NBA: Predicting which teams will make the Play-In Tournament in the East

Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
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P.J. Washington
P.J. Washington (Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)

10th seed – Charlotte Hornets

Mostly due to the process of elimination, the Charlotte Hornets are likely going to finish as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The New York Knicks appear to be dead in the water and I’m not betting on the Bradley Beal-less Washington Wizards to jump ahead of the Hornets in the standings.

There’s a lot to like about the Hornets but they’re still very much a work in progress. The good news is that they’re on the right track and LaMelo Ball appears to be a star in the making.

The Hornets are a fun team to watch and could particularly be fun in a one-game sample. This is a team that you absolutely don’t want to see in a winner-take-all matchup. The Hornets sneak into the play-in tournament and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if they won a game or clinched the 8th seed.