It’s a titanic collision between two of the top teams as NorthPort and Eastern dispute the leadership in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Friday, Dec. 20.

Both with the identical 5-1 records, the Batang Pier and the Hong Kong-based team lock horns for the solo lead in the standings in the match that tips off at 5 p.m.

NLEX and Magnolia, two teams looking to put their respective campaigns on the right track, take center stage in the second offering at 7:30 p.m.

Eastern and NorthPort, however, are heading into the crucial duel with contrasting momentums, with the former coming off a big win over Ginebra in the PBA and San Miguel in the EASL while the latter still licking its wounds from its first taste of defeat against the erstwhile winless Phoenix.

And lessons certainly are learned for the Batang Pier after that 114-109 loss to Phoenix where a win could have pushed them to their franchise’s longest streak and closer to their coveted playoff ticket.

““I told the guys to keep our heads up. Quick turnaround, [because] we have another game on Friday – a big game against Eastern,” said Arvin Tolentino, tagging the game against Eastern as the real measure of where they are at as a team right now.

To be fair though, the Batang Pier have claimed huge scalps in TNT, Magnolia and Converge during their 5-0 streak.

“Talagang nakita naman natin ‘yung Eastern, malakas eh. Siguro ‘yun ‘yung magdi-dictate din kung nasaan kami talaga ngayon, dahil five straight wins and then lost one and then going up against Eastern,” he added.

If there’s one thing, NorthPort could take advantage of Eastern, however, that’s probably the tired legs especially since the guest team just played a game against San Miguel in Hong Kong and only has a day to travel back to PH, recover and prepare for their Friday’s game.

After dropping a game against Rain or Shine, Eastern has won its last three games becoming one of the hottest teams right now in the league. It survived Ginebra, 93-90, shutting down Justin Brownlee who was 0-of-10 from the trey and the fours in the contest.