PBA: San Miguel, TNT aim to return to full strength in Philippine Cup finals rematch

San Miguel and TNT, two of the most successful teams in the PBA Philippine Cup over the past 15 years, are preparing for another finals showdown. San Miguel has won seven of the last 15 All-Filipino titles, including a five-peat from 2015 to 2019, while TNT has secured four championships in the same period. Their most recent meeting in the Season 49 finals saw San Miguel defeat TNT, preventing them from achieving a Grand Slam.

Both teams are entering the series with significant injury concerns. San Miguel's nine-time MVP, June Mar Fajardo, is managing a shoulder injury sustained in the semifinals but stated he is improving and preparing for a tough finals series. For TNT, key guard RR Pogoy will miss the early part of the series due to a hamstring injury, though he hopes to return later. TNT's backcourt is further depleted by the absence of veteran Jayson Castro, who is out for the entire conference with a knee injury.

Despite these challenges, TNT remains focused, with player Rey Nambatac expressing excitement and motivation after returning from a groin injury that sidelined him in the previous conference. Both teams are determined to compete for the championship despite their health issues.