(Photo : (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)) PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – FEBRUARY 27: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat shoots a lay up previous Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers through the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center on February 27, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or utilizing this {photograph}, User is consenting to the phrases and circumstances of the Getty Images License Agreement.
After a protracted NBA common season, we lastly have reached the postseason, the place we’ll crown a brand new NBA Champion.
The 2024 NBA Play-In begins off the postseason festivities, with 4 groups from the Eastern and Western Conferences hoping to maintain their seasons’ alive.
Will the Heat beat the 76ers? Can LeBron James take the Lakers to the Conference Championship recreation once more? Will the Kings mild the beam by to the Playoffs or will the Warriors dampen their hopes but once more? And most significantly, who can be destroyed by the Celtics, the Bulls or the Hawks?
Here are our picks and predictions for the 2024 NBA Play-In slate.
RELATED ARTICLE: Bucks: Why Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Injury Sounds More Worrying This Time
2024 NBA Play-In: Lakers vs. Pelicans
Date: Tuesday, April sixteenth
Time: 7:30 PM
Network: TNT
Location: Smoothie King Arena
Both groups have had a robust common season to get them so far.
The New Orleans Pelicans completed with their greatest report since their Anthony Davis period, successful 49 video games this yr.
While the Los Angeles Lakers have managed to maneuver their manner up the standings within the tough West, going from the tenth seed to ending the season robust on the eighth. This late season Lakers cost included a dominant win towards the Pelicans of their ultimate recreation.
LA has to this point dominated the season collection towards the New Orleans, beating them in three out of the 4 earlier matchups.
READ MORE: 2024 NBA Play-In Preview: 76ers Look to Cool off the Heat as Miami Is in Familiar Playoff Climate
2024 NBA Play-In: Zion Williamson within the Postseason
All eyes can be on Zion Williamson in his first profession postseason recreation.
Williamson’s profession has been tormented by harm all through his first 4 years in New Orleans.
He missed the Pelicans’ shock postseason run in 2022, and their NBA Play-In recreation final season. So far this yr Zion Williamson has performed in 70 video games and has an opportunity to lastly play some postseason basketball.
Williamson appeared actually good all through the ultimate stretch of the common season, posting 25.4 factors, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per recreation.
The query is, can he carry the Pelicans previous the Lakers? Williamson has an all-time 1-7 report towards LeBron James and the Lakers, having struggled throughout all their matchups this season.
Zion Williamson has an enormous likelihood now to remind the world why he’s nonetheless among the best younger gamers within the NBA.
RELATED ARTICLE: Should Lakers Be Concerned About Anthony Davis’ Injury Ahead of Play-In?
2024 NBA Play-In: Lakers and Pelicans Health an X-Factor
The query coming into Tuesday evening’s recreation is whether or not Anthony Davis can be prepared.
Davis exited the courtroom with a again harm throughout Sunday’s 124-108 win over his former workforce.
He has skilled a comparatively wholesome season for his requirements taking part in 76 video games. However, even with out Anthony Davis it isn’t unattainable for the Lakers to select up a win towards the Pelicans. Davis has confirmed to be a distinction maker for the Lakers, particularly late within the season and will certainly be missed if he’s not cleared for the NBA Playoffs.
New Orleans Pelicans ahead Brandon Ingram has returned after lacking 12 video games with a left knee bone contusion. Sunday was his first recreation again and he did present some rust in his return.
How Ingram performs is pivotal for the Pelicans. Throughout the season, he has confirmed to be New Orleans’ second-best participant behind Zion Williamson.
Brandon Ingram had a stable yr averaging 20.8 factors per recreation. If utterly wholesome, he may very well be a significant key for the Pelicans if they’ve any hope of successful.
READ MORE: Bulls: DeMar DeRozan’s Total on-Court Playing Time This Season Sets NBA Record This Decade
2024 NBA Play-In: Final Verdict
Both groups aren’t any strangers to the NBA Play-In.
The Lakers final season managed to make a deep playoff run coming from the NBA Play-In. The identical may very well be mentioned for the Pelicans, who’re becoming a member of the Play-In slate for the third season in a row now.
Despite loads of speak coming into Tuesday’s recreation, the Lakers might take a dive towards the New Orleans Pelicans to keep away from having to play the Denver Nuggets in favor of a collection towards the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It’s exhausting to guess towards LeBron James in a win-and-get-in state of affairs, particularly towards a younger Pelicans workforce that he has dominated to this point all through his Lakers tenure.
Our Winner: Los Angeles Lakers due to postseason expertise this yr’s earlier matchups.
