NBA Postseason action is officially in session, starting off with the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers securing their slots in the Playoffs.
Two more teams have been added to the 2023 NBA Playoffs earlier today, as the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers came out victorious after the first round of the Play-In Tournament.
Here’s how the two games went down:
Hawks defeat Heat
Trae Young led the Atlanta Hawks’ effort, scoring 25 points to help boost the Atlanta Hawks over the Miami Heat to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
The Hawks bench also combined to score a total of 53 points to take a 116-105 win right in front of Miami’s home crowd.
With the victory, the Atlanta Hawks will be facing the second-seeded Boston Celtics on Sunday morning (Manila time) for their first-round playoff series.
Meanwhile, the hunt for a playoff berth is still not over for Miami, as they will be facing the winner of tomorrow’s game between the Toronto Raptors and the Chicago Bulls for a chance to secure the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference.
Lakers defeat Timberwolves
Hosting the eighth-seeded Mineesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers locked in a slot in the 2023 NBA Playoffs with a win in overtime.
The Timberwolves came into this matchup with a disadvantage, as they came on the court without injured players Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid. On top of this, Rudy Gobert also sat out following a one-game suspension.
Despite this, Minnesota still put Los Angeles to the test, creating a lead 60-49 by the end of the first half. However, the Lakers finally managed to outscore the Wolves in the third and fourth quarters and take a three-point lead after Schroder scored a three with just 1.4 seconds left on the clock. But a foul by Davis on Conley on a three sent the game into overtime.
The Timberwolves struggled on the offensive end throughout overtime, allowing the Lakers to lead the way to an NBA Playoff berth, ending with a score of 108-102.
With their victory, the Lakers will advance to the NBA Playoffs as the seventh seed in the West. As such, they will be facing the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the first-round series.
On the other hand, the Timberwolves will be facing the winner of tomorrow’s game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Oklahoma City Thunder in a fight for the last slot in the Playoffs.
Which teams do you think will complete the full NBA Playoffs picture?
Banner images from Lakers and Hawks on Twitter.
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