NBA Play-In: Hornets, Magic face off for East playoff spot

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NBA Play-In: Hornets, Magic face off for East playoff spot image

Photo by David Berding, Helen McGinnis/Getty Images

By Rafael Bandayrel

It all comes down to one game for the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic, who meet Saturday morning (PH time) with the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot hanging in the balance.

The winner moves on to face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the opening round. The loser sees its season come to an end.

Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images

Charlotte enters with a slight edge, having taken three of four meetings against Orlando this season. The Hornets have also shown resilience, most recently punching their ticket with a win over the Miami Heat.

It was a game that drew attention for LaMelo Ball’s late-game heroics and controversy. Ball hit the decisive shot in that outing, but also escaped what the league later said should have been a flagrant foul and ejection. Now, the spotlight remains firmly on him as Charlotte looks to carry its momentum into another high-pressure environment.

Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

For Orlando, consistency has been elusive. The Magic dropped their previous play-in game to the Philadelphia 76ers and have struggled against the Hornets all season, losing the last three meetings by a combined 61 points.

Still, the opportunity is there for Paolo Banchero and the Magic to reset. Playing at home could provide a needed boost, especially with their season on the line.

There are also personal stakes in play. For example, Charlotte’s Miles Bridges, a veteran of over 500 regular-season games, has yet to experience the playoffs. One win would finally change that.

With both teams facing elimination, expect urgency, physicality, and little margin for error. In a game where narratives can shift in an instant, only one side will get the chance to keep writing its story.

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