Ring chasing

The sixth edition of the NBA Play-In Tournament wraps up tonight with a pair of No. 8 seeds still up for grabs. The Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic will battle for the final Eastern Conference spot at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors vying for the West’s at 10 p.m. ET.

• The rest of the playoff field is already set: The top six teams in each conference were already locked in at the end of the regular season, while the No. 7 seeds — the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers — punched their tickets earlier this week.

After tonight’s tilts, the traditional postseason slate tips off tomorrow, starting with the 16-team first round. The league’s top squads (the West’s Oklahoma City Thunder and the East’s Detroit Pistons) will battle the newly-minted No. 8 seeds, the No. 2 seeds will take on the No. 7 seeds, and so on.

• And while the Play-In Tournament has featured do-or-die single games, all four playoff rounds consist of best-of-seven series. The more the merrier, right?

🏀 Preparation is everything — but the playoffs rarely go as expected. Dramatic comebacks, unexpected Game 7s, and spontaneous watch parties can derail your game-day plans.

That’s when Amazon Prime’s Same Day Delivery* comes in clutch. The playoffs are stressful enough, so let Prime worry about getting the things you need to you before tipoff, like:

• 1️⃣ A caffeinated pre‑game ritual (lucky mug recommended)

• 2️⃣ Face paint to transform into the superfan you are

• 3️⃣ Comfy sweats for your couch-coaching era

Score the entire lineup faster on Prime.

*Available in select areas. Terms apply.

👀 NBA viewership is on the rise with the league reporting its best numbers in more than two decades. In fact, a brain-bending 1.3B (yes, billion) hours of live NBA coverage was enjoyed globally this season, a 93% increase from last year.

❌ The Playoffs are always star-studded, but this year’s also about who’s not there — including two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a tumultuous season with the Milwaukee Bucks, and playoff mainstay Kawhi Leonard after his LA Clippers were eliminated in Wednesday’s Play-In game.

• Meanwhile, the jury’s still out on LA Lakers besties Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, both of whom are sidelined indefinitely with injuries — a brutal blow for playoff king LeBron James and the Lakeshow as the duo averages a combined 56.8 points per game.

🐣 The tide is turning, highlighted by a few rebuilding teams back in the spotlight…

• 🦖 The Eastern Conference No. 5 seed Toronto Raptors are back after a three-year playoff absence, powered by last season’s trade acquisition Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and hometown hero R.J. Barrett.

• 👟 The new-look Portland Trail Blazers stunned the Suns in Tuesday’s Play-In game to lock in their first playoff berth since a first-round exit in 2021.

• 🐝 Charlotte could punch their first playoff ticket in a decade tonight, potentially snapping the longest active playoff drought in the league — everyone’s buzzing about these Hornets.

🏆 The end-of-season awards list became a little more crowded after the aforementioned Dončić and Detroit Piston Cade Cunningham were deemed eligible for major awards after filing appeals to mitigate the NBA’s 65-game rule. The math is mathing for once.

🚨 Red alert: It’s the eve of playoff hoops — are you ready? Luckily, the postseason hits different on Prime. An emotional support purchase here, Same Day Delivery* there, and suddenly, you’re the most well-equipped fan in the Great White North.

• It didn’t happen by accident; it happened on Prime, your partner-in-hoops for every scoring barrage, clutch rebound, and retail‑therapy timeout. And exhale.

*Available in select areas. Terms apply.

➡️ No matter how you support your playoff squad, let Prime be the unsung hero: With Same Day Delivery,* that package will be on your doorstep before you can say fast break. Easy buckets.

*Available in select areas. Terms apply.