San Juan Knights vs. Nueva Ecija Vanguards Prediction, Tips & Odds – Nov 18, 2022 11:30 CET
For all of our Filipino and low-tier basketball lovers, this Friday we have prepared a special preview and prediction from Manny Pacquiao´s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League(MPBL).
With the playoff semifinals finally upon us, there are some mouthwatering fixtures coming up including the North Division Final showdown between the San Juan Knights and Nueva Ecija Vanguards.
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San Juan Knights Team News
After all the controversies concerning match fixing in 2019, the MPBL has fully recovered in its comeback Mumbaki Cup season. League´s founder Manny Pacquiao kept believing in the project and decided to create a special commission that supervises the games in order to prevent new scandals.
San Juan entered the regular season with a roster poised to fight for the title and take over the league by storm, but things didn´t go as smoothly as they hoped they would. After a solid start, the Knights lost their best player Justin Gutang which caused a huge dip in their form.
It took time for their management to find the right formula. After a couple of shaky weeks, in the end they settled for their current lineup led by their new star scorer Dexter Maiquez. With their recent form, they should be a formidable foe in this semifinal, but they will have a tough time winning games against the MPBL juggernaut and main title favourite.
Nueva Ecija Vanguards Team News
After sweeping the regular season, the Nueva Ecija Vanguards remain undefeated in the playoffs. It´s truly amazing what this Nueva Ecija team has been doing this year, but to us it doesn´t come as a surprise.
Head coach Jordan Viray is in possession of the longest rotation in the league with multiple scoring options in both his starting five and on his bench. Led by their All-Star and one of the best players in the league Michael Mabulac, the Vanguards have simply been unstoppable this season.
Their lastest victim were the Pampanga Lanterns who gave them a run for their money in the quarters, but in the end fell short. Nueva Ecija breezed past them in the opener with a 104:89 win and then fended off the stubborn Lantern side in game 2 after almost blowing a near double-digit lead with just minutes left on the clock.
San Juan Knights vs. Nueva Ecija Vanguards Prediction
These two teams are the main title favourites besides Zamboanga, so we will make no mistake when we say this matchup is the final before the final.
Both sides are more or less evenly matched, but a slight advantage has to be given to Nueva Ecija. Their stellar form has produced some memorable performances this season and also resulted with a flawless regular season record. They also have the home advantage in the opener, but we feel that the 5.5-point spread is slightly overpriced.
The Knights made some smart adjustments throughout the season after losing their key piece in Justin Gutang, so the line should be around 3.5 points.
Kick-off time: Friday, 18.11.2022 11:30 CET
Prediction: Handiсap San Juan Knights (+5.5)
Odds: 1.83
Sportsbook: 22Bet
