TITLE: Sixers Treat Play-In Opener vs. Magic as Must-Win Despite Safety Net
SLUG: sixers-eye-play-in-home-game-vs-magic-as-must-win
The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, and the team is approaching the contest as if no second chance exists.
“We’ve got a great opportunity to lock in a playoff seed here on our floor,” veteran forward Paul George said after Sunday’s regular-season finale. “It doesn’t get any better than that in this situation, so we should look at it as win or go home.”
Philadelphia claimed the No. 7 seed after both clubs finished 45-37, winning the season series 2-1 to secure the tiebreaker. The Magic’s loss Sunday night in Boston gave the Sixers home-court advantage for the opening game of the play-in round.
Embiid Sidelined Indefinitely
The 76ers will begin the postseason without center Joel Embiid, who remains out following last week’s emergency appendectomy. Rookie Adem Bona started at center in Sunday’s win over Milwaukee, but Andre Drummond opened the second half. “We know Joel won’t be available for a little bit,” Drummond said. “Now we have to focus on what we can do with the guys in this locker room.”
Nurse Praises Resilience
Head coach Nick Nurse said he is proud of how the roster held together after injuries derailed last season’s stretch run. “We’ve got a lot of ceiling to go yet, so hopefully we get to play a bunch of games and keep improving,” Nurse noted.
Looking ahead to Orlando, Nurse called the Magic “a physical team” with “big wings and aggressive guards,” singling out Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane as competitive backcourt threats.
Maxey Takes on Lead-Scoring Role
For the first time in his career, Tyrese Maxey will enter the playoffs as Philadelphia’s primary scoring option. The guard is dealing with a right-hand finger injury that limits his movement and forces him to wear a splint, adding another layer of difficulty to his expanded role.
The winner of Wednesday’s game earns the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference bracket. The loser will receive one more chance to qualify when it meets the winner of the 9-10 matchup.
Source: Hoops Rumors
