NBA Play-In Picks, Prime Games & The Bright Side of Bad Teams

Good afternoon — Will Alimonos and co-host Zach Bishop break down the NBA’s play-in window and the opening of playoff season in this April 13, 2026 episode of Little Column A, Little Column B. The hosts debate timing, tanking and the emotional shift from a long regular season to every-game-matters basketball. Will and Zach open with a big-picture discussion about scheduling — whether the NBA should start right after the college national championship, the pressure the play-in format puts on fringe teams, and how the end of tanking season changes fan engagement. They dig into what makes play-in games feel different and whether the compressed schedule actually benefits viewers. The episode features detailed play-in previews and picks: Heat vs. Hornets, Trail Blazers vs. Suns, Magic vs. Sixers and Warriors vs. Clippers. They break down injuries and late-season twists (including Joel Embiid’s appendectomy and Steph Curry’s return), highlight coin-flip matchups, and explain why Orlando, Phoenix, Charlotte and Los Angeles are the most intriguing storylines. Official picks: Hornets, Suns, Magic, Clippers. Beyond the play-in, Will and Zach project the first round — evaluating the Thunder, Nuggets, Lakers/Rockets matchup, Spurs/Suns questions and the Eastern picture with the Celtics, Pistons, Cavaliers, Knicks and Hawks. They discuss coaching edges, veteran vs. young-team dynamics, and which series could swing toward upsets or sweeps. They also dive into streaming and access, with several games airing on Amazon Prime — debating how that impacts fan experience, discoverability and cord-cutting trends. The episode wraps with offseason and “bubble team” talk — including Dallas, Milwaukee and Giannis’ future, Brooklyn and Memphis — plus coaching changes and rebuild timelines. As always, the show closes with a fun debate, this time on who’s most likely to celebrate wildly after a play-in win (LaMelo makes the shortlist). Timestamps: (00:37:35) The Playoff Format Debate (00:57:13) Future of Non-Playoff Teams (00:59:22) Celebrating the Play-In Games