
Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
The NBA play-in game on April 15 features the Philadelphia 76ers facing the Orlando Magic, with the winner advancing to play the Boston Celtics in Round 1 of the playoffs. Key matchups, particularly between point guards Jalen Suggs and Tyrese Maxey, will influence the game's outcome.
The NBA play-in games on April 14 kicked off the playoffs, and they were an all-time watch. The Charlotte Hornets eliminated the Miami Heat on a LaMelo Ball game-winning layup in overtime, and the Trail Blazers used Deni Avdija to slide past the Suns for a playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs.
Hopefully, April 15ās games are just as entertaining, with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic squaring off. The winner will face the No. 2 Boston Celtics in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs. Matchups will be key in determing the outcome of this series.
Tyrese Maxey
Right away, you donāt need to look far in the lineup to find a key matchup. This is a matchup between two point guards who have vastly different roles and play-styles for their teams.
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Jalen Suggs is a solid, not spectacular option on offense, with 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. However, his defensive capabilities make him a lot more valuable. He earned Defensive Player of the Year votes in 2023-24, and I wouldnāt be surprised if he earned more this season. He has a staggering 1.8 defensive box plus/minus, averaging the no. 11 most steals in the game (1.8 SPG).
Tyrese Maxey, however, is a superstar talent and arguably the best point guard in the game right now. He has 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. He made his second All-Star appearance this season, and heās above average on defense too (0.5 DBPM, 1.9 SPG). As a result, Maxey should win this one easily.
Winner: Tyrese Maxey
The shooting guard is also a matchup of contrasting backgrounds: a young, exciting rookie (Edgecombe) against a reliable veteran (Bane) that the Magic ponied a lot of first-round draft picks for.
The Magic struggled to shoot threes last season, ranking dead last in the league with a .318 3P%. They got Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies to improve the spacing significantly, but so far, that gamble hasnāt paid off. Bane is still a very good player, averaging 20.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while leading the Magic in three-point percentage (39.1%). However, heās shown more offensive chops in Memphis than in Orlando.
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Edgecombe, meanwhile, has been spectacular as a rookie. The contributions of Cooper Flagg with the Mavericks and Kon Knueppel with the Hornets have overshadowed how well Edgecombe has done in Philadelphia, but he deserves his props too. Heās averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. The only knock on him has been his efficiency, as heās shooting just 43.8% from the field.
Due to that, Desmond Bane wins this matchup. Bane is a better shooter, although Edgecombe is marginally better at defense, with his -0.1 DBPM barely above Baneās -0.2 DBPM. Bane also has experience in postseason basketball, whereas Edgecombe is a rookie.
Winner: Desmond Bane
Losing Franz Wagner was the biggest reason why the Magic didnāt secure a playoff spot instead of a play-in game. Wagner has played in just 33 games due to various leg injuries, but since he came back into the lineup on April 1, the Magic are 5-2.
That makes all the sense. Wagner is arguably the best player on the Magic, with 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He could be the leading scorer in any given Magic game.
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Unfortunately, his impact dwarfs Kelly Oubre Jr.ās with the 76ers. Oubre Jr. is a decent starting option, with 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. However, heās never had a positive box plus/minus, and heās earned a -1.4 this season. Wagner should win this matchup by a landslide.
Winner: Franz Wagner
This is the biggest matchup of the game. At first glance, Banchero looks like the better player by a wide margin. He has a team-leading 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, while George has 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
However, Paul George is a better defender than Banchero. George has earned DPOY votes four times in his career (2012-13, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2018-19), and even outside of his prime, he still has an above-average 0.7 DBPM, where Banchero sits at a 0.0 DBPM.
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Sure, George hasnāt been that efficient, shooting 43.9% from the field, but Banchero isnāt much better. He has a 45.9% shooting percentage, but just a 30.5% percentage from behind the arc. As a result of the advanced metrics, George earns the victory despite Banchero looking better on the box score.
Winner: Paul George
This matchup wouldāve gone the 76ers way if Joel Embiid was playing. Unfortunately, the talented big man was ruled out for this game, which is a huge blow to the 76ersā offensive attack.
Wendell Carter Jr. is available for the Magic. Heās not a focal point on the offense, with just 11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, but heās able to score over 20 points every now and then, such as against April 3 against Dallas when he scored 28 points.
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He would be better than any other option the 76ers have at center. My guess would be Adem Bona, and the second-year center has just 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. He hasnāt scored 20 points or higher in any game this season, and while heās an above-average defensive center (1.2 blocks per game, 0.3 DBPM), he probably wouldnāt make a bigger impact than Carter Jr.
Winner: Wendell Carter Jr.
The Magic and 76ers donāt rely on their bench. Theyāre both near the bottom in bench points, with the 76ers ranking no. 29 (32.4 PPG) and the Magic ranking no. 28 (32.6 PPG). Theyāre similarly structured too.
Both teams have a guard thatās producing better than some starters. Anthony Black of the Magic has taken a step forward offensively (15.0 PPG), while Quentin Grimes continues to make the Mavericks regret trading him.
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As a result, the starters are the biggest factors in this game. With the 76ers losing Joel Embiid in this game, I donāt know if they can recover from that. The Magic have been amazing with Franz Wagner back in the lineup, so I believe they keep up their torrid pace and win by double-digits against the 76ers.
Winner: Orlando Magic
This game will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET, and the winner will face the no. 2 Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will take on the Charlotte Hornets, who had a dramatic overtime victory over the Miami Heat.
All odds are through DraftKings
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, callĀ 1-800-GAMBLER.
The Philadelphia 76ers are playing against the Orlando Magic in the NBA play-in game on April 15.
The winner of the 76ers vs. Magic game will face the Boston Celtics in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs.
Key player matchups include point guards Jalen Suggs from the Magic and Tyrese Maxey from the 76ers.
On April 14, the Charlotte Hornets eliminated the Miami Heat, and the Trail Blazers defeated the Suns to advance in the playoffs.

Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
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