# 2004–05 PBA season

The 2004–05 PBA season was the 30th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. Instead of the usual calendar year of February–December, the league changed its schedule to the current October–July format, while limiting the number of conferences from three to two. As part of the new league format, the season was preceded with a transition conference known as the 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference.

## Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:
| Team | Muse |
| Alaska Aces | Maricel Soriano |
| Barangay Ginebra Kings | Maureen Larrazabal |
| Coca-Cola Tigers | Angel Locsin |
| FedEx Express | Cesca Litton |
| Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | Karel Marquez |
| Red Bull Thunder | |
| San Miguel Beermen | Cindy Kurleto |
| Shell Turbo Chargers | April Rodriguez |
| Sta. Lucia Realtors | Tessa Prieto |
| Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | Anne Curtis |

## 2004-05 Philippine Cup

* The league began using Molten GL7 basketball as their official tournament ball starting this season.
* Barangay Ginebra won its first back-to-back titles and sixth overall crown with a 4-2 conquest over Talk 'N Text Phone Pals. The series was marred by a controversial reversal of the Phone Pals' Game 1 victory after fielding in an ineligible Taulava in the said game. Taulava was serving an indefinite suspension after being cited as one of six Filipino-American players with questionable citizenship papers.
* The San Miguel Beermen won third place after beating the Shell Turbo Chargers in a one-game match.
* Eric Menk won another Best Player of the Conference Award, his third in his PBA career.
* Chot Reyes left his post as the Coca Cola Tigers head coach to become the new coach of the Philippine national basketball team.

### Classification round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 13 | 5 | .722 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 12 | 6 | .667 | 1 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 12 | 6 | .667 | 1 | Twice-to-beat in the wildcard phase |
| 4 | Alaska Aces | 9 | 9 | .500 | 4 | Twice-to-beat in the wildcard phase |
| 5 | San Miguel Beermen | 9 | 9 | .500 | 4 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 6 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 9 | 9 | .500 | 4 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 7 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 8 | 10 | .444 | 5 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 8 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 9 | FedEx Express | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7 | Twice-to-win in the wildcard phase |
| 10 | Red Bull Thunder | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7 | Twice-to-win in the wildcard phase |
* 1 2 Second-seed playoff: Talk 'N Text 85–79 Shell
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Alaska +16, San Miguel +11, Purefoods −27; fourth-seed playoff: Alaska 98–91 San Miguel
* 1 2 3 Head-to-head differential: Sta. Lucia +15, FedEx +4, Red Bull −19

### Playoffs

| Wildcard phase | Wildcard phase | Wildcard phase | Quarterfinals (best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (best-of-3) | Semifinals (best-of-5) | Semifinals (best-of-5) | Semifinals (best-of-5) | Finals (best-of-7) | Finals (best-of-7) | Finals (best-of-7) |
| (#4 twice to beat) | (#4 twice to beat) | (#4 twice to beat) | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Alaska | 96 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Alaska | 96 | | | | 1 | Barangay Ginebra | 3 | | | |
| 9 | FedEx | 93 | | | | 1 | Barangay Ginebra | 3 | | | |
| 9 | FedEx | 93 | 4 | Alaska | 0 | 5 | San Miguel | 2 | | | |
| (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | 4 | Alaska | 0 | 5 | San Miguel | 2 | | | |
| (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | 5 | San Miguel | 2 | | | | | | |
| 5 | San Miguel | 2 | 5 | San Miguel | 2 | | | | | | |
| 5 | San Miguel | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | Barangay Ginebra | 4 |
| 8 | Sta. Lucia | 0 | | | | | | | 1 | Barangay Ginebra | 4 |
| 8 | Sta. Lucia | 0 | | | | | | | 2 | Talk 'N Text | 2 |
| (#3 twice to beat) | (#3 twice to beat) | (#3 twice to beat) | | | | | | | 2 | Talk 'N Text | 2 |
| 3 | Shell | 98 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Shell | 98 | | | | 2 | Talk 'N Text | 3 | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff |
| 10 | Red Bull | 77 | | | | 2 | Talk 'N Text | 3 | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff | Third-place playoff |
| 10 | Red Bull | 77 | 3 | Shell | 2 | 3 | Shell | 0 | | | |
| (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | 3 | Shell | 2 | 3 | Shell | 0 | | | |
| (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | (best-of-3) | 6 | Purefoods | 1 | | | | 5 | San Miguel | 105 |
| 6 | Purefoods | 2 | 6 | Purefoods | 1 | | | | 5 | San Miguel | 105 |
| 6 | Purefoods | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | Shell | 100 |
| 7 | Coca-Cola | 1 | | | | | | | 3 | Shell | 100 |
* view
* talk

