MPBL finals
{{Short description|Annual championship series of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League}}
{{For-multi|the most recent series|2024 MPBL finals|a list of MPBL finals series|List of MPBL champions}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = MPBL finals
| logo =
| logo_size =
| status = Active
| genre = Sporting event
| date = Late November – December (since 2022){{efn|Previously held in April (2018 and 2019) and March (2021).}}
| frequency = Annual
| sponsor =
| country = Philippines
| first = {{Start date|2018}}
| free_label = Most titles
| free_text = Pampanga Giant Lanterns (2 titles)
| current =
}}
The MPBL national finals or MPBL finals is the annual championship series of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). The North and South Division champions compete in a best-of-five series to determine the league champion.
The MPBL finals is structured in a 2–2–1 format, where the first two games and, if necessary, the fifth and final game are hosted by the team with homecourt advantage, being the team with the better regular season record.
Five teams have won the MPBL finals with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns being the only team to win two titles, having won the most recent series in 2024. Since the introduction of divisions in the 2018–19 season, the North Division claimed four of the five titles.
History
= 2018–2021: Amateur era and Davao Occidental–San Juan rivalry =
{{See also|Davao Occidental Tigers–San Juan Knights rivalry}}
The first finals series was played in April 2018 between the Batangas City Athletics and Muntinlupa Cagers. Batangas City won the series, beating Muntinlupa in four games.{{Cite news |title=Batangas holds off Muntinlupa to win inaugural MPBL championship |url=http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/19/18/batangas-holds-off-muntinlupa-to-win-inaugural-mpbl-championship |access-date=2018-06-29 |work=ABS-CBN News |language=en-US}}
The 2019 and 2021 series mark the only back-to-back matchup between the same two teams to date: the Davao Occidental Tigers and San Juan Knights. The 2019 series is currently the only such to go the full five games with both teams alternating wins leading to a winner-take-all game 5. In the final minute of the game with the Davao Occidental Tigers leading by three, Jhonard Clarito made two crucial shots that lifted the San Juan Knights up by one point.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Matthew |date=2019-04-25 |title=Davaoeño Jhonard Clarito lifts San Juan Knights to MPBL National Championship |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/davaoeno-jhonard-clarito-lifts-san-juan-knights-to-mpbl-national-championship/147664 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}} San Juan would go on to win the championship.{{Cite news |date=April 21, 2019 |title=San Juan Knights go for jugular in MPBL finals |url=https://www.bworldonline.com/san-juan-knights-go-for-jugular-in-mpbl-finals/ |access-date=May 29, 2021 |work=BusinessWorld}}
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 series ended up being postponed to 2021. For safety measures, the entire 2021 series took place at the MPBL's bubble at the Subic Bay Gymnasium.{{cite news |last1=Giongco |first1=Mark |date=6 March 2021 |title=MPBL set to resume division finals on March 10 |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/417271/mpbl-set-to-resume-division-finals-on-march-10 |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=Inquirer.net}} Davao Occidental and San Juan met once again, but this time with the Tigers getting their revenge, beating San Juan in four games.{{Cite news |date=March 21, 2021 |title=Davao rides big Yee trey in OT to stun San Juan, lift MPBL title |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/davao-occidental-stuns-san-juan-in-ot-in-game-4-wins-mpbl-title-a795-20210321 |access-date=May 29, 2021 |work=spin.ph}} In a similar fashion to the previous series, Mark Yee helped clinch the title with a three-pointer in the final moments of game 4, removing a two-point San Juan lead.{{Cite news |last=Terrado |first=Reuben |date=March 21, 2021 |title=Still going strong at 39, Game 4 hero Mark Yee named Finals MVP |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/still-going-strong-at-39-game-4-hero-mark-yee-named-finals-mvp-a795-20210321 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |website=Sports Interactive Network}}
= 2022–present: Central Luzon dominance =
