Only two spots remain in the NBA playoff field and they’ll be awarded to the winners of Friday’s play-in tournament games.
The battle for the 8-seed in the East comes down to the Hawks and Cavaliers. Atlanta beat Charlotte on Wednesday to stay alive and now travels to Cleveland, which lost to the Nets on Tuesday but gets another chance to earn a spot in the postseason. The winner will play the No. 1 Heat with that series tipping off Sunday afternoon.
In the Western Conference, the Pelicans and Clippers will meet in Los Angeles.