READ MORE: Spurs: Victor Wembanyama Warns the NBA of His Future Potential Prime
2024 NBA Play-In: Kings vs. Warriors
Date: Tuesday, Apr. sixteenth
Time: 10:00 PM
Network: TNT
Location: Golden 1 Center
The Golden State Warriors completed the season on a excessive word, successful their ultimate 10 of 12 video games, and solely shedding 10 video games within the second half of the season. The Sacramento Kings have misplaced seven of their ultimate 11, defeating the Portland Trailblazers to shut out the season.
The Kings managed to limp their technique to the end line, having been berated by accidents; shedding Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, two key rotational items who’ve performed a significant function of their success this season. While the Warriors have handled a number of lineup modifications because of poor play, one notably being Klay Thompson now coming off the bench.
READ MORE: Thunder Make Young Gun History Never Seen Before in NBA
2024 NBA Play-In: Kings Need to Contain Warriors Stephen Curry
The key for the Kings to win is to reply who will guard Stephen Curry, as Curry has confirmed to be exhausting to cease when he catches fireplace.
This was evident in a number of of Curry’s greatest video games being towards the Kings, together with his 50-point on 20-38 capturing recreation seven efficiency from final season, or his 41-point effort towards the Kings earlier within the yr.
Sacramento Kings head coach and former Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Brown has to seek out the appropriate rotation to decelerate Stephen Curry if he needs any likelihood of pulling this one out.
Throughout the season, Chris Duarte, Kevin Huerter, and Davion Mitchell have dealt with the Curry project with little success.
It can be fascinating to see if Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox can step as much as the duty. Or if we’ll see sophomore ahead Keegan Murray take a crack at guarding Stephen Curry.
READ MORE: Should Lakers Be Concerned About Anthony Davis’ Injury Ahead of Play-In?
2024 NBA Play-In: Kings of the Court, Warriors Defense has to Stand Up
The Golden State Warriors can be tasked with stopping one of many league’s most high-flying offenses, the Sacramento Kings.
Despite the dip from final season, the Kings are nonetheless fairly harmful after they get going. They have a capturing up-tempo play type that may very well be run anytime on the courtroom.
Power ahead Domantas Sabonis has additionally been a drive for the within, and De’Aaron Fox has had one other robust season within the younger guard’s profession.
If Fox will get going and his photographs are falling, then it might spell doom for the Warriors.
The Warriors might want to floor them early if they’ve any hope of pulling the victory out.
RELATED ARTICLE: Spurs: Victor Wembanyama Warns the NBA of His Future Potential Prime
2024 NBA Play-In: Final Verdict
If the Warriors’ and Kings’ encounters through the common season is any indicator, then this one ought to be a detailed one. The Kings and Warriors managed to separate the season collection, with the ultimate three video games having been gained by buzzer beaters.
While there is no such thing as a doubt that Golden 1 Center can be rocking for the Sacramento Kings, the Warriors simply have an excessive amount of NBA postseason expertise to not be capable of pull out this one-game state of affairs.
Our Winner: We have the Golden State Warriors taking this one and advancing additional.
READ MORE: Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo Might Not Be Ready on the Start of the NBA Playoffs
2024 NBA Play-In: Heat vs. 76ers
Date: Wednesday, April seventeenth
Time: 7:00 PM
Network: ESPN
Location: Wells Fargo Center
This is a matchup that might go both manner as each groups are able to making deep postseason runs regardless of the place they fell within the standings.
The 76ers made a robust finish of the season push, successful their ultimate eight video games to shut out the season.
They have been at one level sitting on the prime of the Eastern Conference earlier than Joel Embiid went down with a knee harm that pressured the reigning MVP to overlook 30 video games of the common season.
The Heat additionally managed to remain afloat this season, being with out Tyler Herro for many of it and Jimmy Butler lacking 20 video games.
Their earlier matchups noticed each groups cut up the season collection 2-2. Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler have solely performed towards one another in certainly one of their matchups.
If any of their earlier encounters can function a sign to how this recreation will go, it might be their Valentine’s Day matchup the place the Heat pulled out the 109-104 win and their April 14th recreation that noticed the Sixers pull out a 109-105 win; indicating that we may very well be in retailer for a detailed one in Philly on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Bulls: DeMar DeRozan’s Total on-Court Playing Time This Season Sets NBA Record This Decade
2024 NBA Play-In: Matchup within the Paint
The matchup to observe is the battle within the paint between Joel Embiid and Bam Adebayo.
In the 5 video games since his return, Embiid has posted 30.4 factors, 9.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 30.5 minutes per recreation.
