diff --git a/app/models/playoff-match.ts b/app/models/playoff-match.ts
index 33c1790..f448db4 100644
--- a/app/models/playoff-match.ts
+++ b/app/models/playoff-match.ts
@@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@ async function generateNBA20Bracket(
   // ── First Round (8 series) ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   // IMPORTANT: This match ordering is load-bearing.
   // NBASimulator.simulateBracketAware() hard-codes match numbers to derive play-in
-  // seed slots: FR M1 p2 = E8, FR M3 p1 = E7, FR M5 p2 = W8, FR M7 p1 = W7.
+  // seed slots: FR M1 p2 = E8, FR M3 p2 = E7, FR M5 p2 = W8, FR M7 p2 = W7.
   // Do not change the match order without updating the simulator's resolveGame/
   // resolveSeries calls and the corresponding test fixtures.
   const firstRoundSeeding: [number | null, number | null, string][] = [
@@ -1308,9 +1308,9 @@ async function generateNBA20Bracket(
  * NBA play-in advancement logic.
  *
  * Play-In Round 1:
- *   M1 (E7v8): winner → First Round M3 p1; loser → PIR2 M1 p1
+ *   M1 (E7v8): winner → First Round M3 p2 (E7 seed); loser → PIR2 M1 p1
  *   M2 (E9v10): winner → PIR2 M1 p2; loser eliminated
- *   M3 (W7v8): winner → First Round M7 p1; loser → PIR2 M2 p1
+ *   M3 (W7v8): winner → First Round M7 p2 (W7 seed); loser → PIR2 M2 p1
  *   M4 (W9v10): winner → PIR2 M2 p2; loser eliminated
  *
  * Play-In Round 2:
@@ -1326,7 +1326,8 @@ async function advanceNBAPlayInWinner(
 
   if (match.round === "Play-In Round 1") {
     if (match.matchNumber === 1) {
-      // E7v8: winner → First Round M3 p1; loser → PIR2 M1 p1
+      // E7v8: winner → First Round M3 p2 (E7 seed); loser → PIR2 M1 p1
+      // FR M3 is "E2 vs E7": E2 is already at p1, E7 fills p2.
       const [frMatches, pir2Matches] = await Promise.all([
         findPlayoffMatchesByEventIdAndRound(eventId, "First Round"),
         findPlayoffMatchesByEventIdAndRound(eventId, "Play-In Round 2"),
@@ -1335,10 +1336,10 @@ async function advanceNBAPlayInWinner(
       const pir2M1 = pir2Matches.find((m) => m.matchNumber === 1);
       if (!frM3) throw new Error("First Round match 3 not found");
       if (!pir2M1) throw new Error("Play-In Round 2 match 1 not found");
-      if (frM3.participant1Id) throw new Error("First Round M3 participant1 already filled");
+      if (frM3.participant2Id) throw new Error("First Round M3 participant2 already filled");
       if (pir2M1.participant1Id) throw new Error("Play-In Round 2 M1 participant1 already filled");
       await Promise.all([
-        updatePlayoffMatch(frM3.id, { participant1Id: winnerId }),
+        updatePlayoffMatch(frM3.id, { participant2Id: winnerId }),
         updatePlayoffMatch(pir2M1.id, { participant1Id: loserId }),
       ]);
       return;
@@ -1355,7 +1356,8 @@ async function advanceNBAPlayInWinner(
     }
 
