Play-in: Paris Soon to Know Its Fate

On the eve of the final regular-season game in the EuroLeague, our Parisians have their destiny in their own hands — but several scenarios could unfold.

It’s a historic moment. After 33 EuroLeague games, our Paris team has secured a spot in the play-in before facing Alba Berlin this Thursday, and they can still dream of direct qualification for the playoffs. If Paris beats the German side on Thursday, several outcomes are possible.

• If Real Madrid wins, and all our direct competitors (Crvena Zvezda, Anadolu Efes, Bayern Munich, and FC Barcelona) lose, Paris will finish 6th and qualify directly for the playoffs, where they would face Panathinaikos starting April 22. If another outcome occurs despite our win, Tiago Splitter’s men will have to go through the play-in.

• If we finish 7th, we will host the first game and could potentially host the second. A significant home-court advantage. If Paris wins their first game on April 15, they will face Fenerbahçe in the first round of the playoffs.

• If we finish in 8th place, we will play our first play-in game away, hoping to secure a ticket to face the Turkish powerhouse. If not, we’ll get a second and final chance at the adidas arena on April 18, this time to claim the last remaining playoff spot and go on to face Olympiakos in the first round.

• However, if we end up in 9th place, there will be no room for error. We would host the first game, then travel for the second, hoping to grab the final playoff ticket.

• Otherwise, in case of a loss to Berlin or unfavorable results elsewhere, we would play two games on the road to prove to Europe that Paris deserves a place in the EuroLeague playoffs — in what is already a historic first participation.