#### Wildcard phase

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 |
| (3) Shell Turbo Chargers* | 1–0 | (10) Red Bull Barako | 98–77 | — |
| (4) Alaska Aces* | 1–0 | (9) FedEx Express | 96–93 | — |
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (5) San Miguel Beermen | 2–0 | (8) Sta. Lucia Realtors | 98–84 | 81–77 | — |
| (6) Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 2–1 | (7) Coca-Cola Tigers | 91–95 | 74–81 | 74–71 |
*Team has twice-to-beat advantage. Team 1 only has to win once, while Team 2 has to win twice.

#### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (3) Shell Turbo Chargers | 2–1 | (6) Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 71–69 | 71–90 | 106–95 |
| (4) Alaska Aces | 0–2 | (5) San Miguel Beermen | 87–91 | 86–97 | — |

#### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (1) Barangay Ginebra Kings | 3–2 | (5) San Miguel Beermen | 87–96 | 100–92 | 91–96 | 94–92 | 76–71 |
| (2) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 3–0 | (5) Shell Turbo Chargers | 101–89 | 92–84 (OT) | 102–96 | — | — |

#### Third place playoff

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| (3) Shell Turbo Chargers | 100–105 | (5) San Miguel Beermen |

#### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (1) Barangay Ginebra Kings | 4–2 | (2) Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | 71–89 | 106–105 | 66–102 | 85–90 | 85–95 (2OT) | 96–86 | — |
* ↑ PBA commissioner Noli Eala reversed Talk 'N Text's Game 1 win due to Asi Taulava, who was not cleared to play by the league and was therefore ineligible, played in the game.
* Finals MVP: Eric Menk (Brgy. Ginebra)
* Best Player of the Conference: Eric Menk (Brgy. Ginebra)

## 2005 Fiesta Conference

San Miguel won its 17th PBA title with a 4-1 series victory over Talk N' Text. The league finally allowed Asi Taulava to play in the finals series.
Shell won third place over Red Bull in a one-game playoff, which turn out to be the last appearance of the Turbo Chargers in the league as it filed a leave of absence in August 2005. Shell eventually sell their rights to Welcoat.
Talk N' Text's Willie Miller was named the Best Player of the Conference while teammate Jerald Honeycutt won the Best Import plum.

### Classification round

| Pos | Teamvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Qualification |
| 1 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 12 | 6 | .667 | — | Advance to semifinals |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 11 | 7 | .611 | 1 | Advance to semifinals |
| 3 | Alaska Aces | 11 | 7 | .611 | 1 | Twice-to-beat in wildcard phase |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2 | Twice-to-beat in wildcard phase |
| 5 | FedEx Express | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 6 | Red Bull Thunder | 9 | 9 | .500 | 3 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 7 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 8 | 10 | .444 | 4 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 8 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | Best-of-three wildcard phase |
| 9 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 7 | 11 | .389 | 5 | Twice-to-win in wildcard phase |
| 10 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 6 | 12 | .333 | 6 | Twice-to-win in wildcard phase |
* 1 2 Second-seed playoff: San Miguel 73–71 Alaska
* 1 2 Head-to-head differential: FedEx +15, Red Bull −15
* 1 2 Head-to-head differential: Purefoods +6, Shell −6

