These 9-vs-10 Play-In games aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ve got two teams with their backs to the wall, one shot to extend the season, and no safety net underneath. There’s no cushion, no best-of-three, just 48 minutes to keep your season alive — or call it a wrap. Win and you live to see Friday; lose and you’re cleaning out your locker before the rest of the league even orders lunch. 

These games were supposed to be tight, gritty, and full of fourth-quarter nerves — but that never really happened. The Heat and Mavs didn’t just survive; they made it clear early on they weren’t going home. Miami jumped all over Chicago from the jump, and Dallas poured in 44 second-quarter points to bury Sacramento. The urgency was there, sure — but it was all one-sided.

The final scores might not have delivered edge-of-your-seat thrillers, but let’s not act like Wednesday was a waste. Tyler Herro caught fire, Klay Thompson rediscovered his jumper, and two proud franchises reminded us they still know how to grind when the season is on the brink. Now both winners play the part of pesky underdogs against the Hawks and Grizzlies, respectively, with the East and West’s final playoff spot on the line Friday night.

Heat 109, Bulls 90 — Same Movie, New Year

Herro’s Heater

Miami never trailed, and the tone‑setter was Tyler Herro, who poured in 38 effortless points on 14‑for‑19 shooting and never looked rattled. His first‑half line — 23 points on eight shots — would be hard for most people to do by themselves in an empty gym. Layups, floaters, catch‑and‑shoot threes, it didn’t matter. Chicago’s backcourt kept ducking under screens and Herro made them pay every single time.

Spolstra called the Bulls’ pace “humbling” before tip‑off, but his own group sprinted out to a 71‑47 halftime cushion, their biggest lead at the break all season. Bam Adebayo controlled the paint with timely finishes and tough boards. Miami’s depth came through, specifically Davion Mitchell, who came off the bench firing. He didn’t miss a shot all night, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field to finish with 15 points, giving the Heat a huge lift.

Chicago Flatlines

Give the Bulls credit for winning the regular‑season series 3‑0; just don’t confuse that with what actually matters in April. Coby White and Josh Giddey combined to shoot 14‑for‑41, and White’s seven turnovers showed how jittery Chicago’s guards looked against Miami’s ball‑pressure. Without a true go-to option to steady things, the Bulls looked lost once the game started slipping away. Chicago’s bench added a grand total of 13 points — their worst showing of the year — so the comeback fuel was on "E" before the fourth quarter even started.

Next Stop: Atlanta

The Heat will visit Atlanta on Friday with a fresh reminder that defense travels. Spoelstra’s bunch held Chicago to 39.8 % shooting, collapsed the paint (56‑40 advantage there), and still managed to win second‑chance points 17‑9. That’s the recipe against Trae Young and a Hawks club that can score in bunches if you let them run. Whether Herro can duplicate his microwave act is anybody’s guess, but Miami’s collective edge never seems to dull in elimination games.

Atlanta opened as a slight 1.5‑point favorite, and ESPN’s matchup predictor leans 56 % toward the Hawks. But after Miami just punked a bigger, more rested team on the road, betting against Spo feels like ignoring three years of Play‑In history.

Mavericks 120, Kings 106 — Dallas Steps on the Gas

The 44‑Point Avalanche

Coaches love to say basketball is a game of runs, but Dallas crammed an entire week’s worth of momentum into one second quarter. The Mavs turned a tight game into a blowout in the blink of an eye, dropping 44 points in the second quarter and leaving Sacramento stuck in quicksand. It felt like every shot went in, every defensive gamble worked, and before the Kings even knew what hit them, Dallas turned a two-point deficit into a 23-point lead. Just a total shift in energy that took all the air out of the building.

Anthony Davis (yes, still weird in a Mavs jersey) was the anchor, dropping 27 points with nine boards and three blocks while looking every bit the All‑NBA big he’s supposed to be. But the headline belonged to Klay Thompson. One year removed (to the day) from a nightmare 0-for-10 night in the same building, Klay carved up Sacramento for 23 points—16 in that back‑breaking second quarter alone — and reminded everyone his jumper can still swing a playoff race on the right night.

Sacramento’s Familiar Heartbreak

It was a frustrating end to the season for Sacramento, especially after showing so much promise early in the year. The Kings looked flat from the second quarter on, and it felt like all the progress they made slipped away in one ugly stretch. 

DeMar DeRozan (33 points) and Zach LaVine (20) did what they could, but Domantas Sabonis never found rhythm against Davis, finishing with 11 points on nine shots. Sacramento missed 10 free throws, bricked open threes, and let their half‑court defense unravel — a familiar frustration for a team that can put up points but still can’t string together enough stops when it really matters.

On Deck: Memphis 

The Grizzlies won three of four against Dallas this season, but Anthony Davis wasn't playing in any of them. That matters. So does Ja Morant’s banged‑up ankle, the coaching change that handed the clipboard to Tuomas Iisalo, and Memphis’ tendency to let half‑court offense bog down when the pace slows.

Anthony Davis is a matchup problem for the Grizzlies' frontcourt, especially with Jaren Jackson Jr. still banged up. If Davis gets rolling early, it opens the floor for Klay and the spot-up shooters.

Brandon Williams could be a sneaky factor again — if he can stabilize the offense when Davis sits, Dallas won’t have to rely on heroics late. It’s a clash of styles, and whichever team dictates that early is probably walking away with the 8-seed.

Final Buzzer

The Bulls and Kings are headed home knowing small early mistakes snowball in these single‑elimination setups. The Heat and Mavericks, meanwhile, earned one more bite at the apple.

Atlanta and Memphis have home‑court edge, but Miami and Dallas bring momentum, coaching chops, and stars who just tasted win‑or‑go‑home pressure. They say anything can happen in one game — and with the Play-In, it throws you right into the chaos and says, 'Let’s see what you’ve got.' It’s one night, one shot, and no margin for error. You either handle the moment or you don’t. Simple as that.

Heat‑Hawks tips at 6 p.m. Central on TNT; Mavs‑Grizzlies follows at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Clear your evening, stock the fridge, and maybe keep an eye on the live betting lines if that’s your thing. Either way, Friday’s gonna be fun. Two teams will punch their ticket to the playoffs, two others will be left wondering where it went wrong, and the rest of us get another reminder of how quickly things can flip in the postseason. Survive and advance — nothing more to it. And honestly, that’s what makes this stretch of the season so entertaining.