The regular season has come to a close and the Play-In Tournament has arrived. The play-in decides who will be the 7th and 8th seeds in the playoffs. The 7th and 8th seeds play and the winner gets the 7th seed while the loser hosts the winner of the 9/10 game. In simpler terms, it is double elimination for the 7th and 8th seeds and single elimination for the 9th and 10th seeds. With that, let’s dive in.
8 Lakers at 7 Pelicans
The Lakers and Pelicans just played on Sunday and the Lakers beat the Pelicans 124-108 and the score does not indicate what a blow out it was, L.A. blew New Orleans off the court. Zion Williamson was bad, scoring 12 points on 30.8% shooting, and it was Brandon Ingram’s first game back from injury. The Pelicans did not play well so just rip it up and throw it in the trash. I think the Lakers are a good basketball team and since their starting 5 with D’Angelo Russell/Austin Reaves/Rui Hachimura/LeBron James/Anthony Davis can really score with an offensive rating of 116.0 in 389 minutes played together. Anthony Davis did get hurt in the game on Sunday afternoon but he said he would be okay and will play Tuesday. The Lakers need AD to be AD, they need his rim protection and his offensive skill set to win the game.
My pick: Pelicans
Zion Williamson has had the best and most consistent season of his career and this is the first time he will be playing in a postseason game. This is the moment, at home, on national tv, against the Lakers and the guy who left, against the one of the two greatest players to ever play, this is Zion’s moment and he has to deliver. Their length on the wing with Herb Jones and Trey Murphy has the ability to bother the Lakers guards. They are a very active group with guys in Zion, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram (if is himself), that can score the ball and make plays. Sure, the Pelicans lack of size is concerning (Jonas Valanciunas does not play a ton anymore) but this team is better than the Lakers and they have shown that they are ready for this moment after last year's disappointment. This is a really good basketball team and a team that is ready for this moment and I expect them and their star to deliver.
10 Warriors at 9 Kings
The last time Stephen Curry played an elimination game in Sacramento, he scored 50 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 6 assists on 20/38 shooting and 7/18 from 3. He dominated the Kings in every aspect of the game. A lot of the Kings success in that series from a year ago is predicated by De’Aaron Fox’s greatness because of the fits Draymond Green gave Domantas Sabonis in that series. Fox was awesome, averaging 27.4 points, 7.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds in the 7 game slug feast, he had a monster series and nearly dragged the Kings to the win. He followed that up by averaging a career high 26.6 points per game this season. The Kings face a tall task in this one, especially considering they are without 2 of their best 6 players, Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter, and I think Fox is up to the task of leading them to a win.
My pick: Warriors
With that said, I am still picking the Warriors. There are a lot of reason’s I am picking Golden State, one is Sacramento missing both Monk and Huerter. Sacramento has to find the combined 25.6 points per game that Monk and Huerter are averaging and I just do not know where they can find it. Domantas Sabonis has also struggled against Draymond Green throughout his career, putting up just 16 and 11 in the playoffs last year after averaging 19 and 12 the entire regular season. I think if the Kings are going to win, they need to handle Curry, who is having yet another monster season, and make sure he does not crush them with another historic masterpiece. However, Curry has averaged 31.0 points in the 4 games that these teams played against each other this season so I would not hold my breath on that. Without Monk and Hueter, I just don’t think that Sacramento has enough firepower to keep up with the Warriors.
8 Heat at 7 76ers
This is a huge game for a couple of reasons. First the top seeded Boston Celtics are lurking and I am sure both of these teams would like to avoid them. Second, is the Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid matchup and the longing looks that we saw Embiid give Butler in the 2022 playoffs, when the Heat took out the Sixers in 6 games. This is going to be awesome and I think that Philly is up for the challenge. The Sixers have been a buzz saw in games Joel Embiid has played in this season going 31-8 in 39 games and Embiid is scoring over a point per minute played this season, if he had not gotten hurt, Embiid would have been a lock for MVP. Tyrese Maxey also looks like he has taken a huge leap and should win the most improved player award. Averaging 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game this season on shooting splits of .45/.37/.87, Maxey has turned himself into an All-NBA level player (and has saved the Sixers a lot more than people realize). The Heat have shown that they perform on a different level in the playoffs but they have been a bad 4th quarter team this season, with a net rating of -5.5 in the 4th quarter this season, 29th in the NBA after being 4th in 4th quarter net rating last season, when the went to the NBA Finals.
My pick: 76ers
The Sixers have won 8 straight games and look like a team that can really challenge the Knicks in the first round (though I would likely pick the Knicks in that series) and can challenge the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Philly has a good team, with Tobias Harris, Nic Batum, De’Anthony Melton, and Kelly Oubre Jr. on the wing and Kyle Lowry and Buddy Hield at the guard spots to help compliment Embiid and Maxey, the Sixers present a dangerous threat to everyone in the East. Joel Embiid has been that good this season and provided he stays healthy, which is far from guaranteed, the Sixers have a chance to make a real run in the East.
10 Hawks at 9 Bulls
Now this is the game everyone cannot wait for, best for last you might say… no you wouldn’t. Both teams have had very disappointing seasons, both finishing under .500 with neither winning 40 games. Both teams are also in the bottom half of the league in terms of net rating, ranked 20th (Chicago) and 21st (Atlanta) respectively and are crushed with injuries, with Atlanta missing Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu and Chicago missing Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, and Lonzo Ball. In fact, the Hawks just got Trae Young back, who missed 23 games from February 25th to April 10th after he had hand surgery. Neither team defends and neither team is any good so if one of these teams does make the playoffs, it would be very surprising. However, someone has to win this game.
My pick: Bulls
There is not an obvious pick in this game because, in large part, neither team is any good. However, without Johnson and Okongwu, I just do not see a way the Hawks can get a stop in any part of any of this game. DeMar DeRozan has also been one of the most clutch players in the NBA this season. DeRozan ranks 2nd in clutch points scored this season with a true shooting percentage of 62.5% in the clutch. I also like the way the Bulls can match up with the Hawks offense. Alex Caruso is one of the five best defensive guards in the NBA and can take on the Young matchup, who is likely still getting back into game shape. I cannot stress it enough that both these teams stink but one of them has to win and I think it’ll be the Bulls.
With the result of these games, we would have Warriors-Lakers and Bulls-Heat to go to the playoffs and I would pick the Lakers and Heat in those potential matchups. No matter what matchups we get on Friday this is sure to be a fun week and the start to hopefully a really fun spring.
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