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NBA schedule today: How to watch, predictions for play-in tournament games on April 19 – USA TODAY
Win or go home. Survive and advance. Do or die.
That’s what it all boils down to Friday during the final day of the NBA’s play-in tournament. Winners become the No. 8 seed and get thrown into the postseason bracket. Losers go home with a minor nibble of competing in playoff basketball.
Injuries could play a huge role in both games. The New Orleans Pelicans know they will have to fight off the Sacramento Kings without star forward Zion Williamson, who suffered a left hamstring injury in Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is out after spraining his knee in Wednesday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Eastern Conference’s defending champions will host the Chicago Bulls in the night’s first game.
Here’s what you need to know about the Friday’s NBA play-in tournament games:
The Bulls-Heat game will be televised on ESPN, while the Kings-Pelicans matchup will appear on TNT.
The Bulls and Heat split their four matchups this season, but their last matchup was on Dec. 16. The Bulls finished the season with a 39-43 record but stayed alive with a 131-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in their first play-in tournament game Wednesday. The Heat will be without star Jimmy Butler. The winner will play the Boston Celtics, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, in the first round.
The Pelicans were undefeated against the Kings in five regular-season games this year. If New Orleans should lose, it would be only the second team in NBA history a team went 49-33 or better and did not make the playoffs. The Kings avoided being sent home by ousting the Golden State Warriors 118-94 in their first play-in tournament game Tuesday. The winner will play the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the first round.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt contributed to this report.
