The first confirmed postseason match-up was decided on Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers were officially eliminated from postseason contention. The San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans will face off in the NBA Play-In Tournament that begins on April 12th.
Both the Pelicans and Spurs come into the postseason riding successful stretches post-All Star break. The Pelicans (12-8 since the break) have been enjoying the addition of veteran CJ McCollum, who has provided a scoring boon in his short tenure with New Orleans.
The Spurs (11-9 since the break), have been thriving thanks to the season-long success of MIP candidate Dejounte Murray. Murray is averaging career highs in points, assists, rebounds, and steals in his 67 starts with the Spurs.
The Play-In Tournament is an exciting addition to the NBA postseason. New Orleans and San Antonio, who would otherwise miss the playoffs, have a single elimination opportunity to sneak into the playoffs for a chance to face off against the league-leading Phoenix Suns.
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The single-elimination structure of the Play-In Tournament makes it all the more exciting – and all the more difficult to predict. While it’s impossible to say how the shots will fall on a given night, there are several key factors that will decide this pivotal matchup.
Let’s look at three things to watch that could decide who advances in the 2022 Play-In.
