The NBA play-in tournament continues Wednesday as four teams look to get one step closer to a playoff berth.
An Eastern Conference matchup between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers tips off the night. The winner advances to face the second-seeded Boston Celtics, and the loser plays the Charlotte Hornets on Friday for the No. 8 seed. The Hornets beat the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime Tuesday to advance.
The LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors play in the final game of the night. The winner advances to play the Phoenix Suns on Friday with the No. 8 seed on the line. The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Suns 114-110 on Tuesday to advance to face the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs.
Philadelphia won the season series against Orlando, though the teams haven’t matched up since January and hold identical records (45-37). The Magic were winners of five straight before dropping the final game of the regular season against the Celtics, who were resting key players. The 76ers won back-to-back games to close the season after losing three straight.
In the West, the Warriors-Clippers game pits two former NBA Finals MVPs against each other — Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard. They are the first pair of former Finals MVPs to face off in a play-in game, according to ESPN Research. Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points with 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals. Curry played in only 43 games because of a knee injury, his lowest since the 2019-20 season, and averaged 26.6 points. The Clippers won the season series 3-1 against the Warriors.
Who will come out victorious Wednesday night? Follow along for live updates and highlights.