     if (match.matchNumber === 3) {
-      // W7v8: winner → First Round M7 p1; loser → PIR2 M2 p1
+      // W7v8: winner → First Round M7 p2 (W7 seed); loser → PIR2 M2 p1
+      // FR M7 is "W2 vs W7": W2 is already at p1, W7 fills p2.
       const [frMatches, pir2Matches] = await Promise.all([
         findPlayoffMatchesByEventIdAndRound(eventId, "First Round"),
         findPlayoffMatchesByEventIdAndRound(eventId, "Play-In Round 2"),
@@ -1364,10 +1366,10 @@ async function advanceNBAPlayInWinner(
       const pir2M2 = pir2Matches.find((m) => m.matchNumber === 2);
       if (!frM7) throw new Error("First Round match 7 not found");
       if (!pir2M2) throw new Error("Play-In Round 2 match 2 not found");
-      if (frM7.participant1Id) throw new Error("First Round M7 participant1 already filled");
+      if (frM7.participant2Id) throw new Error("First Round M7 participant2 already filled");
       if (pir2M2.participant1Id) throw new Error("Play-In Round 2 M2 participant1 already filled");
       await Promise.all([
-        updatePlayoffMatch(frM7.id, { participant1Id: winnerId }),
+        updatePlayoffMatch(frM7.id, { participant2Id: winnerId }),
         updatePlayoffMatch(pir2M2.id, { participant1Id: loserId }),
       ]);
       return;
diff --git a/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.events.$eventId.bracket.tsx b/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.events.$eventId.bracket.tsx
index 98b8e2d..8008ea4 100644
--- a/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.events.$eventId.bracket.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/admin.sports-seasons.$id.events.$eventId.bracket.tsx
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default function EventBracket({
   const template = templates.find((t) => t.id === selectedTemplate);
 
   // Determine if this is a group-stage event
-  const hasGroupStage = template?.groupStage !== null;
+  const hasGroupStage = template?.groupStage !== null && template?.groupStage !== undefined;
 
   // Determine if this template uses named regions (e.g. NCAA 68)
   const hasRegions = (template?.regions?.length ?? 0) > 0;
diff --git a/app/services/simulations/__tests__/nba-simulator.test.ts b/app/services/simulations/__tests__/nba-simulator.test.ts
index 6432be5..41551a8 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/__tests__/nba-simulator.test.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/__tests__/nba-simulator.test.ts
@@ -232,11 +232,11 @@ function buildFullBracket(
     // First Round (play-in slots filled)
     makeMatch("First Round", 1, { p1: t[0],  p2: e8Seed,  isScoring: false }),
     makeMatch("First Round", 2, { p1: t[3],  p2: t[4],    isScoring: false }),
-    makeMatch("First Round", 3, { p1: e7,    p2: t[1],    isScoring: false }),
+    makeMatch("First Round", 3, { p1: t[1],  p2: e7,      isScoring: false }),
     makeMatch("First Round", 4, { p1: t[2],  p2: t[5],    isScoring: false }),
     makeMatch("First Round", 5, { p1: t[10], p2: w8Seed,  isScoring: false }),
     makeMatch("First Round", 6, { p1: t[13], p2: t[14],   isScoring: false }),
-    makeMatch("First Round", 7, { p1: w7,    p2: t[11],   isScoring: false }),
+    makeMatch("First Round", 7, { p1: t[11], p2: w7,      isScoring: false }),
     makeMatch("First Round", 8, { p1: t[12], p2: t[15],   isScoring: false }),
     // Conference Semifinals (TBD)
     makeMatch("Conference Semifinals", 1, { isScoring: true }),
diff --git a/app/services/simulations/nba-simulator.ts b/app/services/simulations/nba-simulator.ts
index 6476755..1e2884f 100644
--- a/app/services/simulations/nba-simulator.ts
+++ b/app/services/simulations/nba-simulator.ts
@@ -379,11 +379,11 @@ export class NBASimulator implements Simulator {
       // coalescence (DB ?? simmed) always produces the correct team.
       const frM1 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(1), undefined, e8Seed); // E1(DB) vs E8
       const frM2 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(2));                    // E4(DB) vs E5(DB)
-      const frM3 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(3), e7Seed, undefined); // E7 vs E2(DB)
+      const frM3 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(3), undefined, e7Seed); // E2(DB) vs E7
       const frM4 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(4));                    // E3(DB) vs E6(DB)
       const frM5 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(5), undefined, w8Seed); // W1(DB) vs W8
       const frM6 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(6));                    // W4(DB) vs W5(DB)
-      const frM7 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(7), w7Seed, undefined); // W7 vs W2(DB)
+      const frM7 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(7), undefined, w7Seed); // W2(DB) vs W7
       const frM8 = resolveSeries(eloMap, frByNum.get(8));                    // W3(DB) vs W6(DB)
 
       // ── Conference Semifinals (4 best-of-7 series) ────────────────────────