The NBA common season has concluded. The highest six seeds in every convention will now get pleasure from per week off as they start making ready for what they hope can be a championship push. Nonetheless, there are additionally eight groups, 4 in every convention, which are nonetheless preventing for playoff rivalry.
The NBA play-in match has been an enormous success in recent times. And now, basketball followers look set to get pleasure from one other spherical of high-stakes basketball earlier than the postseason actually will get underway.
With that mentioned, let’s take a look at a few of the storylines hovering over every Western Convention play-in sport.
Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks (Wednesday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN)
Kings
The Kings eradicated the Golden State Warriors through the 2024 play-in match. They may now be trying to do the identical to the Dallas Mavericks.
Sacramento has so much to show after firing Mike Brown this season. Brown had overseen among the best durations in current Kings historical past earlier than being dismissed.
After buying and selling away De’Aaron Fox on the Feb. 6 commerce deadline, all eyes can be on Zach LaVine and his skill to steer the Kings as the first scorer on the roster.
DeMar DeRozan’s debut season with Sacramento has underwhelmed. The veteran ahead might redeem himself with an enormous efficiency.
Sacramento is 3-0 towards the Mavericks this season.
Mavericks
Dallas is with out Kyrie Irving, who suffered a season-ending ACL harm earlier this 12 months. Irving’s harm was a hammer blow to the group.
This would be the Mavericks’ first playoff (play-in) sport since buying and selling Luka Doncic. The fan morale is extremely low; a loss might pile the strain on Dallas’ entrance workplace.
Anthony Davis has been adjusting to life in Dallas beneath tough circumstances. He is not Doncic, and the fanbase could develop pissed off with him if he would not showcase his All-NBA upside towards an inconsistent Kings group.
The Mavericks had been NBA Finalists final season. The truth that they’re within the play-in match a 12 months later is indicative of a troublesome season on the courtroom.
Klay Thompson is coming into his first playoff run whereas not carrying a Warriors jersey. His flooring spacing can be integral to the Mavericks’ possibilities of success. The Kings rank final within the NBA for defensive 3-point area aim share.
Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Tuesday, April 15 at 10 p.m. ET on TNT/truTV/Max)
Warriors
Jimmy Butler has important expertise in play-in match video games and is a confirmed winner in knock-out conditions. He provides the Warriors a dimension they had been missing this time final season.
The Warriors’ late-game execution has been a difficulty all season, and it allow them to down once more towards the LA Clippers on Sunday, April 13. Steve Kerr will doubtless be hoping the Grizzlies do not pressure a good sport within the clutch.
Jonathan Kuminga’s lack of taking part in time on Sunday is an enormous subject of dialog amongst Warriors followers. It will likely be fascinating to see whether or not Kerr and his teaching workers belief the explosive ahead in such a high-stakes sport. Their resolution will inform us so much about Kuminga’s upcoming restricted free company.
The Warriors are 23-7 with Butler within the rotation.
Golden State has gained three of its 4 video games towards the Grizzlies through the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Grizzlies
Memphis made the shock resolution to fireplace Taylor Jenkins with simply weeks left earlier than the playoffs. Can they nonetheless navigate the play-in match with all of the upheaval behind the scenes?
Ja Morant continues to get himself into bother. First, it was hand gestures denoting a gun, after which a grenade. Can he keep on the courtroom for his group’s most necessary sport of the season?
Does Memphis have the expertise and need to match the Warriors? Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced will all be coming to grab a victory.
Golden State’s lack of dimension has usually been a difficulty this 12 months. Can Zach Edey stamp his authority on the sport early and management the boards?
Will the younger Grizzlies method the sport with urgency, figuring out they’ll have one other shot to qualify resulting from ending with the eighth seed?
