Can 76ers Clinch Playoff Spot On Tuesday After Loss to Bulls?

Going into Monday night’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls, the Philadelphia 76ers were aware they could clinch a spot in the playoffs once again.

Although the Sixers nearly clinched over the weekend, as a Detroit Pistons victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday night would’ve done the trick, a fourth-quarter comeback by Miami left the Sixers to wait another day.

A Monday night victory over the Bulls would’ve allowed the Sixers to become the third Eastern Conference team to clinch a spot in the playoffs, following the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, a double-overtime loss delayed the process.

The Sixers struggled offensively and came up short of the Bulls for the second time this season by collecting a 109-105 loss. The two teams will meet for a rematch on Wednesday, but the Sixers might have their ticket to the playoffs before then.

What’s the Scenario?

If the Brooklyn Nets lose on Tuesday, the Sixers are officially in the playoffs.

On Tuesday, the Nets are set to host the Cleveland Cavaliers. It will be a battle of the fourth and sixth seeds.

The Nets and the Cavs met just once this season so far. On December 26, Brooklyn collected a 125-117 victory over Cleveland. Since that matchup, the Nets have changed dramatically by trading away two stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

While the Nets haven’t nosedived since getting rid of their two stars, they have hit a three-game slump lately. Over their last ten matchups, Brooklyn is just 5-5. As for the Cavaliers, they are 7-3 in their last ten games.

According to SI Sportsbook, the Cavaliers are favored by 3.5 points on Tuesday night. If they get the job done on the road, then the third-seeded Sixers will officially be headed to the playoffs in 2023

MORE SIXERS NEWS

Streak No More: The Sixers’ March win streak ends at eight games. On Monday night, the Chicago Bulls came to South Philly and took advantage of a struggling Sixers team in a game that was sent into double-overtime. READ MORE

Harden’s Hurting?: Saturday night’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers featured an absent Harden. It seemed the star guard was getting a rest night, but it’s been revealed that Harden was actually hurting in Monday’s game against the Bulls. READ MORE

Good Call: Fans were shocked when Doc Rivers didn’t challenge the call that caused Joel Embiid to foul out in Monday’s game against the Bulls. Rivers stood by his decision to not waste a timeout after the game, and Embiid himself admitted he committed a foul. READ MORE