Stephen Curry. Ja Morant. Trae Younger. Anthony Davis.
These are just a few of the big-name stars set to battle for one of many remaining NBA playoff spots on this week’s 2025 Play-In Event.
Right here’s a fast reminder of how the Play-In Event works.
The No. 7 by way of 10 seeds in each the East and the West will compete for the final two playoff positions of their respective conferences.
The upper two seeds in each conferences want solely to win one as soon as in the course of the three-day match to advance to the true playoffs. For a No. 9 or No. 10 seed to advance, it will must win two video games.
These are the matchups:
No. 8 Atlanta Hawks (40-42) @ No. 7 Orlando Magic (41-41), Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
After ending because the No. 5 seed within the East final season, the Magic took a step again. They jumped out to a 23-18 begin however struggled down the stretch, ending with the NBA’s third-worst offense.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner each missed important stretches with accidents early on, whereas Jalen Suggs underwent season-ending knee surgical procedure.
Nonetheless, Orlando boasts the NBA’s stoutest protection, whereas Banchero and Wagner each averaged greater than 24 factors per recreation, making the Magic no less than considerably harmful if all the things clicks.
They gained their final 5 video games earlier than sitting their starters within the season finale.
The Hawks, in the meantime, hovered round .500 all season, as soon as once more that includes a top-five offense and bottom-five protection.
Atlanta stays with out Jalen Johnson (torn labrum), its second-leading scorer behind Younger, however has gotten extra out of Zaccharie Risacher of late. Risacher, the primary total choose in final 12 months’s draft, has eclipsed 20 factors six instances because the begin of March.
The winner of this recreation can be locked into the East’s No. 7 seed and play the Boston Celtics within the first spherical of the playoffs.
The loser, nevertheless, won’t be eradicated.
No. 10 Miami Warmth (37-45) @ No. 9 Chicago Bulls (39-43), Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
The Warmth had been 21-21 on Jan. 21, the ultimate day Jimmy Butler performed in a recreation for them.
They went 16-24 the remainder of the best way, a stretch that included sending the disgruntled Butler to the Golden State Warriors.
Miami did get 19.0 factors per recreation from Andrew Wiggins, who got here again within the Butler commerce, however there’s no denying it is a lesser staff with out the person often known as Playoff Jimmy.
The Bulls, in the meantime, traded their main scorer, Zach LaVine, to the Sacramento Kings in February.
The loser of this recreation can be eradicated from playoff rivalry.
The winner will then play the loser of Tuesday’s No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup, and whoever wins that recreation will grow to be the East’s No. 8 seed and face the Cleveland Cavaliers within the playoffs.
No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) @ No. 7 Golden State Warriors (48-34), Tuesday at 10 p.m.
The Western Convention’s first recreation is way extra compelling.
The addition of Butler reworked the Warriors, who had been 25-26 earlier than his debut and went 23-8 the remainder of the best way.
Butler averaged 17.9 factors per recreation with Golden State and proved to be an instantaneous match as Curry’s operating mate.
The Grizzlies, in the meantime, slumped badly down the stretch, shedding 10 of their last 16 video games to fall out of the playoff image and into the Play-In Event.
Memphis, which struggled in opposition to good groups all season, fired head coach Taylor Jenkins late final month.
The Grizzlies ought to by no means be counted out, nevertheless, every time Ja Morant is on the court docket. He’s averaging slightly below 30 factors per recreation because the begin of March.
The winner of this recreation is locked into the West’s No. 7 seed and can face the Houston Rockets within the first spherical of the playoffs.
No. 10 Dallas Mavericks (39-43) @ No. 9 Sacramento Kings (40-42), Wednesday at 10 p.m.
No staff has had a rougher go of late than the Mavs.
Their much-panned commerce sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis, amongst others, was adopted by accidents to Davis, Daniel Gafford and Kyrie Irving.
Davis and Gafford are again, however Irving — who took over ball-handling duties with Doncic’s departure — is finished for the season with a torn ACL.
Dallas went 13-20 after the commerce.
The Kings additionally had a midseason roster overhaul, buying LaVine in the identical three-team commerce that despatched De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Sacramento went 16-18 after that deal however moved up two spots within the standings.
The loser of this recreation is eradicated, whereas the winner will face whoever loses the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup for the proper to play the NBA-best Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the first spherical of the playoffs.
