NBA Game Notes (April 17, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 17, 2024.

Three Stars

The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.

First ⭐️

Coby White scored a game-high 42 points as the Chicago Bulls pulled away in the second half of a 131-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In Tournament. White added nine rebounds, six assists, and two steals, shooting 15-21 from the field and 9-10 from the free throw line. He did not commit a turnover in 43 minute of action.

The Bull will move on to the play the Miami Heat in Miami on Friday night. The winner will get the number-eight seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, where they will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

Second ⭐️

Joel Embiid produced a team-high 23 points, a game-high 15 rebounds, and five assists as the Philadelphia 76ers edged the Miami Heat 105-104 in the Play-In Tournament. Embiid went just 6-17 from the floor, but sank nine of his 10 free throw attempts. He played 38 minutes, his most court time since returning from a knee injury on April 2.

The Sixers earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs with the win. They will square off against the second-seeded New York Knicks in a seven-game series that starts Saturday in New York.

Third ⭐️

Dejounte Murray scored a team-high 30 points in the Hawks’ loss to the Bulls, shooting 11-21 from the field (3-6 on 3-pointers) and 5-6 from the free throw line. He also contributed seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals, committing just one turnover in a game-high 46 minutes played.

With the loss, the Hawks have been eliminated from postseason competition. It’s the first time Atlanta has lost a Play-In Tournament game, having previously won twice in 2022 and once in 2023.