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Nets secure No. 7 seed with win, East play-in matchups set

Indiana Pacers v Brooklyn Nets

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets dunks during the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on April 10, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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After a disappointing season filled with drama and injuries, the Brooklyn Nets played well enough in the final weeks to give themselves the best chance to advance out of the play-in.

With a 134-126 win over the Pacers on Sunday, behind 35 points from Kyrie Irving, the Nets locked up the No. 7 seed in the East. They will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday (7 p.m. on TNT) in a game where the winner advances to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. The Cavaliers, who stumbled down the standings as they struggled over the final month of the season, secured the No. 8 seed by beating a Bucks team 133-115 (Milwaukee rested every key player in this game).

That Bucks’ loss opens the door for the Celtics to grab the No. 2 seed with a win against the Grizzlies (Milwaukee would fall to No. 3). It gets more complex than that with the 76ers also in that 2/3/4 mix in the East.

Both the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets also won on Sunday, locking them into a win-or-go-home first-round play-in game Wednesday in Atlanta (7 p.m. ESPN). The Hawks beat the Rockets 130-114 while the Hornets handled the Wizards 124-108 on Sunday.

The loser of the Nets/Cavaliers game will host the winner of the Hawks/Hornets game in a win-or-go-home game Friday night, with the victor in that game entering the playoffs against the No. 8 seed and taking on the Heat starting next weekend.