Breaking News: WELCOME BACK, NBA FANS! Long time no see, eh? I’m sure y’all have missed me about as much as the Pacers missed the playoffs. Speaking of the Pacers, what in Larry O’Brien’s name happened to Tyrese Haliburton, or, as some comment-section “analysts” have been calling him, Tyrese Haliburger? This new nickname for the injured star surfaced after his recent weight gain following a shingles diagnosis. The disease has delayed the guard’s return to the court, all on top of a recovering Achilles tear. In all seriousness, I honestly hope for a speedy recovery for Haliburton, who will hopefully return fully healthy at the start of the ’26-’27 season.

Play-Ins

The league MIGHT be back! On Monday and Tuesday night, I might have witnessed some of the best BASKETBALL that I’ve seen with my own two eyes.

East

9 vs 10: First up we have LaMelo Ball and the Hornets against the 83 point star, Bam Adebayo and the Heat. The matchup did not disappoint, with the game going to overtime after an explosive second half by Coby White and a game-winning layup by Ball. The biggest talking point, however, was Bam Adebayo’s injury, which was allegedly caused by LaMelo and upgraded to a flagrant 2 foul after the game (with a $35k fine issued to Ball), according to NBA.com. With the Hornets winning by just one point, they advance to face the Magic on Friday. One question remains: would the Heat be moving on instead if Adebayo didn’t allegedly get tripped?

7 vs 8: It’s safe to say Magic fans may kiss their playoff dreams goodbye with this performance against Philly. The only Orlando player who truly showed up was Desmond Bane by dropping 34 points, while Paolo Banchero only dropped 18 points on 36.5% true shooting. As for Philly, everyone contributed on Tuesday. Tyrese Maxey had 31 points, with five players having double-digits and Andre Drummond buried a dagger three to secure the game. The Sixers officially advance to face the Boston Celtics, while Orlando gets one more chance to qualify against Charlotte.

West

9 vs 10: WARDELL STEPHEN CURRY is STILL the GOAT! Many NBA analysts predicted Kawhi and the LA Clippers to SWEEP the Golden State Warriors. And honestly, I believed it too. Steph Curry had only recently come back from an over 20 game hiatus due to injury, and Kawhi Leonard has looked like a CYBORG on court. Leonard is averaging 27.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.6 apg, a career high in points for him that has dragged the Clippers out of the West’s “tankathon” and into play-in contention. Everything looked perfect, with the Clippers leading by 13 points halfway through the fourth quarter. Everything except for Al Horford and Steph Curry. Horford scored four three-pointers to close the deficit, with Curry nailing a dagger three to seal the game. The Warriors live on to face the Phoenix Suns this Friday. 

7 vs 8: The Portland Trailblazers desperately needed a break from mediocrity, with the ascension of Deni Avdija making it all possible. Going against the deep and veteran-loaded roster of the Phoenix Suns, Avdija shined in the best way possible. He had 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 12 assists to lead the Blazers to a comeback win in the clutch. The Suns will now face the Golden State Warriors, with the shining stars of Jalen Green and Devin Booker expected to show up big this Friday. Portland moves on to face the San Antonio Spurs. All I can say is “good luck.”

Conclusion

In the end, many NBA fans (unless their teams are struggling) barely even think about the NBA Play-Ins. In my opinion, however, I believe that the perseverance shown by this competition—the sheer hope that it gives fanbases—is a wonderful thing to witness. It is ironic, however, how the winners of the Play-In tournament are sent straight to the slaughterhouse to face the number one and two seeds of each conference. May the best teams win.