NBA Playoffs: 2022 Play-In Tournament matchups and predictions
By Zach Wolpin
Eastern Conference: Atlanta Hawks (9th seed) vs. Charlotte Hornets (10th seed)
The seventh and eighth seeds in the East ended with the exact same record, and so did the ninth and tenth seeds. Atlanta and Charlotte are both 43-39 heading into the Play-In Tournament.
Atlanta is led by 23-year-old point guard Trae Young. He became the first player ever to finish first in total points and assists in both D-1 basketball and the NBA. Young is a special player and it was evident even before he was in college or the NBA.
After reading that stat, it seems pretty obvious that Trae led the team in points (28.4) and assists (9.7) per game. The Hawks have a lot of solid NBA talent like John Collins, Clint Capela, Danilo Gallinari, and De’Andre Hunter. One player is not going to be able to do everything for the team, but Young sure does a lot of work to try and help his team win.
The Hornets are not a team that can be slept on, even if they are the 10th seed. Charlotte’s lineup is balanced and all their players are selfless. You can see how much fun the Hornets are having every night, even if they don’t win every game.
Charlotte plays at an extremely fast pace and they love turning defense into offense. LaMelo Ball controls the offense and loves to throw flashy passes. His 7.6 assists per game lead the Hornets.
Consistency is key in anything in life, and it stays true for the NBA. The Hornets have had consistency in LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Terry Rozier, who all played 72 or more games this season. Ball and Bridges both average 20 points or more per game, and Rozier’s 19.2 per game helps the team as well.
Prediction: Hornets win and will play the loser of 7 vs. 8, for the right to the 8th and final seed.