NBA play-in predictions: Which teams advance?

[ASFN Admin]

The NBA play-in game has added early and extra tension to a long playoffs season.

The Golden State Warriors went all in to acquire Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline and capitalize on a championship window with Steph Curry still playing at an All-NBA level.

But the Warriors need to win a play-in game just to get the seventh or eighth seed in the Western Conference. They play the Memphis Grizzlies, who on Feb. 6 were 35-16 and in second place. They fired their coach with a week left in the season and finished eighth with the same record as the Warriors (48-34), who were 25-25 on Feb. 6.

The pressure is palpable and the stakes are considerable.

Let’s take a look at the play-in games with TV info, tip-off times and predictions from USA TODAY Sports experts:

NBA play-in game predictions​

No. 8 Atlanta Hawks at No. 7 Orlando Magic​

• Date: Tuesday, April 15
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT

Noteworthy: Winner gets the No. 7 seed and a first-round series against the Boston Celtics. The Magic won the season series against the Hawks, 2-1, including a 119-112 home victory April 8.

Predictions:

• Lorenzo Reyes: Magic
• Heather Tucker: Magic
• James Williams: Hawks
• Jeff Zillgitt: Magic

No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies at No. 7 Golden State Warriors​

• Date: Tuesday, April 15
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT

Noteworthy: The Warriors won the season series, 3-1, including a 134-125 victory April 1, a game in which Steph Curry scored 52 points (36 on 3-pointers) and had 10 rebounds and eight assists. The winner earns the No. 7 seed and a first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets.

Predictions:

• Lorenzo Reyes: Grizzlies
• Heather Tucker: Warriors
• James Williams: Warriors
• Jeff Zillgitt: Warriors

No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Chicago Bulls​

• Date: Wednesday, April 16
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

Noteworthy: The Bulls swept the season series, 3-0, and in the Bulls’ 119-111 victory on April 9, Josh Giddey had 28 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks and two steals. The winner plays the loser of the Hawks-Magic game for the No. 8 seed and a first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Predictions:

• Lorenzo Reyes: Bulls
• Heather Tucker: Heat
• James Williams: Bulls
• Jeff Zillgitt: Bulls

No. 10 Dallas Mavericks at No. 9 Sacramento Kings​

• Date: Wednesday, April 16
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

Noteworthy: The Kings won all three games against Dallas this season, including a 129-128 overtime victory on Feb. 10 and a 122-98 victory on March 3. The winner plays the loser of the Grizzlies-Warriors game for the No. 8 seed and a first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Predictions:

• Lorenzo Reyes: Kings
• Heather Tucker: Kings
• James Williams: Mavericks
• Jeff Zillgitt: Kings

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA play-in predictions: Our picks for Tuesday, Wednesday games

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