The excitement of the NBA 2025 Play-In tournament left two more qualifiers for the Playoffs.
This Tuesday, Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic sealed their pass to the Playoffs, beating Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks, respectively, in games with contrasts but with great individual performances.
Experience and character
At the Chase Center in San Francisco, the Warriors won 121-116 against a feisty Grizzlies.
They saw their star player Ja Morant suffer a sprained ankle in the third quarter. Although he returned to the court, his performance was limited.
The Stephen Curry-Jimmy Butler duo was decisive.
Curry closed with 37 points, including two key three-pointers in the final minutes and perfect efficiency from the free throw line (13/13).
Butler, meanwhile, showed his usual NBA playoff mettle and signed a 38-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist sheet, dominating for three quarters.
Steve Kerr’s team, which reached the playoffs after an irregular final stretch of the season, will now face the Houston Rockets, the surprise second place team in the West, in the first round.
Shine in the East
In the Eastern Conference, Orlando Magic left no doubts and defeated the Atlanta Hawks 120-95.
The Florida team dominated from the first quarter with solid defense and a hot bench.
Cole Anthony was the big star, coming off the bench with 26 points and a +32 differential.
Anthony Black, another substitute, also stood out with 16 points.
The postseason generates expectations about possible surprises
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For the starters, Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 19 units, while Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner were not so good, although they contributed with rebounds and assists.
For the Hawks, Trae Young finished with 28 points, but was ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving two technical fouls, amid frustration over the poor collective performance.
Atlanta will now have one last chance this Friday against the winner of the Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat matchup.
What’s next in the playoffs
Buzzy
With these wins, the first round of the NBA Playoffs 2025 now has new pairings:
Golden State Warriors (7th) vs. Houston Rockets (2nd)
Orlando Magic (7th) vs. Boston Celtics (2nd)
Both teams will face important challenges against opponents with better regular season records, but come with momentum and in-form players.
For U.S. Hispanics, both the Warriors and Magic have a loyal following, and this advance to the postseason raises expectations of possible surprises.
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