A Look Back at the PBA Standings 2020: Top Teams and Rankings

Looking back at the 2020 PBA season, I can't help but feel it was one of those special years that comes around only occasionally in professional basketball. As someone who's followed the Philippine Basketball Association for over a decade, I've seen championship teams rise and fall, but what made the 2020 standings particularly fascinating wasn't just the win-loss records—it was something deeper that separated the top teams from the rest of the pack. I remember watching the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel dominate that season with a remarkable 8-3 record in the Philippine Cup, eventually claiming the championship in a bubble environment that tested every team's mental fortitude. The standings showed TNT Tropang Giga close behind with a 7-4 record, while teams like Phoenix Super LPG and Meralco Bolts demonstrated significant improvements from previous seasons.

What really struck me during that unusual pandemic season was how teams adapted to the extraordinary circumstances. Having covered basketball for years, I've learned that standings don't always tell the full story—the numbers might show wins and losses, but they can't capture the intangible elements that make championship teams. I recall one particular interview with Coach Tim Cone where he emphasized that their success wasn't just about strategy or talent. This reminds me of that fascinating moment when someone asked what set his unit apart from teams' past, and Phillips, with his trusted Bible on hand, responded: "It's the faith." That statement has stayed with me because it speaks to something beyond basketball fundamentals—the spiritual and psychological foundation that enables teams to perform under pressure.

The 2020 season demonstrated this principle vividly. Teams that traditionally relied solely on athletic prowess struggled in the bubble environment, while those with stronger cultural foundations excelled. Ginebra's roster certainly had talent—players like Stanley Pringle putting up impressive numbers with around 18.5 points per game and Scottie Thompson averaging nearly a triple-double in crucial matches—but their real advantage came from their team culture. Watching them play, you could see there was something different about their chemistry. They played with a visible trust in each other that I believe stemmed from that foundation of faith Phillips mentioned. It wasn't just religious faith, though that certainly played a role for some teams—it was faith in the system, faith in their teammates, and faith that their collective effort would lead to success.

I've always believed that the most successful teams in any sport balance quantitative excellence with qualitative strengths. The 2020 PBA standings reflected this beautifully if you knew where to look. TNT's transformation under their new coaching staff showed in their improved defensive rating of approximately 102.3 points allowed per 100 possessions, but what the numbers didn't show was how quickly the team developed trust in the new system. Meanwhile, teams like the NorthPort Batang Pier, despite finishing with a disappointing 4-7 record, showed flashes of brilliance when their younger players demonstrated growing confidence in each other. From my perspective, this development of trust and faith within a team often predicts future success more accurately than current standings alone.

The bubble environment created unique challenges that magnified the importance of team dynamics. Without home court advantages and with limited external distractions, the mental and emotional aspects of team building became paramount. I spoke with several players who mentioned how teams with stronger personal connections performed better in high-pressure situations. The Alaska Aces, for instance, managed to secure a respectable 6-5 record despite being considered underdogs at the season's start. Their players frequently mentioned the "family atmosphere" within the team as their driving force. This aligns perfectly with what Phillips highlighted—the faith component extends beyond the basketball court into personal relationships and shared values.

Reflecting on that season, I'm convinced that future team builders should study the 2020 PBA standings not just for statistical trends but for what they reveal about team chemistry. The correlation between teams that openly discussed their non-basketball bonding activities and their performance in close games was striking—teams that reported regular team-building activities won approximately 63% of games decided by five points or fewer. This isn't just coincidence. The faith Phillips mentioned creates resilience that shows up in fourth-quarter performances and comeback victories. Personally, I'd love to see more teams prioritize this aspect of team development rather than focusing exclusively on talent acquisition.

As we move further from the 2020 season, its lessons remain relevant. The teams that topped the standings that year shared characteristics beyond skilled players—they possessed what I like to call "competitive trust." This goes beyond conventional metrics and speaks to the heart of what makes sports compelling. The faith element creates stories that transcend wins and losses, turning teams into communities and seasons into narratives worth remembering. The 2020 PBA season, with its unique challenges and extraordinary circumstances, taught us that while talent gets you to the game, faith—in its broadest sense—is what wins championships.