Tyrese Maxey will bear the brunt of Philly’s offense as it hosts Orlando in Wednesday’s Play-In matchup.
The second night of this year’s SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament will determine the No. 7 seed in the East and eliminate a team in the West. Get ready for the action with previews and predictions for Wednesday’s matchups.
East: (8) Orlando Magic at (7) Philadelphia 76ers
7:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video
- The winner: Advances to face the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
- The loser: Plays again Friday (7:30 ET, Prime Video) against the Charlotte Hornets to determine the East’s final playoff qualifier.
- Regular-season results: Magic, 2-1.
Keep your eyes on: Embiid’s understudies
The availability of Sixers center Joel Embiid is one of the league’s longest-running soap operas, and he won’t be on the floor again this week. His emergency appendectomy in Houston last week shifts Embiid’s minutes to Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, big enough bodies but nothing like the multi-dimensional offensive weapon Embiid represents. Bona is more athletic, Drummond is the savvy vet, and whichever one is in the game will be relied upon primarily for defense. Embiid only faced the Magic once this season (scoring 22 points with nine boards), so the Sixers have patched it together before in this matchup.
Key matchup: Orlando’s bigs vs. Philadelphia’s smalls
The Magic have superior length and like to flex it, relying on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to create offense or earn their way to the foul line (Orlando shot and made the most free throws in the NBA this season). They added Desmond Bane this season from Memphis, yet still ranked near the bottom in 3-point categories. The Sixers are almost the complete opposite when Embiid is absent, leaning on their guards and wings to play fast and punish defenses that cannot keep up. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will test Orlando’s backcourt defenders, wing Paul George has a shot at redeeming an unpleasant season and Quentin Grimes adds another guard to potentially torment the larger Magic lineup.
Prediction: Magic
Both teams had loftier aspirations than the Play-In. But they both should be grateful they’re in a two-and-done predicament rather than just one as Sixers coach Nick Nurse feels his squad benefited from the season that kept going sideways in that whatever-doesn’t-kill-you way. Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley and his players are just desperate to erase the chatter about internal frictions and underachieving. If the Magic win this one, they at least get a chance in a fresh best-of-seven to make up for their embarrassingly unserious Game No. 82 against the Celtics.
West: (10) Golden State Warriors at (9) L.A. Clippers
10 p.m. ET, Prime Video
Will Stephen Curry or Kawhi Leonard drive their team to a win in Wednesday’s win-or-go-home Play-In matchup?
- The winner: Advances to Friday’s game (7:30 ET, Prime Video) against the Phoenix Suns to determine the West’s final playoff qualifier.
- The loser: Eliminated from postseason competition.
- Regular-season results: Clippers, 3-1.
Keep your eyes on: Steph Curry’s on/off minutes
The Warriors’ legendary shooter returned on Easter after a two-month layoff with a leg injury, and some Steph is better than no Steph. But coach Steve Kerr said Curry might be able to play 32 minutes Wednesday, which will make the other 16 minutes important if the Clippers can take advantage when he’s on the side. Curry’s season plus/minus of 89 points was his second-lowest since 2012-13.
Key matchup: Draymond Green vs. Kawhi Leonard
Green has a shot to land his 10th consecutive All-Defensive team selection this spring, but it’s an honor he’ll have to earn as the most important part of Golden State’s game plan against Leonard. The Clippers’ 34-year-old elite scorer has averaged 29 points per game since they started shedding that reptilian 6-16 record, and he has scored at least 20 points 41 times, 30 or more 16 times and 40+ five times.
Obviously, Green isn’t going to put much pressure back on the Clippers with his rudimentary offensive game. But whatever coach Steve Kerr’s troops have done in defending Leonard has largely worked. Leonard has averaged only 21.7 ppg against them (taking 18.7 shots to do so), and is 4-for-18 on 3-pointers as well.
Prediction: Clippers
Frankly, it’s hard to think that either Curry or Leonard will be sent into the offseason on Wednesday night, but that’s where this all stands. This is not your father’s Golden State squad, lugging lowly rankings of 19th in offense, 16th in defense and 20th in net rating. The work the Clippers have done in recovering their season suggests they have a momentum advantage, and if the Warriors (37-45) are ousted, there won’t be any sub-.500 teams left in this postseason. A five-game gap from No. 9 to No. 10 might even make some folks wish there weren’t a Play-In opportunity for a team that far back in the standings.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
