PBA Teams and Rivalries: A Guide for New Philippine Basketball Fans

On October 7, 2026, the NLEX Road Warriors crushed Macau 138–78. Their 60-point win broke the all-time PBA record for the biggest winning margin. This historic victory sent NLEX straight into the Governors’ Cup quarterfinals and put them at the top of Group A. They might not be the league’s most famous club, but they definitely just gave fans a huge reason to watch them.

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Who plays in the PBA

Twelve regular PBA teams are competing in the 50th season. They were joined in the Governors’ Cup by the invited team, the Macau Giant Pandas. The teams are divided into two groups and play each opponent within their group twice. Thus, the clubs in Group A play 12 matches in the preliminary stage, whilst those in Group B play 10.

Group A consists of:

1. San Miguel Beermen
2. TNT Tropang 5G
3. NLEX Road Warriors
4. Converge FiberXers
5. Terrafirma Dyip
6. Titan Ultra Giant Risers
7. Macau Giant Pandas.

Group B includes:

1. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
2. Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots
3. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
4. Meralco Bolts
5. Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters
6. Blackwater Bossing.

Governors’ Cup snapshot: October 12, 2026

The following standings are a historical snapshot from October 12, 2026, rather than the current league table.

Two major rivalry games have already reshaped the standings since the Governors’ Cup resumed. TNT beat San Miguel 116–98 on 10 October, while Magnolia defeated Barangay Ginebra 112–93 the following day to clinch a quarter-final berth.

Major Rivalries

Ginebra v Magnolia: Manila Clasico

The history of this fixture began with the rivalry between Ginebra and Purefoods, now known as Magnolia. Both clubs are owned by San Miguel Corporation, but have different fan bases. For Philippine basketball fans, the name ‘Manila Clasico’ refers to one of the most recognisable events on the calendar. Magnolia followed its 88–73 win on 2 August with another Manila Clasico victory on 11 October, beating Ginebra 112–93 and improving to 6–3 in Group B.

Ginebra v TNT and San Miguel v TNT

These pairs faced each other in the 2026 finals. On 1 February, San Miguel beat TNT 92–77 in Game 6 of the deciding series to win the Philippine Cup. For the Beermen, this title marked their 12th in the tournament’s history.

On 17 June, Ginebra beat the same rivals 88–76 in the dramatic Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup. Justin Brownlee was the hero of the night, dropping 30 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. This massive win ended their three-year drought, giving the club its first championship title since January 2023.

How team form and roster changes shape results

Betting odds for PBA matches reflect an assessment of the probability of various outcomes, taking the margin into account. The main markets are the match winner, the handicap and the total. The PBA odds section allows you to compare odds for these events and track how they change before the match begins. For example, odds of 2.00 correspond to an implied probability of 50 per cent, excluding the margin. A decrease in the odds may be linked to injury news, changes to the squad or market activity. However, movements in the line do not reveal the exact reason for the reassessment and do not guarantee a win for the favourite.
A telling example was NLEX’s victory over Macau on 7 October. The visitors fielded a weakened squad, missing several key players and head coach Marcus Elliott. Therefore, the 60-point margin cannot automatically be extrapolated to the Road Warriors’ future fixtures against the group’s strongest teams.

Roster changes are also worth noting. In October, NLEX replaced the injured DeQuan Jones with Deonte Burton. In his debut match, the new import scored 22 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and made 8 assists. Ginebra signed Jordan Murphy to replace Riley Grigsby, whilst TNT signed Nicholas Hornsby. Such changes alter the distribution of shots, playing time and the team’s defensive capabilities.

PBA games have 12-minute quarters and a special 4-point line. Because of this, you can’t directly compare their scores to FIBA games, which only last 40 minutes in total. These differences in regulations affect scoring statistics and require separate analysis.

Why interest remains high between tournaments

PBA basketball is organised as a series of separate tournaments. Each has its own champion, and the rules regarding foreign players’ participation vary. In the Philippine Cup, teams compete without foreign players, whereas in the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup, foreign players can have a significant impact on the game.

In the Governors’ Cup, the top four teams from each group advance to crossover quarter-finals. The quarter-finals are best-of-three series, while both the semi-finals and finals are best-of-seven.

The PBA schedule also depends on the international calendar of the Philippine national team. Breaks can give injured players time to return and allow teams to adjust their rotations. Check the official league schedule for the latest fixture dates and any postponements.

A practical way to follow the league

Ginebra are supported under the motto ‘Never Say Die’. Family traditions, discussions about the Manila Clasico and player transfers keep interest alive between finals. New coaches and the successes of lesser-known clubs broaden the scope of discussion.

Useful tips for newcomers:

• check the current conference table
• take into account the strength of opponents in recent matches
• keep track of injuries, foreign player substitutions and key players’ minutes
• analyse head-to-head records, taking team line-ups into account.

This makes it easier to understand why a favourite is losing ground, whilst another club is closing in on the play-offs. The official PBA match reports and fixture list are good sources for checking this.

FAQ

How many clubs are there in the league?

There are 12 regular participants. The Macau Giant Pandas, a guest team, are also taking part in the 2026 Governors’ Cup.

What does ‘Manila Clasico’ mean?

This is the name given to matches between Ginebra and Magnolia, the successor to the Purefoods franchise. This rivalry is one of the best-known in Philippine Basketball Association.

Who won the first conferences of the 50th season?

San Miguel won the Philippine Cup on 1 February 2026. Ginebra were crowned champions of the Commissioner’s Cup on 17 June.