### Playoffs

| Wildcard phase | Wildcard phase | Wildcard phase | Wildcard phase | Quarterfinals (Best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (Best-of-3) | Quarterfinals (Best-of-3) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Semifinals (Best-of-5) | Finals (Best-of-7) | Finals (Best-of-7) | Finals (Best-of-7) |
| (#4 twice to beat) | (#4 twice to beat) | (#4 twice to beat) | (#4 twice to beat) | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia | 74 | 85 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Sta. Lucia | 74 | 85 | | | | 1 | Talk 'N Text | 3 | | | |
| 9 | Shell | 85 | 87 | | | | 1 | Talk 'N Text | 3 | | | |
| 9 | Shell | 85 | 87 | 9 | Shell | 2 | 9 | Shell | 1 | | | |
| (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | 9 | Shell | 2 | 9 | Shell | 1 | | | |
| (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | 8 | Purefoods | 0 | | | | | | |
| 5 | FedEx | FedEx | 1 | 8 | Purefoods | 0 | | | | | | |
| 5 | FedEx | FedEx | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | Talk 'N Text | 1 |
| 8 | Purefoods | Purefoods | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | Talk 'N Text | 1 |
| 8 | Purefoods | Purefoods | 2 | | | | | | | 2 | San Miguel | 4 |
| (#3 twice to beat) | (#3 twice to beat) | (#3 twice to beat) | (#3 twice to beat) | | | | | | | 2 | San Miguel | 4 |
| 3 | Alaska | Alaska | 86 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Alaska | Alaska | 86 | | | | 2 | San Miguel | 3 | Third place playoff | Third place playoff | Third place playoff |
| 10 | Coca-Cola | Coca-Cola | 66 | | | | 2 | San Miguel | 3 | Third place playoff | Third place playoff | Third place playoff |
| 10 | Coca-Cola | Coca-Cola | 66 | 3 | Alaska | 1 | 6 | Red Bull | 1 | | | |
| (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | 3 | Alaska | 1 | 6 | Red Bull | 1 | | | |
| (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | (Best-of-3) | 6 | Red Bull | 2 | | | | 9 | Shell | 102 |
| 6 | Red Bull | Red Bull | 2 | 6 | Red Bull | 2 | | | | 9 | Shell | 102 |
| 6 | Red Bull | Red Bull | 2 | | | | | | | 6 | Red Bull | 86 |
| 7 | Barangay Ginebra | Barangay Ginebra | 0 | | | | | | | 6 | Red Bull | 86 |
* view
* talk

#### Wildcard phase

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 |
| (3) Alaska Aces* | 1–0 | (10) Coca-Cola Tigers | 86–66 | — |
| (4) Sta. Lucia Realtors* | 0–2 | (9) Shell Turbo Chargers | 74–85 | 85–87 |
| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (5) FedEx Express | 1–2 | (8) Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 87–98 | 99–89 | 86–94 |
| (6) Red Bull Barako | 2–0 | (7) Barangay Ginebra Kings | 99–84 | 90–89 | — |
*Team has twice-to-beat advantage. Team 1 only has to win once, while Team 2 has to win twice.

#### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| (3) Alaska Aces | 1–2 | (6) Red Bull Barako | 89–80 | 71–84 | 86–87 |
| (9) Shell Turbo Chargers | 2–0 | (8) Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 86–79 | 87–80 | — |

#### Semifinals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| (1) Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 3–1 | (9) Shell Turbo Chargers | 97–74 | 92–94 | 91–78 | 96–91 | — |
| (2) San Miguel Beermen | 3–1 | (6) Red Bull Barako | 89–81 | 77–79 | 80–70 | 88–86 | — |

##### Third place playoff

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| (6) Red Bull Barako | 86–102 | (9) Shell Turbo Chargers |

