Play‑in: next chances set
The NBA play‑in decided two spots on Tuesday and leaves the next key matchups on the calendar — notably 76ers vs. Magic on Wednesday and a later Phoenix chance to get back in. ( ) Coverage notes the format hands lower seeds a last shot and that Phoenix still has a Friday game to buy another playoff ticket. (usatoday.com)
Two play-in games are left to decide the final National Basketball Association playoff spots, with Philadelphia hosting Orlando on Wednesday and Phoenix still alive for Friday. (nba.com) Tuesday eliminated two teams and advanced two others. Charlotte beat Miami 127-126 in overtime in the Eastern Conference 9-versus-10 game, and Portland beat Phoenix 114-110 in the Western Conference 7-versus-8 game. (espn.com) (cbssports.com) Portland’s win locked the Trail Blazers into the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed. Phoenix dropped into the last-chance game on Friday for the No. 8 seed. (cbssports.com) (nba.com) The play-in format gives the No. 7 and No. 8 finishers two shots to reach the bracket, while the No. 9 and No. 10 teams have to survive single-elimination games. The winner of the 7-versus-8 matchup gets the No. 7 seed, and the loser gets one more game against the 9-versus-10 winner for No. 8. (sports.yahoo.com) (cbssports.com) That is why Philadelphia and Orlando open Wednesday with a direct path into the field, while Charlotte has to wait for Friday’s East decider. In the West, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers play Wednesday, and the loser of that game will be eliminated immediately because it is the 9-versus-10 slot. (nba.com) (espn.com) Wednesday’s Philadelphia-Orlando game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time, and Golden State-Los Angeles is set for 10 p.m. Eastern time. ESPN’s schedule page lists both Wednesday play-in games on Prime Video. (espn.com) (nba.com) Friday’s remaining play-in games will decide the No. 8 seeds in both conferences. Charlotte will travel to the loser of Philadelphia-Orlando, and Phoenix will host the winner of Golden State-Los Angeles. (espn.com) (nba.com) The first round starts Saturday, April 18, so the play-in ends with only one day between the final qualifiers and the opening playoff games. By then, the bracket will be down from 20 postseason teams to the final 16. (cbssports.com 1) (cbssports.com 2)
