The drama of the Play-In Tournament will unfold on Wednesday.
In the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets (44-38) will host the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38) and the Atlanta Hawks (43-39) will take on the Charlotte Hornets (43-39).
Who comes out of the East play-in? Let’s break it down:
No. 7 Brooklyn Nets vs No. 8 Cleveland Cavaliers
This game might be the most appetizing matchup of the entire Play-In Tournament.
You have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as headliners and any scenario which involves two of the top 10 players in the league is a must-watch. Forget the fact that Irving missed a handful of games. Forget the fact that they are only the seventh seed instead of being in the top tier of the East. Forget about the injury that stunted what otherwise was a stellar regular season by KD. And yes, forget James Harden’s extremely short stint with the team. When we get down to brass tacks, it starts and ends with KD and Irving. They can literally will their team to victory.
There’s still no concrete timetable for Ben Simmons’ return. But even without the big-bodied playmaker, the Nets have more than enough firepower between their two stars, as well as Seth Curry and Patty Mills.
This isn’t to say of course that the Cavs will just roll over. They began the season guns blazing and were immediately pegged as one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. However, they cooled off significantly at the flip of the calendar year. Collin Sexton has been out, and the injured Ricky Rubio was traded. The biggest asterisk for them heading into the play-in is Jarrett Allen. The big man fractured his finger a month ago and we’re not sure when he’ll be back. That’s 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks down the drain.
The focal point of the Cavs will be Darius Garland. The spitfire guard who earned an All-Star nod this year will try to put on a show in Brooklyn but it will be a tall task to go toe-to-toe with Irving and Durant. And even though Caris LeVert will supplement the scoring, he needs to produce more than his 14.0 points per game. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley remains a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award, and Cleveland will need all of his length, defense, and versatility against the talented Nets roster.
In the end, the Nets will have the upper hand in this one. It’ll be a closer battle than what most people give the Cavs credit for, but the star power of Irving and Durant should carry the Nets to victory.
No. 9 Atlanta Hawks vs No. 10 Charlotte Hornets
It’s hard to bet against Trae Young who can literally score 40 and it will be just another day in the office. However, the loss of John Collins should be felt here. When the chips are down and the pace of the game takes a turn, you need multiple guys on the floor who can create. Young can call his own number and you can bet he’ll hoist up 20 or 30 shots. That being said, you’re asking a lot from Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic to be shot-creators.
Collins was the second-best player behind Young and he was a do-it-all forward for his team. Through the wins and losses, he was the one guy you could depend on every game to do the little things: dive for loose balls, guard the best player, as well as hit timely shots when the defense collapses on Young.
The Hawks have had an extremely trying season after their deep playoff run last year. Inconsistencies and injuries have plagued the team and they failed to get the same rhythm as before. The road to the postseason is an uphill climb, and without Collins, it’ll even be steeper.
The Hornets, meanwhile, are more dangerous across the board. They have a star in LaMelo Ball but the pressure isn’t on him to do more than what he’s asked. The 20.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists are a given and even if the Hawks pounce on him, the strength of his game is his playmaking and getting his teammates involved. It’s getting Miles Bridges his dunks and Terry Rozier his 3s.
What the Hawks can do is try to slow down the game. The Hornets are second in fastbreak points (16.3) and No. 3 in points off turnovers (18.6). Ball and his teammates want to go out and run and negate the defensive presence of Clint Capela in the shaded area.
When the game does switch into a halfcourt contest, the absence of Gordon Hayward (foot) will eventually be felt. The veteran forward can get his own shots, especially in the halfcourt setting. He’s made a living with those turnaround jumpers of the low block and midrange pull-ups. Without him, the Hornets will have to think of ways to score when the pace isn’t in their favor.
This should be a close game between these two exciting teams. When the dust settles, Young will have an eye-popping stat line but the game will belong to the Hornets.
Winner of Game 2 vs Loser of Game 1
If we go on with our predictions, the Nets will be the first team to book a seat in the playoffs and the Cavaliers will face the Hornets.
Darius Garland versus LaMelo Ball, anyone? That should be a treat to fans. The guard battle will draw the spotlight, but the tussle in the paint might just be the difference.
Evan Mobley, Lauri Markkanen, and Kevin Love will have their hands full trying to contain the ever-explosive Miles Bridges, along with PJ Washington, Mason Plumlee, and Montrezl Harrell. The Cavs have more adaptability since Love and Markkannen are better shooting big men. Add Cedi Osman and Isaac Okoro in the mix, and that’s more firepower. Still, without Allen manning the paint, the Cavs’ frontcourt has to be perfect.
And that’s when Miles Bridges comes in. Bridges’ breakout season isn’t all just empty stats. A candidate for Most Improved Player of the year, Bridges can leapfrog his way to a humongous double-double that will tip the game in favor of the Hornets. Imagine Hornets announcer Eric Collins going berserk with a call of “LaMeloooo to BRIIIDDGGESSS!” as Charlotte goes on a momentum-shifting run in the fourth quarter.
When all is said and done, it’s going to be the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets headed to the playoffs.
