Quebecers Chris Boucher, of the Toronto Raptors, and Luguentz Dort, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, each have one one-night game to play on Wednesday night as the NBA playoffs begin.
Boucher and the Raptors (41-41) therefore face the Chicago Bulls (40-42), in Toronto, in a match of the mini-tournament “play-in” between the teams having finished at 9e and 10e Eastern Conference Rankings ranks.
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In the event of a victory, Boucher and his teammates will then meet on Friday against the losers of the game between the Miami Heat (7) and the Atlanta Hawks (8).
The present “play-in” formula, which pits four teams from each association (positions 7 to 10), has been in effect since 2021 in the NBA. While the format isn’t familiar to everyone, it’s important to remember that Boucher and the Raptors have no choice but to win against the Bulls if they hope to continue playing.
Luguentz Dort against the Pelicans
The situation is similar for Quebecer Luguentz Dort and the Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42) as they finished the regular season 10e level of the Western Association. In this case, Dort and his teammates will be the visitors of the New Orleans Pelicans (42-40).
By winning this game, the Thunder would qualify for another one-night stand on Friday against the losers of the game between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers (7) at the Minnesota Timberwolves (8). The winners of the matches between the teams having finished in seventh and eighth place advance to the main draw.