As the league gained professional status, the next three final series would feature dominance from Central Luzon-based teams. In the 2022 series, the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards came off a 21–0 regular season and beat the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in four games while the following 2023 series saw the first-ever national finals sweep, with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns defeating the Bacoor City Strikers in three games.{{cite news |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Nueva Ecija finishes off Zamboanga in Game 4 to lift MPBL trophy |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/nueva-ecija-beats-zamboanga-to-win-mpbl-championship-a1373-20221212 |access-date=December 13, 2022 |work=spin.ph}}{{cite news |date=December 2, 2023 |title=Pampanga sweeps Bacoor to win MPBL title on the road |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/12/02/2316077/pampanga-sweeps-bacoor-win-mpbl-title-road |access-date=December 2, 2023 |work=Philippine Star}} In the succeeding 2024 finals, Pampanga would make their way back to the finals, this time against the Quezon Huskers. The first two games of the series were played in international grounds for the first time in national finals history, having taken place at the Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Hall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-29 |title=MPBL to hold first two games of its championship in Dubai |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/mpbl/mpbl-to-hold-first-two-games-of-its-championship-in-dubai-a1373-20241029?ref=home_feed_1 |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}} Pampanga once against swept their opponents to become the first team in the league to win two championships and to do so in back-to-back seasons.{{cite news |date=December 7, 2024 |title=Pampanga sweeps Quezon to claim back-to-back MPBL championships |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/-a1373-20241207 |access-date=December 7, 2024 |work=spin.ph}}
Team records
= Appearances =
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||
| Team | No. | W | L | PCT
! Most recent appearance | Most recent title
! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Pampanga Giant Lanterns
| 2 | 2 | 0 | {{Winning percentage|2|0}}
| 2024 | 2024
| align=left | In 2024, Pampanga became the first team to win two championships. | |
| align=left | San Juan Knights
| 2 | 1 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|1|1}}
| 2021 | 2019
| align=left | In 2019, San Juan became the first non-first seed to win a championship. | |
| align=left | Davao Occidental Tigers
| 2 | 1 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|1|1}}
| 2021 | 2021
| align=left | Team did not participate in 2022 and 2023. | |
| align=left | Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
| 1 | 1 | 0 | {{Winning percentage|1|0}}
| 2018 | 2018
| align=left | | |
| align=left | Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
| 1 | 1 | 0 | {{Winning percentage|1|0}}
| 2022 | 2022
| align=left | | |
| align=left | Muntinlupa Cagers
| 1 | 0 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|0|1}}
| 2018 | —
| align=left | | |
| align=left | Zamboanga Master Sardines
| 1 | 0 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|0|1}}
| 2022 | —
| align=left | | |
| align=left | Bacoor City Strikers
| 1 | 0 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|0|1}}
| 2023 | —
| align=left | Team departed after the 2023 season. | |
| align=left | Quezon Huskers
| 1 | 0 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|0|1}}
| 2024 | —
| align=left | |
= Games =
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||
| Team | GP | W | L | PCT
! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Davao Occidental Tigers
| 9 | 5 | 4 | {{Winning percentage|5|4}}
| align=left | Won 3–1 in their last national finals appearance in 2021. | |
| align=left | San Juan Knights
| 9 | 4 | 5 | {{Winning percentage|4|5}}
| align=left | Lost 1–3 in their last national finals appearance in 2021. | |
| align=left | Pampanga Giant Lanterns
| 6 | 6 | 0 | {{Winning percentage|6|0}}
| align=left | In 2023, Pampanga recorded the first national finals sweep in league history; won 3–0 in their last national finals appearance in 2024. | |
| align=left | Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
| 4 | 3 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|3|1}}
| align=left | Won 3–1 in their last national finals appearance in 2018. | |
| align=left | Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
| 4 | 3 | 1 | {{Winning percentage|3|1}}
| align=left | Won 3–1 in their last national finals appearance in 2022. | |
| align=left | Muntinlupa Cagers
| 4 | 1 | 3 | {{Winning percentage|1|3}}
| align=left | Lost 1–3 in their last national finals appearance in 2018. | |
| align=left | Zamboanga Master Sardines
| 4 | 1 | 3 | {{Winning percentage|1|3}}
| align=left | Lost 1–3 in their last national finals appearance in 2022. | |
| align=left | Bacoor City Strikers
| 3 | 0 | 3 | {{Winning percentage|0|3}}
| align=left | Lost 0–3 in their last national finals appearance in 2023. Team departed after the 2023 season. | |
| align=left | Quezon Huskers
| 3 | 0 | 3 | {{Winning percentage|0|3}}
| align=left | Lost 0–3 in their last national finals appearance in 2024. |
Notes
{{notelist}}