No matter the circumstance, the road to PBA Philippine Cup supremacy still runs through San Miguel Beermen.
After a rocky 0-2 start, the defending champion has quickly reminded everyone why they're the standard of the league -- winning four straight games to climb to 4-2.
That stretch featured convincing wins over fellow contenders Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Barangay Ginebra, Converge FiberXers and Magnolia Hotshots, signaling that the team has found their rhythm once again.
As always, June Mar Fajardo remains the anchor of San Miguel's dominance, averaging 18.8 points, 15.3 rebounds -- the league's best -- and adding 3.8 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. But what's made this surge more dangerous is how head coach Leo Austria has built a system that maximizes Fajardo's presence on both ends of the floor.
Here's a look at how San Miguel has weaponized Fajardo's strengths and reestablished their trademark balance during this winning streak.
Overall defense to start the conference has been strong
For a team known for its offensive firepower, San Miguel's commitment on the defensive end has been just as impressive through the first six games.
According to RealGM, the team currently holds the second-best defensive rating in the league at 99.2 points per game -- just a touch behind Ginebra.
What's been key to that success is how disruptive they've been with the ball.
San Miguel leads the league with a 10% steal percentage, a testament to their active hands and disciplined rotations. This chaos on the perimeter has allowed them to mask some of Fajardo's defensive limitations, particularly when he's forced to defend in space or gets attacked in pick-and-roll situations.
Still, Fajardo has done his part protecting the rim. The 1.7 blocks per game rank second in the league, which serves as a reminder that even as opponents try to exploit him, he remains a formidable last line of defense.
His timing and positioning continue to be elite in the paint, often deterring drives even when he doesn't record a block. With the perimeter pressure forcing bad passes and Fajardo anchoring the paint, San Miguel's defensive identity has become a complete unit. Even though they still have a middling offense of just 102.9 points per 100 possessions, it's barely thanks to their great defense so far.
Shooters continue to benefit from Fajardo's post gravity
The team's offensive system continues to revolve around Fajardo's unmatched presence inside the paint, and their shooters have been the biggest beneficiaries of it.
Every time he touches the ball on the low block, opposing defenses are forced to collapse -- sending double teams or shading help defenders his way.
That interior attention opens up the perimeter, where San Miguel's wing scorers and spot-up shooters are ready to punish any rotation mistake. It's a familiar yet still devastating formula that has kept the team's offense humming throughout their current winning streak.
In all those four wins of San Miguel during this stretch, at least one player has caught fire to punish the opponents.
Against Rain or Shine, it was Marcio Lassiter's 18 points on 62.3 TS% that led the way. Juami Tiongson punished Converge in the fourth quarter with 14 points, while Don Trollano dropped a conference-high 29 points in their latest victory over Magnolia.
They have been harder to guard with Austria having deliberately emphasized more post touches for Fajardo to anchor their offense.
By prioritizing post-ups as the starting point of their sets, San Miguel controls tempo, dictates spacing, and opens up a variety of scoring options. From there, Austria's system flows naturally into high-low actions and inside-out sequences that keep the ball moving until the best look emerges
The scary part for opposing teams is that San Miguel is doing all this without their outside shooting fully clicking yet.
As a team, they currently hold the second-worst three-point percentage in the league at 27.6%, with their perimeter success often coming from just one or two hot hands on a given night. Once their shooters collectively find rhythm from deep, San Miguel's offense could reach another level, as Fajardo will continue to draw double teams.
Power forwards and other bigs know the play alongside Fajardo
San Miguel's frontline depth has quietly been one of the biggest reasons behind their recent resurgence last season's Philippine Cup title run, with each big man complementing Fajardo in unique ways.
Rodney Brondial, who earned the starting nod alongside Fajardo, has been instrumental in keeping the offense flowing.
The understanding on how to deliver precise high-low and entry passes to Fajardo has been an underrated part of his game -- beyond his regular hustle. Brondial's unselfishness and natural chemistry with Fajardo give San Miguel an extra layer of stability, allowing their offense to run smoothly even when defenses load up on their nine-time MVP.
Moala Tautuaa, meanwhile, has brought a different kind of dynamic to the frontcourt. Known for his physicality and offensive versatility, Tautuaa provides another legitimate post presence who can draw attention away from Fajardo.
The ability to score inside and play with power has been key to stretching defenses vertically, forcing opponents to pick their poison between doubling Fajardo or containing Tautuaa's inside attacks. Now in better shape, Tautuaa has also shown improved mobility -- making it possible for Austria to pair him with Fajardo more often without sacrificing speed or spacing at the four.
Looking ahead, JM Calma could very well be the next big man to fit seamlessly into that system.
Though still developing, Calma's touch around the rim and willingness to move without the ball make him an ideal play finisher when defenses collapse on Fajardo.
If his defender shades over to help in the post, Calma has shown he can capitalize with timely cuts or him camping around the dunker spot for easy baskets -- evidenced in his production of 10 points in San Miguel's win over Ginebra.