2023 NBA play-in tournament: By the numbers
The 2023 NBA playoffs are here — but first, a few teams still have some work to do in the play-in tournament.
Four teams from each conference will participate in the pre-postseason tournament, battling for the seventh and eighth seeds in their respective conferences before the playoffs officially begin on April 15.
Everything you need to know about the play-in tournament, including the rules and TV schedule, can be found here.
Here are the numbers to know before things get underway on Tuesday.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTA HAWKS (8) @ MIAMI HEAT (7)
3-1: The Heat's regular-season record against the Hawks this season, with a point differential of +2.5 in those matchups.
118.4: Points per game the Hawks averaged this season, which was the third-most in the NBA.
49.5: Heat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo averaged a combined 49.5 PPG against the Hawks this season. Butler played in three of Miami's four regular-season games against Atlanta.
26.2: Atlanta's Trae Young averaged 26.2 points during the regular season. Against the Heat, Young averaged 19.8 points.
30: The Heat were last in the league (30th) in scoring at 109.5 PPG and the only team not to average at least 110.0 PPG.
CHICAGO BULLS (10) @ TORONTO RAPTORS (9)
2-1: The Raptors' regular-season record against the Bulls this season, with a point differential of +0.3 in those matchups.
41.9: The Bulls shot 49% from the field during the regular season, fourth-best in the NBA.
40: Toronto's Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet averaged a combined 40.0 PPG against the Bulls this season.
23.5: Bulls star Zach LaVine averaged 23.5 PPG on 38.5% shooting from 3 against the Raptors this season. LaVine played in two of Chicago's three regular-season games against Toronto.
17: Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is one of only five players in the league averaging 17.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.
33.5: The Raptors shot 33.5% from 3 this season, the third-worst percentage in the league behind Charlotte and Houston.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(8) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES @ (7) LOS ANGELES LAKERS
2-1: The Wolves went 2-1 against the Lakers this season, winning by nine points in each of their wins.
20-12: Anthony Davis is averaging 25.9 PPG and 12.5 RPG, making him the only player in the league to average 20 points and 12 rebounds.
20-8-6: LeBron James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists this season, making him one of three players to average 20 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
7: The Lakers are one of seven teams in the league to average 117 points in the regular season.
30: Earlier this year, LeBron James became the first player in NBA history to record 100 30-point games with three different franchises.
12: The Lakers won the only game against the Wolves in which James and Davis both played, winning by 12.
20: Anthony Edwards failed to score 20-plus points in two of the three games against the Lakers this season (both losses). This season, when Edwards doesn’t score 20-plus points, the Wolves are 11-13. When he did score 20 or more, they are 31-27.
19.7: Edwards averaged 24.6 points this season, but only 19.7 points against the Lakers.
43.9: The Wolves shot 49% from the field this season (T-third best in NBA), but just 43.9% from the field against the Lakers.
15.3: The Timberwolves averaged 15.3 turnovers per game (T-fourth most in the NBA).
.500: The Timberwolves are 12-12 since acquiring Mike Conley.
(10) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER @ (9) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
3-1: The Pelicans went 3-1 against the Thunder this season. The Thunder’s one victory against the Pelicans saw them win by 14 points, while the three wins for the Pelicans were by a combined 10 points.
33.5: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 33.5 points on 45.7% shooting against the Pelicans this season (played in all four games).
42.9: The Thunder shot 42.9% from the floor against the Pelicans this season, almost four points lower than their season average of 46.5%. The Thunder shot 32.1% from 3 against the Pelicans, below their average of 35.6% from 3 this season.
117.5: The Thunder averaged 117.5 points this season, fifth-most in the NBA
15: The Thunder are 11-4 this season when hitting more than 15 3-pointers.
7: Brandon Ingram and SGA are tied for the league lead with seven 30-point games since March 17.
1: The Pelicans have had just one of their trio of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Ingram in each of their four games against the Thunder.
8.3: The Pelicans averaged 8.3 steals per game, second-most in the NBA.
110: The Pelicans were just 4-23 this season when scoring less than 110 points, with two of those wins coming against the Thunder.
15-5: The Pelicans were 15-5 this season when Trey Murphy hit four or more 3-pointers.
Read more:
- 2023 NBA Playoff Picture, Bracket: Matchups, seeds
- NBA investigating Mavericks for 'roster decisions' vs. Bulls on Friday
- Will a title make Kevin Durant the NBA's best player?
- NBA Front Office Confidential: Whose championship window is closing?
- NBA Roundtable: How dangerous are the Kevin Durant-led Suns?
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