3 NBA Play-In Tournament matchups that would be must-see TV for fans
These potential matchups could increase the NBA Play-In Tournament hype tenfold.
By Dalton Sell
We've officially reached the single digit mark for regular season games left for every single NBA team.
The postseason is rapidly approaching, but with the standings ever-changing every single day and the newly implemented Play-In Tournament on the horizon, first-round matchups are far from set in stone. With all of that said, let us look at the current picture and rank three play-in matchups that would be for the books if they aligned.
No. 3 - Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers are currently seventh and eighth in the Eastern Conference and appear to be on a collision course in the Play-In Tournament.
This matchup would feature plenty of storylines, most notably Miami's Jimmy Butler taking on his former team in the postseason once again. The last time these two met in the playoffs, Butler led Miami to a win and famously said, "Tobias Harris over me?" For those who don't know, Butler left Philadelphia to join Miami after the 76ers seemingly opted to re-sign Harris over him.
The veteran clearly holds some animosity toward the organization, which could add some fuel to the fire in this matchup as he aims to continue proving they were wrong to let him go.
On top of that, Joel Embiid's return is looming. Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid is likely to return from his knee injury before the end of the regular season. Given that he's been out of the lineup since January 30, he could be rusty upon returning, but when healthy, Embiid is one of the NBA's best, averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season.
These two teams may be the biggest wildcards in the playoff picture. The Heat have shown over the past few years that no matter where they are in the standings, they can make a run at the NBA Finals. If Embiid can pick up where he left off, the 76ers can be dangerous. A matchup between these teams would showcase the type of environment the Play-In Tournament was made to house.