Examining All Play-In Matchup Scenarios for the Eastern Conference

All four teams in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament will be fighting for seeding on Sunday.

It's hard to believe, but the 2021-22 NBA regular season is about to come to a close this Sunday. The Eastern Conference standings are very tight, especially the four teams that will be playing in the play-in tournament - Brooklyn, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Charlotte. 

There are several scenarios that could play out, so in order to better understand who the Hornets will face and where we laid out each possible scenario below along with the current standings and the matchups heading into Sunday.

Notes for two-team tiebreaker:

(1) Better winning percentage in games against each other (2) Division leader wins a tie over a team not leading a division (3) Division won-lost percentage (only if teams are in same division) (4) Conference won-lost percentage (5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position) (6) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in other conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position) (7) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”)

Notes for three or four-team tiebreaker:

Division leader wins tie from team not leading a division (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division) (2) Better winning percentage in all games among the tied teams (3) Division won-lost percentage (only if all teams are in same division) (4) Conference won-lost percentage (5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position) (6) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”)

Current standings

7. Nets 43-38

8. Cavaliers 43-38

9. Hawks 42-39

10. Hornets 42-39

Sunday's matchups

Pacers at Nets

Bucks at Cavaliers

Hawks at Rockets

Wizards at Hornets

Scenario 1

Nets beat Pacers, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Hawks beat Rockets, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Nets 44-38 (3-1 vs Cavaliers)

8. Cavaliers 44-38 (1-3 vs Nets)

9. Hawks 43-39 (9-7 vs Southeast division)

10. Hornets 43-39 (8-8 vs Southeast division)

Play-in matchups: Cavaliers at Nets, Hornets at Hawks

Scenario 2

Pacers beat Nets, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Rockets beat Hawks, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Nets 43-39 (3-1 vs Cavaliers)

8. Cavaliers 43-39 (1-3 vs Nets)

9. Hawks 42-40 (2-2 vs Hornets, 9-7 vs Southeast division)

10. Hornets 42-40 (2-2 vs Hawks, 7-9 vs Southeast division)

Play-in matchups: Cavaliers at Nets, Hornets at Hawks

Scenario 3

Nets beat Pacers, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Hawks beat Rockets, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Nets 44-38

8. Hawks 43-39 (2-2 vs Hornets, 3-1 vs Cavaliers, 5-3 combined)

9. Hornets 43-39 (2-2 vs Hawks, 2-2 vs Cavaliers, 4-4 combined)

10. Cavaliers 43-39 (2-2 vs Hornets, 1-3 vs Hawks, 3-5 combined)

Play-in matchups: Hawks at Nets, Cavaliers at Hornets

Scenario 4

Nets beat Pacers, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Hawks beat Rockets, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Nets 44-38

8. Hawks 43-39 (3-1 vs Cavaliers)

9. Cavaliers 43-39 (1-3 vs Hawks)

10. Hornets 42-40

Play-in matchups: Hawks at Nets, Hornets at Cavaliers

Scenario 5

Nets beat Pacers, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Rockets beat Hawks, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Nets 44-38 (3-1 vs Cavaliers)

8. Cavaliers 44-38 (1-3 vs Nets)

9. Hornets 43-39

10. Hawks 42-40

Play-in matchups: Cavaliers at Nets, Hawks at Hornets 

Scenario 6

Nets beat Pacers, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Rockets beat Hawks, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Nets 44-38

8. Cavaliers 43-39

9. Hawks 42-40 (2-2 vs Hornets, 9-7 vs Southeast division)

10. Hornets 42-40 (2-2 vs Hawks, 7-9 vs Southeast division)

Play-in matchups: Cavaliers at Nets, Hornets at Hawks

Scenario 7 

Pacers beat Nets, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Rockets beat Hawks, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Nets 43-39 (3-1 vs Cavaliers, 1-2 vs Hornets, 4-3 combined - 57%)

8. Hornets 43-39 (2-1 vs Nets, 2-2 vs Cavaliers, 3-3 combined - 50%)

9. Cavaliers 43-39 (1-3 vs Nets, 2-2 vs Hornets, 3-5 combined - 37%)

10. Hawks 42-40 

Play-in matchups: Hornets at Nets, Hawks at Cavaliers

Scenario 8

Pacers beat Nets, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Hawks beat Rockets, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Cavaliers 44-38

