Darren and Vic's NBA Playoff Playbook: Play-In Round

Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2025

by Darren Worrell, Victor Lisboa

Need some playoff coverage? You’re in the right place. If you’ve been following Darren’s Takes and Vic’s Nightcaps all season, you already know what we’re about. Now that the regular season has officially wrapped up, we’re teaming up for the postseason. 

Welcome to “Darren and Vic’s Playoff Playbook,” where we’ll break down everything from pregame previews to postgame recaps. But before the playoffs begin, we’ve got the 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, where the Nos. 7 through 10 seeds in each conference battle to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Let’s start out West, where the season literally went down to the wire. The Lakers and Nuggets secured the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, but the No. 5 and No. 6 spots were undecided until the final day. If the Timberwolves had lost and the Warriors had won, Golden State would have taken the No. 6 seed, pushing Minnesota into the play-in. But that’s not how it played out. 

The Clippers took down the Warriors in a tight one, 124-119, locking up the No. 5 seed. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves handled their business against the Jazz, winning 116-105. That means, for the second straight year, the Warriors find themselves back in the play-in tournament, fighting to extend their season.

This year, though, Golden State is in a slightly better spot as the No. 7 seed and will take on the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, led by none other than Ja Morant. While Golden State holds a 3-1 advantage in the regular-season series, this matchup is far from a lock. Back in 2021, Memphis knocked the Warriors out of the play-in behind a 35-point performance from Morant. 

This time, the Warriors have Jimmy Butler, someone they didn’t have then. Butler’s presence has been huge in games where Stephen Curry hasn’t been at his best, but his health is a concern — he was noticeably limping during the loss to the Clippers. Golden State will need him close to full strength if it wants to get past Memphis. The winner advances to face the second-seeded Houston Rockets, while the loser gets one last shot in the final play-in game.

The other Western Conference play-in game features the ninth-seeded Dallas Mavericks taking on the 10th-seeded Sacramento Kings, two teams that made bold roster moves this past year. Sacramento revamped by trading Harrison Barnes to the Spurs and Chris Duarte to the Bulls, landing DeMar DeRozan in the process. Later, the Kings reunited DeRozan with his former teammate Zach LaVine in a deal that sent De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs.

Meanwhile, Dallas pulled off one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, sending Luka Dončić to the Lakers in exchange for All-Star forward Anthony Davis. The deal raised eyebrows but has worked out for the Mavericks so far. Despite being swept by the Kings 3-0 in the regular season, the playoffs are a clean slate. Any team with Anthony Davis has a real shot, and this matchup doesn’t have a clear favorite. It’s what some would call a coin-flip game, one of the most intriguing of its kind.

Now let’s head east, where things were a bit more predictable. The top six seeds were locked in well before the final day, but that doesn’t mean the play-in lacks excitement. First up: the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic, a team defined by its elite defense and struggling offense. They ranked 29th in scoring at just 105.4 points per game but posted the best defensive rating in the league. 

Orlando’s attack is led by Paolo Banchero, who averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists despite missing time. Franz Wagner, also limited by injuries, still averaged 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 60 games.

The Magic’s biggest issue? Three-point shooting. They finished last in the league at 31.8% from deep, a stat that could haunt them in a close game. Their opponent, the Atlanta Hawks, are the complete opposite. Atlanta ranked fifth in offense at 118.2 points per game, but its defense allowed 119.3 points, good for 27th in the league. 

Trae Young led the NBA in assists (11.6) while averaging 24.2 points. Jalen Johnson, despite playing only 36 games, averaged 18.9 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Rookie Zaccharie Risacher finished the season on a high note and is firmly in the Rookie of the Year conversation. This should be a fun one!

Rounding out the play-in is a rematch of last year’s showdown: the ninth-seeded Chicago Bulls vs. the 10th-seeded Miami Heat. Chicago began the season with Zach LaVine but dealt him before the deadline in a three-team trade. Since then, the Bulls have embraced a new identity built around youth and energy. Rookie Matas Buzelis, the 11th overall pick in 2024, has been a revelation. 

Josh Giddey and Coby White anchor the backcourt, with White leading the team in scoring at 20.6 points per game. Meanwhile, veteran big man Nikola Vucevic continues to deliver reliable production with 18.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

Miami’s season has been filled with turmoil. The biggest headline came when the team traded Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, receiving Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and a 2025 first-round pick in return. Since then, Tyler Herro has taken over the lead scoring role, averaging a career-best 23.9 points and earning his first All-Star selection. 

Bam Adebayo has remained steady with averages of 18 points and 9 rebounds, while rookie big man Kel’el Ware has quietly impressed in a complementary role. This should be an intriguing rematch from last year’s play-in tournament.

So, the table is set. The matchups are juicy, and the road to the playoffs officially begins here. The 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament is already delivering the kind of drama we live for. Stay locked in. “Darren and Vic’s Playoff Playbook” is just getting started!

Darren Worrell can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu. 

Victor Lisboa can be reached at victor.lisboa@student.shu.edu. 

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