The NBA's win-or-go-home finales of the play-in tournament are set to take place on Friday night, with all four teams dealing with significant injury concerns.
In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat will be facing the Chicago Bulls, while the New Orleans Pelicans will take on the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference. Both Miami and New Orleans will have home-court advantages for their matchups.
The Miami Heat are preparing to play without key players such as Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, and possibly Duncan Robinson due to injuries. On the other hand, the Chicago Bulls are dealing with the absence of guard Alex Caruso, who suffered a sprained ankle in their recent game against Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans will be without star player Zion Williamson, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Sacramento Kings have been missing Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk due to injuries in recent weeks.
Despite the challenges posed by these injuries, all four teams are gearing up for intense matchups to secure the No. 8 seeds on the playoff bracket. The winners of Friday night's games will advance to face the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, with the playoff series set to begin on Sunday.
Both the Bulls-Heat and Kings-Pelicans games are expected to be highly competitive, with teams vying for a chance to advance to the next round of the playoffs. The Heat and Pelicans are determined to overcome their injury setbacks and put up strong performances in front of their home fans.
As the teams prepare for the crucial play-in games, the stage is set for thrilling matchups and high-stakes basketball action. Fans can expect to see intense battles on the court as the teams fight for a spot in the playoffs.
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