix continues to miss the scoring and playmaking of Matthew Wright.
Up next: Magnolia Hotshots (Feb. 10)
9. Blackwater Bossing (1-3) Previous rank: 8th
The Bossing dropped their two Week 2 games by an average of 22.5 points, and have called in a new reinforcement in former NBA player Troy Williams. Original import Shawn Glover still suited up in Blackwater's 26-point loss to Meralco last Saturday, but Williams was already seated behind the bench and should be making his PBA debut in Week 3. Glover, reportedly bothered by a sore heel, averaged just 18.0 points in Week 2, and the Bossing are hoping Williams will provide more of a scoring punch.
Up next: Terrafirma Dyip (Feb. 9), Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (Feb. 12)
10. Magnolia Hotshots (0-3) Previous rank: 9th
The Hotshots faced a tough Week 2 and unfortunately for them dropped their assignments against major contenders TNT and SMB. It won't get any easier in Week 3 as they face unpredictable Phoenix and archrival Barangay Ginebra. The team has missed slotman Ian Sangalang, who was sidelined in Week 2 with an illness, and is getting less-than-optimal production from import Eric McCree, whose 21.0 ppg average is the lowest among the 12 reinforcements.
Up next: Phoenix Fuel Masters (Feb. 10), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Feb. 12)
11. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (0-4) Previous rank: 10th
The good news for Rain or Shine in Week 2 is that they averaged 103.0 points per game, higher than their Week 1 average of 93.5. The bad news is they're still winless. Despite the uptick in scoring, only Michael Qualls (26.5) and Rey Nambatac (18.0) are averaging in double digits. The Elasto Painters are also shooting a league-worst 27% on 3-pointers and are in the bottom third in 2-point field goal shooting.
Up next: Blackwater Bossing (Feb. 12)
12. NorthPort Batang Pier (0-4) Previous rank: 12th
The Batang Pier are in a tough spot without their best player on the floor. Roi Sumang and Arvin Tolentino are doing their best to fill the void brought about by Robert Bolick's continued absence, but it hasn't been nearly enough. It's been reported that Bolick and team management have inched closer to a contract extension, but the end game here is still unclear amid other reports linking the talented guard to another Asian league. If Bolick doesn't suit up soon, that could be it for NorthPort this conference.
Up next: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (Feb. 10)