Adebayo is without doubt one of the greatest defensive bigs within the NBA however can have his arms full in making an attempt to decelerate the Process. He did a stable job neutralizing Joel Embiid after they final met within the 2022 NBA Playoffs, however Embiid has solely gotten higher since that collection.
Bam Adebayo will want one other massive evening defensively if the Miami Heat have any hope of beating the Philadelphia 76ers.
RELATED ARTICLE: Spurs: Victor Wembanyama Warns the NBA of His Future Potential Prime
2024 NBA Play-In: Final Verdict
Both groups met within the 2022 NBA Playoffs, with the Heat taking down the 76ers in 5 video games; and now they meet once more with usually the identical rosters.
The Heat are in acquainted territory, having made the NBA Finals coming from the NBA Play-In final season. Still, they’ll probably have their arms full with a 76ers workforce that’s peaking on the proper time.
The 76ers got dwelling courtroom benefit and the Heat are lacking some key gamers equivalent to Duncan Robinson and Josh Richardson.
Our Winner: The Philadelphia 76ers off a robust Joel Embiid efficiency.
READ MORE: Should Lakers Be Concerned About Anthony Davis’ Injury Ahead of Play-In?
NBA Play-In: Bulls vs. Hawks
Date: Wednesday, April seventeenth
Time: 9:30 PM
Network: ESPN
Location: United Center
Both groups are getting into Wednesday’s matchup fairly banged up.
The Chicago Bulls, who began the season shaky, going 5-14, shortly turned it round regardless of a number of accidents to important rotational gamers like Zach LaVine (proper foot) and Patrick Williams (left foot).
The Bulls will probably even be with out Ayo Dosunmu (bruised quad) and massive man Andre Drummond (sprained left ankle).
While the Hawks, who completed the season with a modest 36-46 report, have handled their very own harm points this season as nicely. Trae Young has missed a number of video games after present process surgical procedure to restore a torn ligament in his left hand finger.
Atlanta Hawks rising stars Jalen Johnson (Knee) and Onyeka Okongwu (toe) may also be lacking Wednesday’s recreation.
Still, something might occur with each groups in desperation mode, trying to preserve their seasons’ alive.
READ MORE: Nets Set to Hire Next Head Coach From Sacramento Kings
2024 NBA Play-In: Chicago Bulls Backcourt
Coby White has come into his personal this season as a scorer and is the chief for the Most Improved Player Award, whereas DeMar DeRozan remained in line with one other stable yr.
DeMar DeRozan torched the Hawks final season, averaging 26.4 factors, 4.8 assists, and a pair of.4 rebounds in his final 5 video games towards Atlanta.
Coby White has had some massive video games too, dropping 20 and 21 factors of their final matchups.
How the Hawks strategy these two gamers defensively is important.
READ MORE: 2024 NBA Play-In Preview: 76ers Look to Cool off the Heat as Miami Is in Familiar Playoff Climate
2024 NBA Play-In: Play-In Trae Young
A robust efficiency from the Atlanta Hawks’ dynamic level guard Trae Young will give them their greatest likelihood of stealing the win.
Young has missed 23 video games to this point this season however regardless of the harm he has had one other All-Star yr, posting 25.7 factors and 10.8 assists per recreation.
Last season within the NBA Play-In, Trae Young averaged a colossal 31.0 factors and 10.0 assists per recreation, serving to the Hawks clinch the seventh seed.
Young has torched the Bulls all through his profession posting 24.6 factors, 9.9 assists, and three.8 rebounds of their matchups. If the Chicago Bulls need any hope of successful, neutralizing Trae Young ought to be their primary precedence.
Bulls backup level guard Alex Caruso has carried out a stable job on Young defensively in video games performed between the Hawks and Bulls through the common season, maintaining Trae’s capturing underneath 40%. Caruso would probably get the Trae Young project on this all-important NBA Play-In recreation.
RELATED ARTICLE: 2024 NBA Play-In Preview: Lakers vs. Pelicans, Health Is the Deciding Stat for These Playoffs Teams
2024 NBA Play-In: Final Verdict
The Atlanta Hawks’ expertise within the NBA Play-In ought to elevate them previous the limping Chicago Bulls.
The Hawks have performed within the final three, going 3-0 through the Trae Young period, as Young has confirmed to be clutch in moments like these.
Our Winner: Atlanta Hawks by Trae Young’s efficiency.
READ MORE: Lakers Injury Report: Are LeBron James, Anthony Davis Playing in NBA Play-in vs. Pelicans?
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce with out permission.
