The NBA play-in game has added early and extra tension to a long playoffs season.
The Golden State Warriors went all in to acquire Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline and capitalize on a championship window with Steph Curry still playing at an All-NBA level.
But the Warriors need to win a play-in game just to get the seventh or eighth seed in the Western Conference. They play the Memphis Grizzlies, who on Feb. 6 were 35-16 and in second place. They fired their coach with a week left in the season and finished eighth with the same record as the Warriors (48-34), who were 25-25 on Feb. 6.
The pressure is palpable and the stakes are considerable.
Let’s take a look at the play-in games with TV info, tip-off times and predictions from USA TODAY Sports experts:
NBA play-in game predictions
No. 8 Atlanta Hawks at No. 7 Orlando Magic
Date: Tuesday, April 15
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Noteworthy: Winner gets the No. 7 seed and a first-round series against the Boston Celtics. The Magic won the season series against the Hawks, 2-1, including a 119-112 home victory April 8.
Predictions:
Lorenzo Reyes: Magic
Heather Tucker: Magic
James Williams: Hawks
Jeff Zillgitt: Magic
No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies at No. 7 Golden State Warriors
Date: Tuesday, April 15
Time: 10 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Noteworthy: The Warriors won the season series, 3-1, including a 134-125 victory April 1, a game in which Steph Curry scored 52 points (36 on 3-pointers) and had 10 rebounds and eight assists. The winner earns the No. 7 seed and a first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets.
Predictions:
Lorenzo Reyes: Grizzlies
Heather Tucker: Warriors
James Williams: Warriors
Jeff Zillgitt: Warriors
No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Chicago Bulls
Date: Wednesday, April 16
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Noteworthy: The Bulls swept the season series, 3-0, and in the Bulls’ 119-111 victory on April 9, Josh Giddey had 28 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks and two steals. The winner plays the loser of the Hawks-Magic game for the No. 8 seed and a first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Predictions:
Lorenzo Reyes: Bulls
Heather Tucker: Heat
James Williams: Bulls
Jeff Zillgitt: Bulls
No. 10 Dallas Mavericks at No. 9 Sacramento Kings
Date: Wednesday, April 16
Time: 10 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Noteworthy: The Kings won all three games against Dallas this season, including a 129-128 overtime victory on Feb. 10 and a 122-98 victory on March 3. The winner plays the loser of the Grizzlies-Warriors game for the No. 8 seed and a first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Predictions:
Lorenzo Reyes: Kings
Heather Tucker: Kings
James Williams: Mavericks
Jeff Zillgitt: Kings
