The NBA kicks off its second Play-In Tournament this week and it seems like a concept that will become a permanent fixture in the league.
The tournament presents a chance for some more teams to fight for a playoff spot, as the teams in the seventh, eighth, ninth, and 10th spots will face off to earn the final two spots in the playoff bracket in their respective conferences.
In the Eastern Conference, every team taking part has at least 43 wins. The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets finished the season with identical 43-39 records and will be facing off in the 9 vs. 10 game. The game will be played in Atlanta as they won the tiebreaker.
This should be very competitive, as these Southeast Division members know each other well. They split their regular-season series with each team winning twice. Each team picked up a victory on the other’s home floor as well.
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This is a win-or-go-home scenario, as the loser of this game heads into the NBA Draft Lottery. The winner will face off with the loser of the other game in the NBA Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference between the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
There will be some important things to keep an eye on during the matchup that will help a team come out on top. Here are three keys to the game between the Hornets and Hawks.