#### Finals

| Team 1 | Series | Team 2 | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 |
| (1) Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters | 1–4 | (2) San Miguel Beermen | 66–74 | 79–81 | 103–77 | 82–87 | 87–91 | — | — |
* Finals MVP: Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel)
* Best Player of the Conference: Willie Miller (Talk 'N Text)
* Best Import Award: Jerald Honeycutt (Talk 'N Text)

## Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Eric Menk (Brgy. Ginebra)
* Rookie of the Year: Rich Alvarez (Shell)
* Most Improved Player: Enrico Villanueva (Red Bull)
* Mythical First Team
** Eric Menk (Brgy. Ginebra)
** Jimmy Alapag (Talk N' Text)
** Willie Miller (Talk N' Text)
** Nic Belasco (San Miguel)
** Dorian Peña (San Miguel)
* Mythical Second Team
** Mark Caguioa (Brgy. Ginebra)
** Olsen Racela (San Miguel)
** Mark Telan (Talk N' Text)
** Tony dela Cruz (Shell)
** Rommel Adducul (Brgy. Ginebra)
* All-Defensive Team
** Enrico Villanueva (Red Bull)
** Rich Alvarez (Shell)
** Junthy Valenzuela (Red Bull)
** Johnny Abarrientos (Coca-Cola)
** Dennis Espino (Sta. Lucia)

### Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

* Coach of the Year: Siot Tanquincen (Barangay Ginebra)
* Mr. Quality Minutes: Ronald Tubid (Shell)
* Comeback Player of the Year: Jayjay Helterbrand (Barangay Ginebra)
* Referee of the Year: Luisito Cruz
* All-Rookie Team
** Paul Artadi (Purefoods)
** James Yap (Purefoods)
** Rich Alvarez (Shell)
** Ranidel de Ocampo (Air21)
** Sonny Thoss (Alaska)

## Cumulative standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Qualification |
| 1 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 55 | 34 | 21 | .618 | Finalist |
| 2 | San Miguel Beermen | 57 | 35 | 22 | .614 | Champions |
| 3 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 49 | 28 | 21 | .571 | Champions |
| 4 | Alaska Aces | 45 | 24 | 21 | .533 | Quarterfinalist |
| 5 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 54 | 28 | 26 | .519 | Third place |
| 6 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 47 | 21 | 26 | .447 | Quarterfinalist |
| 7 | Red Bull Thunder | 47 | 20 | 27 | .426 | Fourth place |
| 8 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 40 | 16 | 24 | .400 | Wildcard phase |
| 9 | FedEx Express | 40 | 16 | 24 | .400 | Wildcard phase |
| 10 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 40 | 15 | 25 | .375 | Wildcard phase |

### Classification round

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 36 | 24 | 12 | .667 |
| 2 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 36 | 21 | 15 | .583 |
| 3 | Alaska Aces | 36 | 20 | 16 | .556 |
| 4 | San Miguel Beermen | 36 | 20 | 16 | .556 |
| 5 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 36 | 19 | 17 | .528 |
| 6 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 36 | 16 | 20 | .444 |
| 7 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 36 | 16 | 20 | .444 |
| 8 | FedEx Express | 36 | 15 | 21 | .417 |
| 9 | Red Bull Thunder | 36 | 15 | 21 | .417 |
| 10 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 36 | 14 | 22 | .389 |

### Playoffs

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L |
| 1 | San Miguel Beermen | 21 | 15 | 6 |
| 2 | Talk 'N Text Phone Pals | 19 | 10 | 9 |
| 3 | Shell Turbo Chargers | 18 | 9 | 9 |
| 4 | Barangay Ginebra Kings | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | Purefoods TJ Hotdogs | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| 6 | Red Bull Thunder | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | Alaska Aces | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| 8 | FedEx Express | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 9 | Coca-Cola Tigers | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Sta. Lucia Realtors | 4 | 0 | 4 |