Reminder of how play-in works: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of game 7-8 gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of 9. -10 game for No. 8 seed.
Below you will find the options of our staff for the first round of the play-in matches as well as the exclusion game for the No. 8 seed.
(7) Brooklyn Nets vs. (8) Cleveland Cavaliers
Date: Tuesday 12 April Time: 7 p.m. ET | TV and live streaming: TNT
(7) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
Date: Tuesday 12 April Time: 9:30 p.m. ET | TV and live streaming: TNT
(9) Atlanta Hawks vs. (10) Charlotte Hornets
Date: Wednesday 13 April Time: 7 p.m. ET | TV and live streaming: ESPN
(9) New Orleans Pelicans vs. (10) San Antonio Spurs
Date: Wednesday 13 April Time: 9:30 p.m. ET | TV and live streaming: ESPN
No. 8 seed play-in game (East)
Bill Reiter: Hawks over Cavaliers
Brad Botkin: Hawks over Cavaliers
Colin Ward-Henninger: Hawks over Cavaliers
James Herbert: Hornets over Cavaliers
Sam Quinn: Hawks over Cavaliers
Jasmyn Wimbish: Hawks over Cavaliers
Jack Maloney: Hawks over Cavaliers
Michael Kaskey-Blomain: Cavaliers over Hawks
No. 8 seed play-in game (West)
Bill Reiter: The Clippers over the Spurs
Brad Botkin: Timberwolves over Pelicans
Colin Ward-Henninger: Timberwolves over Pelicans
James Herbert: The Timberwolves over the Pelicans
Sam Quinn: Pelicans over Clippers
Jasmyn Wimbish: Clippers over Pelicans
Jack Maloney: Pelicans over Timberwolves
Michael Kaskey-Blomain: Clippers over Spurs
