NLEX takes its second shot at an outright quarterfinals entry while Rain or Shine seeks to keep its place inside the Top 8 as they duke it out in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday.

Entering the homestretch of the elims, the Road Warriors and the Elasto Painters clash in a vital tiff at 6:45 p.m., each side determined to rebound from a loss.

The Road Warriors have actually dropped three of their last four outings, with their drive stymied by injuries to key big men Sean Anthony and Mike Miranda.

They reeled to a 114-98 loss to the Meralco Bolts at the PhilSports Arena Thursday.

The Elasto Painters, meanwhile, had just got into the groove, winning back-to-back games when sidetracked by another 112-97 loss to the Magnolia Hotshots Wednesday.

Thus, NLEX is now at fifth at 5-3 while Rain or Shine shares eighth spot with Phoenix Super LPG at 2-5.

In the NLEX ball club’s post-Yeng Guiao era, the Road Warriors are 1-0 versus their former coach and his new team E-Painters.

Under then interim bench chieftain Adonis Tierra, the Road Warriors topped the E-Painters, 96-90, in their opening match in the last Commissioner’s Cup.

The two teams are again expected to figure in a fierce battle in pursuit of their respective bids.

The fifth-running Road Warriors will again try to nail that sixth victory that will send coach Frankie Lim’s charges into the next phase alongside pacesetter TNT (8-1), No. 2 San Miguel Beer (7-2) and No. 3 Converge (6-2), which reached the magic number of wins via a 98-90 conquest of Blackwater Thursday.

Kevin Alas and his teammates hope to get the job done while also looking to stay in the race for the Top 4 and the twice-to-beat bonus in the quarters.

But out to throw a wrench to their plans are the Elasto Painters, who are on the fringes of the quarterfinals cutoff.