Win to get in.
Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic host Trae Young and Atlanta Hawks to kick off the 2025 NBA play-in tournament tomorrow, April 16, as the two teams vie for the East no. 7 playoff seed.
The winner of their duel will face the second-ranked and defending champion Boston Celtics in the opening round. As for the losing team, they still have one more chance to secure a postseason seat in battling the survivor of the Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat showdown.
It’ll mark the first time that the Magic will compete in a play-in game since its inception in 2020.
Orlando’s once promising 9-3 start turned sideways after an injury bug hit the squad starting with Banchero — and later Franz Wagner — suffering torn right obliques that cost a combined 54 missed games for the two.
It also didn’t help that another key starter Jalen Suggs suffered a season-ending left knee and was limited to just 35 contests.
However, the Magic (41-41) won nine of their last 12 games to gain momentum and need just one win to secure back-to-back playoff appearances. Last year, Orlando earned the fifth seed before getting bounced out in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games.
Meanwhile, the Hawks (40-42) are no stranger to the play-in tournament--having participated for the fourth straight year.
Atlanta qualified to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 via the play-in before getting eliminated last year by the Bulls in the same stage.
With three wins, the Hawks are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans for the most victories in the five-year history of the event.
The Hawks and the Magic split their season series at 2-2, meeting twice in the last week of the regular play.
The Magic took care of business at home, winning 117-106, before the Hawks responded with a119-112 dub back in Atlanta.
The play-in for the East seventh seed will air on Wednesday, April 16, 7:30 a.m. on NBA TV Philippines and the Pilipinas Live app.
