NBA Play-In Tournament Opens Tuesday With Final Playoff Spots on the Line
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The NBA Play-In Tournament tips off Tuesday, giving the seventh- through 10th-place teams in each conference a last chance to claim the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds before the postseason starts April 18.
Tuesday, April 14
Eastern Conference: No. 7 vs. No. 8, 7:30 p.m. ET
Western Conference: No. 8 (Clippers or Trail Blazers) at No. 7 Suns, 10 p.m. ET
Winners advance directly as the No. 7 seeds; losers move to Friday’s games.
Wednesday, April 15
Eastern Conference: No. 10 Hornets at No. 9 Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Western Conference: No. 10 Warriors at No. 9 (Clippers or Trail Blazers), 10 p.m. ET
Victors earn a berth in Friday’s matchups; defeats end the season for the losing teams.
Friday, April 17
Eastern Conference: Play-In final, 7:30 p.m. ET
Western Conference: Play-In final, 10 p.m. ET
Winners secure the No. 8 seeds, while losers are eliminated.
The format grants the seventh- and eighth-place clubs two chances to advance, whereas the ninth- and 10th-place teams must win twice to reach the playoffs.
Source: Hoops Wire