The NBA postseason is finally here, but there are still a few playoff berths up for grabs. The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks face off tonight aiming to claim one of those spots via the Play-In Tournament.
While the West bracket is almost set, with the final seed to be contested between the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, the East matchups will start today.
The Miami Heat will play the Philadelphia 76ers for the seventh seed, with the Bulls hosting the Hawks a few hours later to try and remain alive in the playoff push. Here, let’s take a look at the possible scenarios.
What happens if the Bulls win
If the Bulls beat the Hawks tonight, they will set up a meeting against the Heat or Sixers on Friday with the #8 seed on the line. Chicago finished 9th in the regular season with a 39-43 record, while Atlanta was 10th at 36-46.
The Play-In Tournament makes the 9-10 face off for a chance to fight for the last playoff spot against the winner of the 7-8 game (in this case, Philadelphia and Miami, respectively).
The team that claims the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference will have to face the #1 seed Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. It won’t be easy, but the Heat already proved last year an #8 seed can pull off a shock.
What happens if the Bulls lose
If the Bulls lose to the Hawks tonight, their playoff chances will be over. In that case, Atlanta will get a shot at the #8 seed, sending Chicago home. This is what happened to the Golden State Warriors in the West, as the Dubs lost to the Kings in the 9-10 game.