Doing What Once Looked Impossible — 76ers’ Path Out of Play-In
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Just over a month ago after back-to-back losses to the Nets and Grizzlies, the idea of the 76ers being able to escape the NBA Play-In Tournament seemed almost impossible. I mean even just 3 weeks ago when we lost 5 of 6 games it looked unlikely.
Flash forward to now, where Joel Embiid is finally back and hasn’t missed a beat and the 76ers not only find themselves in the mix for the 6 seed, but maybe even the 5 seed. Let’s break down how this can happen.
The simplest way for the 76ers to grab the 6 seed is winning out. Their next 2 opponents are the Magic (46-34) and the Nets (32-48). The Nets shouldn’t be a problem and the 76ers have beaten the Magic by 15 or more in both of the games they’ve played against each other this season. There’s about a 55% chance the 76ers get the 6 seed if they win out, so let’s just hope they keep things simple.
There is an outside chance at the 5th seed for the Sixers, however.
For this to happen we’d all have to be Pacers fans and hope they win their final two games, the 76ers win their final two games, and the Cavs and Magic both lose their final two games. Orlando could very easily lose their last two games against the 76ers and the Bucks. Cleveland has a tough matchup they could lose against the Pacers, but then one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets.
If the 76ers do get the 6 seed, odds are they will end up playing the Knicks, but the Cavaliers could also find themselves in the mix for the 3 seed. Neither team is obviously an easy matchup, but the 6 seed is still crucial for the team to give them those extra rest days, especially to keep stars like Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid on the court come time for round 1 of the playoffs.
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