# 1998 PBA Commissioner's Cup

The 1998 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner's Cup was the second conference of the 1998 PBA season. It started on May 22 and ended on August 14, 1998. The tournament is an import-laden format, which requires an import or a pure-foreign player for each team with a 6'8" height limit.

## Format

The following format will be observed for the duration of the conference
* The teams were divided into 2 groups.
* Teams in a group will play against each other once and against teams in the other group twice; 11 games per team; Teams are then seeded by basis on win–loss records. Ties are broken among point differentials of the tied teams. Standings will be determined in one league table; teams do not qualify by basis of groupings.
* The top two teams will automatically qualify to the semifinals, while the next four teams will have a crossover quarterfinal round.
* Quarterfinals:
** QF1: #3 vs. #6, with #3 having the twice-to-beat advantage
** QF2: #4 vs. #5, with #4 having the twice-to-beat advantage
* Best-of-five semifinals:
** SF1: QF1 vs. #4
** SF2: QF2 vs. #3
* One-game third-place playoff: losers of the semifinals
* Best-of-seven finals: winners of the semifinals

## Elimination round
### Team standings

| Pos | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Alaska Milkmen | 9 | 2 | .818 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Pop Cola 800s | 6 | 5 | .545 | 3 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | San Miguel Beermen | 6 | 5 | .545 | 3 | Twice-to-beat in the quarterfinals |
| 4 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4 | Twice-to-beat in the quarterfinals |
| 5 | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4 | Twice-to-win in the quarterfinals |
| 6 | Mobiline Phone Pals | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4 | Twice-to-win in the quarterfinals |
| 7 | Ginebra San Miguel | 4 | 7 | .364 | 5 | |
| 8 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 4 | 7 | .364 | 5 | |
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Pop Cola 1–0 San Miguel
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Purefoods 1.106, Shell 0.987, Mobiline 0.869
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Ginebra 1–1 Sta. Lucia; Ginebra +2, Sta. Lucia −2
Alaska was unbeaten in their first eight outings before losing to Mobiline and San Miguel in succession. Pop Cola clinched the 2nd seed with a superior quotient over San Miguel Beermen.

## Bracket

| Quarterfinals (higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Quarterfinals (higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Quarterfinals (higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Quarterfinals (higher seeds twice-to-beat) | Semifinals (best-of-5 series) | Semifinals (best-of-5 series) | Semifinals (best-of-5 series) | Finals (best-of-7 series) | Finals (best-of-7 series) | Finals (best-of-7 series) |
| | | | | 1 | Alaska | 3 | | | |
| 4 | Purefoods | 84 | 78 | 5 | Formula Shell | 2 | | | |
| 5 | Formula Shell | 96 | 87 | | | | 1 | Alaska | 4 |
| | | | | | | | 3 | San Miguel | 2 |
| | | | | 2 | Pop Cola | 0 |
| 3 | San Miguel | San Miguel | 95 | 3 | San Miguel | 3 |
| 6 | Mobiline | Mobiline | 89 | | | | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | | | | | 2 | Pop Cola | 84 |
| | | | | | | | 5 | Formula Shell | 80 |

## Quarterfinals
### (3) San Miguel vs. (6) Mobiline

* VTV
* July 17
San Miguel Beermen 95, Mobiline Phone Pals 89 :
* San Miguel wins series in one game ||
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

### (4) Purefoods vs. (5) Shell

* VTV
* July 17
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* VTV
* July 19
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs 78, Formula Shell 87 :
* Shell wins series in two games ||
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Semifinals
### (1) Alaska vs. (5) Shell

* VTV
* July 21
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* July 24
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* VTV
* July 26
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* July 28
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* July 31
Alaska Milkmen 71, Formula Shell Zoom Masters 69 :
* Alaska wins series, 3–2 ||
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

### (2) Pop Cola vs. (3) San Miguel

* VTV
* July 19
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* July 21
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* July 24
* recap
San Miguel Beermen 92, Pop Cola 800s 79 :
* San Miguel wins series, 3–0 ||
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

## Third place playoff

* VTV
* August 2
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay

## Finals

* VTV
* August 2
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* August 4
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* August 7
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
* VTV
* August 9
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* August 11
* Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay
* VTV
* August 14
Alaska Milkmen 85, San Miguel Beermen 74 :
* Alaska wins series, 4–2 ||
* Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City