Magic clinch No. 8 seed
The Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Hornets 121–90 to lock up the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 playoff seed. (bleacherreport.com) The result means Orlando will meet the No. 1 Detroit Pistons in the first round, with ESPN and Bleacher Report publishing the updated bracket and game previews. (espn.com)
Orlando is back in the playoffs after a 121-90 blowout of Charlotte on Friday night secured the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed. (apnews.com) Paolo Banchero scored 25 points, and the Magic built a 35-point lead in the first half at Kia Center in Orlando. ESPN listed the game as the East play-in matchup for the eighth seed, with Orlando finishing the night at 45-37 and Charlotte at 44-38. (apnews.com) (espn.com) The win moved Orlando into a first-round series against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, with ESPN’s live updates saying that series opens Sunday. Bleacher Report’s updated bracket also slotted the Magic into the East’s No. 8 line against Detroit after Friday’s result. (espn.com) (bleacherreport.com) This game was the last step out of the SoFi Play-In Tournament, the four-team format the National Basketball Association uses to decide the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in each conference. NBA.com said the play-in began April 14 and the full playoffs begin April 18. (nba.com) Orlando reached this spot the hard way. Sports Illustrated’s bracket update said Philadelphia had already claimed the East’s No. 7 seed by beating the Magic on Wednesday, which sent Orlando into Friday’s elimination game for the final berth. (si.com) Charlotte’s loss ended one of the more surprising late pushes in the East. Yahoo Sports said the Hornets had arrived in the play-in behind an explosive offense, but Orlando’s defense and rebounding turned Friday’s game into a rout. (sports.yahoo.com) The matchup now flips from a one-night elimination game to a best-of-seven series against a Detroit team that earned the East’s No. 1 seed with 60 wins, according to Bleacher Report’s bracket update. Arizona Republic’s schedule page said the Pistons-Magic series is set for national television windows across the opening round. (bleacherreport.com) (azcentral.com) For Orlando, the immediate question is whether Friday’s formula travels: Banchero scoring early, the defense forcing Charlotte out of rhythm, and the game getting out of hand before halftime. The reward for that 31-point win is clear now — a playoff date with Detroit, starting Sunday. (apnews.com) (espn.com)
