Magic and Hornets Battle For the 8-Seed: One Team's Season Ends Tonight
It's win or go home Friday night in the NBA play-in tournament, and the Orlando Magic are hosting the Charlotte Hornets with the Eastern Conference's No. 8 seed on the line. One of these teams keeps breathing. The other goes home.
The Magic lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday to land in this spot. The Hornets? They survived their own test, taking down the Miami Heat on Tuesday to get here. Whoever wins tonight faces the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round.
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This is the problem for Orlando: the Hornets dominated the regular season matchup. Charlotte won the season series 3-1 against the Magic, and here's the kicker, all three of those wins came by at least 15 points. That's not a close call. That's dominance. Still, Orlando can reach the playoffs for the third straight season if they get it done tonight.
For Charlotte, this is about something bigger. The Hornets are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That's a decade of pain. Tonight is their shot to end it.
Out West, Warriors and Suns Battle For Their Lives Too
The Golden State Warriors travel to face the Phoenix Suns for the Western Conference's No. 8 seed in the other play-in matchup. The Portland Trail Blazers knocked out Phoenix on Tuesday, and Golden State responded the next night by storming back to beat the LA Clippers.
Winner advances to face the top-seeded and defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. The Warriors won the regular season series 3-1 against the Suns, but there's a catch. Their most recent matchup was back on Feb. 5, and it didn't include Golden State star Stephen Curry or Phoenix stars Devin Booker and Jalen Green. Now Curry is rolling, coming off a 35-point explosion against the Clippers, including 27 in the second half.
Two teams will survive Friday. Two will pack it in. Follow along as the play-in concludes.
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