Being without June Mar Fajardo to start the 2018 PBA Governors' Cup will be hard on the San Miguel Beermen considering much of the playbook revolves around the four-time league MVP.
But the Beermen will also be missing Fil-German rookie forward Christian Standhardinger when the team makes its conference debut at 6:45 p.m. Saturday against the NLEX Road Warriors (3-1) on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Others will just have to step up for San Miguel.
"It's difficult for a coach and a team to lose a key player to an injury. We all know June Mar serves as one of the cornerstones of the team but we have to move on," coach Leo Austria said.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo is expected to be out of action for at least two months with a right shin fracture that occurred during the Commissioner's Cup finals. Barangay Ginebra Kings prevailed in six games.
Standhardinger will arrive from Jakarta, Indonesia on Saturday following his stint with the national team in the Asian Games.
Veteran backup big men Kelly Nabong and Billy Mamaril are expected to play heavy minutes.
Austria will also look to two-time PBA Best Import Arizona Reid as well as veterans Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Marcio Lassiter and Chris Ross.
The sweet-shooting Reid is a familiar face for San Miguel, having led the PBA's all-time winning franchise to the Governors' Cup crown in 2015.
NLEX though has been playing well in its first four games even without the injured Kevin Alas, suspended guard Kiefer Ravena, and coach Yeng Guiao and Asi Taulava, who have been away for the Asian Games.
Interim coach Jojo Lastimosa has steered NLEX to a 3-1 record, including a 116-104 win last Wednesday to keep Columbian Dyip winless.
Aaron Fuller marked his PBA return in lieu of injured reinforcement Olu Ashaolu by flirting with a triple-double-35 points, 21 rebounds and 7 assists-in NLEX's 12-point win against the Dyip.
NLEX also has veterans Larry Fonacier, Cyrus Baguio and JR Quinahan to lead the way, while Alex Mallari, Mark Tallo and Ken Ighalo are also there to supply additional firepower off the bench.