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The 2024 NBA postseason suggestions off with the SoFi Play-In Event. Prepare for the motion with previews and predictions for Wednesday’s matchups, which can decide the No. 7 seed within the Japanese Convention and the 2 groups that may play Friday for No. 8.
East: (8) Miami Warmth @ (7) Philadelphia 76ers (7 ET, ESPN)
The winner: Advances to face New York within the first spherical because the No. 7 seed.
The loser: Performs the winner of Wednesday’s Hawks-Bulls sport to find out the East’s No. 8 seed.
Common-season outcomes: Sequence tied, 2-2.
Hold your eyes on: Playoff Jimmy
Subsequent to Nikola Jokic, Jimmy Butler was the dialog piece final spring and summer season, a participant who raised his sport, hauled a crew from the Play-In Event by the East landmine, toppling increased seeds alongside the best way.
What’s fascinating this time? Butler is dealing with his former crew and, previously, didn’t mince phrases about the best way the Sixers allowed him to signal with Miami in 2019 (Philly stored Tobias Harris as a substitute).
That’s historical historical past — or is it? Butler is prideful and would take nice pleasure in sending the Sixers to an elimination sport. Anyway, Butler brings a strong playoff rep to this sport and is eager on retaining it.
Key matchup: Joel Embiid vs. Bam Adebayo
Of all of the facilities within the NBA, Adebayo holds his personal, for essentially the most half, towards Embiid. He’s a wise and aggressive defender and is aware of find out how to make Embiid work laborious for buckets, which is all you are able to do towards the reigning Kia MVP.
Additionally, Adebayo — the perfect Miami participant in final yr’s Finals — will pressure Embiid to spend power on protection. Towards nearly each different crew, Embiid would maintain a major positional benefit. On this one? Marginal.
And that is assuming Embiid, who solely lately returned from a knee harm, shall be at his dominant self. The Sixers found Tyrese Maxey throughout his absence in order that they received’t have to lean so closely on him. However they want him to win.
Prediction: 76ers
For some motive, this isn’t the identical Miami crew as final season. Possibly it’s due to the defections final summer season, possibly due to Butler’s fixed harm absences or Tyler Herro’s.
However the Warmth have to regroup, and fast, and it’ll take greater than Butler. Like: Jaime Jaquez Jr. rediscovering his rookie edge or Terry Rozier (who will miss tonight’s sport attributable to neck spasms) lastly becoming in after inconsistencies following his midseason arrival.
The largest downside for Miami, except for Embiid, is Maxey. The younger guard is coming off an incredible breakout season the place he shined as fill-in lead singer with out Embiid. And the Sixers have been 29-7 when Embiid and Maxey each performed this season.
(10) Atlanta Hawks @ (9) Chicago Bulls (9:30 ET, ESPN)
The winner: Advances to play the loser of Wednesday’s Warmth-Sixers sport to find out the East’s No. 8 seed.
The loser: Is eradicated.
Common-season outcomes: Bulls, 2-1.
Hold your eyes on: The frontline matchup
The Hawks shall be with out Jalen Johnson and maybe extra importantly, the extra bodily Onyeka Okongwu, which places them at an obstacle towards Bulls heart Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic is a former All-Star and nonetheless a reliable offensive participant (he averaged 18 factors per sport this season) with a wide range of methods to attain. He’s very rhythmic and may he get right into a groove, the Hawks have nobody moreover Clint Capela to deliver resistance.
As an apart, backup heart Andre Drummond — who’s questionable on the league’s harm report — had rebound video games of 25, 18 and 11 towards the Hawks. The backup.
Key matchup: Alex Caruso vs. (decide ‘em) Trae Younger or Dejounte Murray
Caruso is for certain to make All-Protection this season, a reward for his alertness on the passing lanes (he’s one of many league leaders in steals) and strong man-to-man chops. Which in fact means he’ll be positioned on whichever Hawk guard will get scorching.
He may have his fingers full. Murray was large in March when Younger was out following finger surgical procedure, whereas Younger in fact is likely one of the league’s higher offensive creators.
So Caruso should decide his poison, both the taller guard who focuses on pull-ups within the lane, or the smaller All-Star who’s tough with the lob move and (typically) lethal from deep.
Prediction: Hawks
This can be a matchup of injury-depleted groups, lacking key parts, and the winner shall be fortunate to advance to the playoffs. That’s no shade thrown on the Hawks and Bulls, simply the truth.
DeMar DeRozan is destined to have a strong sport; he had scoring nights of 31, 29 and 25 towards the Hawks this season and can enter free company this summer season, which can give him incentive to increase his season as a lot as attainable.
However the Hawks, even with lacking elements, deliver a bit extra high quality of their depth (Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter) than Chicago (Coby White). A Bulls’ win wouldn’t be a shock, particularly at house, however this dialog feels extra like Hawk Tawk.
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Shaun Powell has coated the NBA for greater than 25 years. You possibly can e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and observe him on X.
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