Play in Tournament Preview
By Steve Risser
The play in tournament is this week and the NBA could not have asked for more. You have 2 iconic franchises in the Lakers and the Celtics. 2 of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA in Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook. You also have 2 of the best young point guards in LaMelo Ball and Ja Morant.
Western Conference
Let’s start with the match up everyone wanted- Lebron James and the Lakers going up against Steph Curry and the Warriors. Even though this a star-studded match up, the Lakers are the much better team. If the Warriors want any chance of winning, they would need Steph to go for 40 and they would need to contain Lebron or AD. I think the Lakers win by at least double digits and move on to face the Suns in the first round. The 2nd play in match up in the Western Conference is the Spurs and Grizzlies this should this be a really competitive game. They both have good guard play in the Spurs with Dejounte Murray and Grizzlies with Ja Morant, but I think the difference will be the inside game of Jonas Valanciunas and that’s why I think the Grizzlies will play the Warriors for the 8th seed Friday night.
West Predictions
Lakers over Warriors to get the 7th seed
Grizzlies over Spurs to play for the 8th seed
Warriors over Grizzlies to get the 8h seed
Eastern Conference
There’s an interesting matchup in the Eastern Conference between the Wizards and Celtics but I think the Celtics are going to miss Jalen Brown in this game and Tatum is going to have trouble keeping up with Beal and Westbrook. That’s why I think the Wizards get the 7 seed and take on the Nets. In the 2nd match up, the Hornets take on the Pacers this should be a really good game but I think the difference is going to be the Pacers experience and the Hornets don’t have an inside player like that the Pacers do with Domantas Sabonis. That’s why I think the Pacers play the Celtics for the 8th seed Thursday night.
East Predictions
Wizards over Celtics to get the 7th seed
Pacers over Hornets to play for the 8th seed
Celtics over Pacers to get the 8th seed