Magic vs. Hornets: final spot

Orlando and Charlotte play Friday night for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff berth, with the winner taking the No. 8 seed. (nba.com, espn.com) The game is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on April 17 in Orlando after the Magic lost 109-97 at Philadelphia in the 7-vs.-8 play-in game on Wednesday. (nba.com, si.com) Charlotte reached this game by beating Miami 127-126 in overtime in the 9-vs.-10 matchup, according to ESPN’s updated play-in bracket. (espn.com) The play-in format gives the teams that finish seventh and eighth two chances to win one game, while the ninth- and 10th-place teams must survive two elimination games. Orlando finished eighth in the East and Charlotte finished ninth, which is why the Magic host Friday’s game. (nba.com, sports.yahoo.com) The stakes are immediate: Friday’s winner advances to face the Detroit Pistons in the first round, while the loser’s season ends before the playoffs begin. Orlando’s possible first-round matchup with Detroit was laid out in preview coverage after the Magic’s loss in Philadelphia. (si.com, nba.com) This is also one of the last two play-in games still open on the bracket. ESPN’s schedule page shows Warriors-Suns as the other Friday game that will decide the West’s final seed. (espn.com, nba.com) Orlando entered the tournament as the East’s No. 8 seed after the regular season, and the franchise announced on April 12 that a win in the play-in would send it to the 2026 playoffs. Charlotte had to start one step lower, which made the Miami game a must-win from the start. (nba.com, espn.com) By late Friday, the 16-team playoff field will be complete. The first full day of first-round games begins Saturday, April 18, with the East and West brackets already listing TBD opponents in the spots this game will fill. (nba.com, si.com)