All articles tagged with #2026 sofi nba play in tournament
Friday’s SoFi Play-In doubleheader features East No. 9 Charlotte Hornets at No. 8 Orlando Magic (7:30 PM ET, Prime Video) and West No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 8 Phoenix Suns (10 PM ET, Prime Video). The preview highlights Paolo Banchero, LaMelo Ball, Devin Booker and Stephen Curry, with Ball vs. Suggs and Curry vs. Brooks as key matchups, and predicts Charlotte and Golden State will advance to the playoffs.
Stephen Curry scored 35 with seven 3-pointers as Golden State erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Clippers 126-121 in the SoFi Play-In, with Draymond Green locking down Kawhi Leonard and Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford providing key late scoring to push the Warriors toward a possible playoff berth.
Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball was fined $35,000 and assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 for unnecessary and reckless contact with Bam Adebayo during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament; he also received a $25,000 fine for profane language in a postgame interview.
Two Play-In games tip off the NBA postseason on Wednesday: East’s No. 8 Orlando Magic host No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers, and West’s No. 10 Golden State Warriors visit the No. 9 LA Clippers. Philadelphia will be without Joel Embiid due to appendicitis, with Adem Bona and Andre Drummond stepping in, while Stephen Curry has returned for Golden State. The article predicts an Orlando upset in the East and a Clippers win in the West, with the winners advancing to face Boston and Phoenix in the first round.
Charlotte rallied past Miami 127-126 in overtime to stay alive in the SoFi Play-In, led by LaMelo Ball’s vintage 30-point, 10-assist showing and a timely 19-point effort from Coby White off the bench. Bam Adebayo exited early with a lower-back injury, rookie Kon Knueppel struggled, and the Hornets dominated the boards with 17 offensive rebounds and 25 second-chance points, setting up a Friday showdown with Philadelphia or Orlando to determine the next round.
LaMelo Ball scored 30 points with 10 assists and Miles Bridges added 28 and 9 rebounds as the Charlotte Hornets outlasted the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime to open the SoFi Play-In. Coby White’s late regulation 3 forced OT, Ball hit a decisive driving layup with 4.7 seconds left in OT, and Bridges chased down Davion Mitchell’s potential winner to seal the win. The Heat played without Bam Adebayo (back injury), and Charlotte moves on to face the Philly-Orlando loser for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, capturing its first postseason home win in a decade.
Tuesday’s SoFi Play-In features East No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Charlotte Hornets and West No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 Phoenix Suns, with previews highlighting Charlotte’s 3-point shooting and Bam Adebayo’s matchup, plus Devin Booker vs. Jrue Holiday as marquee duels; the Hornets and Suns are favored to advance to the next round in their respective brackets.