8. Hornets 43-39 (2-2 vs Hawks, 2-1 vs Nets, 4-3 combined - 57%)

9. Nets 43-39 (1-2 vs Hornets, 2-1 vs Hawks, 3-3 combined - 50%)

10. Hawks 43-39 (2-2 vs Hornets, 1-2 vs Nets, 3-4 combined - 42%)

Play-in matchups: Hornets at Cavaliers, Hawks at Nets

Scenario 9

Pacers beat Nets, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Hawks beat Rockets, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Nets 43-39 (2-1 vs Hawks, 3-1 vs Cavaliers, 5-2 combined - 71%)

8.. Hawks 43-39 (1-2 vs Nets, 3-1 vs Cavaliers, 4-3 combined - 57%)

9. Cavaliers 43-39 (1-3 vs Nets, 1-3 vs Hawks, 2-6 combined - 25%)

10. Hornets 42-40

Play-in matchups: Hawks at Nets, Hornets at Cavaliers

Scenario 10 

Pacers beat Nets, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Rockets beat Hawks, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Cavaliers 44-38

8. Hornets 43-39 (2-1 vs Nets)

9. Nets 43-39 (1-2 vs Hornets)

10. Hawks 42-40

Play-in matchups: Hornets at Cavaliers, Hawks at Nets

Scenario 11

Nets beat Pacers, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Hawks beat Rockets, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Nets 44-38 (3-1 vs Cavaliers)

8. Cavaliers 44-38 (1-3 vs Nets)

9. Hawks 43-39

10. Hornets 42-40

Play-in matchups: Cavaliers at Nets, Hornets at Hawks

Scenario 12

Nets beat Pacers, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Rockets beat Hawks, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Nets 44-38

8. Hornets 43-39 (2-2 vs Cavaliers, 27-25 vs Eastern Conference)

9. Cavaliers 43-39 (2-2 vs Hornets, 26-25 vs Eastern Conference)

10. Hawks 42-40

Play-in matchups: Hornets at Nets, Hawks at Cavaliers

Scenario 13

Pacers beat Nets, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Hawks beat Rockets, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Cavaliers 44-38

8. Nets 43-39 (2-1 vs Hawks)

9. Hawks 43-39 (1-2 vs Nets)

10. Hornets 42-40

Play-in matchups: Nets at Cavaliers, Hornets at Hawks

Scenario 14

Pacers beat Nets, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Rockets beat Hawks, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Cavaliers 44-38

8. Nets 43-39

9. Hawks 42-40 (2-2 vs Hornets, 9-7 vs Southeast division)

10. Hornets 42-40 (2-2 vs Hawks, 7-9 vs Southeast division)

Play-in matchups: Nets at Cavaliers, Hornets at Hawks

Scenario 15

Pacers beat Nets, Bucks beat Cavaliers, Hawks beat Rockets, Hornets beat Wizards

7. Nets 43-39 (3-1 vs Cavaliers, 1-2 vs Hornets, 2-1 vs Hawks, 6-4 combined - 60%)

8. Hawks 43-39 (2-2 vs Hornets, 1-2 vs Nets, 3-1 vs Cavaliers, 6-5 combined - 54% - 9-7 vs Southeast division)

9. Hornets 43-39 (2-2 vs Hawks, 2-1 vs Nets, 2-2 vs Cavaliers, 6-5 combined - 54% - 8-8 vs Southeast division)

10. Cavaliers 43-39 (1-3 vs Nets, 2-2 vs Hornets, 1-3 vs Hawks, 4-8 combined - 33%)

Play-in matchups: Hawks at Nets, Cavaliers at Hornets

Scenario 16

Nets beat Pacers, Cavaliers beat Bucks, Rockets beat Hawks, Wizards beat Hornets

7. Nets 44-38 (3-1 vs Cavaliers)

8. Cavaliers 44-38 (1-3 vs Nets)

9. Hawks 42-40 (2-2 vs Hornets, 9-7 vs Southeast division)

10. Hornets 42-40 (2-2 vs Hawks, 7-9 vs Southeast division)

Play-in matchups: Cavaliers at Nets, Hornets at Hawks

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