76ers Playoff Watch: Brooklyn Nets Offer Help vs. Pacers

The Brooklyn Nets helped the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

Apr 3, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) tries to get past Indiana | John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

With less than two weeks to go in the regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers are still fighting for playoff position. Coming off their win against the OKC Thunder, they were able to gain some ground, thanks to the Brooklyn Nets.

Sitting in eighth place, the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat are right above the Sixers in seventh and sixth place. The sixth seed is by far the most valuable, as it means not having to compete in the play-in tournament.

On Wednesday night, the Pacers took the floor in Brooklyn to face off with the Nets. Led by a strong offensive outing from Cam Thomas (27 points), the Nets were able to upset the Pacers by a final score of 115-111.

With this loss, there was a shift in the East standings. Miami slid into sixth place, with the Pacers sliding into seventh. As for the Sixers, they are just a game-and-a-half behind both teams.

The Sixers have a good opportunity to cover more ground on Thursday as they take on the Heat. Securing a win is crucial due to how tight these three teams are in the standings. Taking down Miami would put the Sixers within a half-game of that coveted sixth seed.

Counting Thursday, the Sixers only have six games remaining on their regular season schedule. Meaning they have minimal time to try and avoid the play-in. Finishing sixth would mean facing off against the Cleveland Cavaliers or Orlando Magic in round one. Going through the play-in guarantees a first-round matchup with either the Boston Celtics (1st place) or Milwaukee Bucks (2nd place).

Related Reading
Joel Embiid’s Honest Take on Return vs. OKC Thunder
76ers’ Playoff Snapshot Amid Joel Embiid’s Return
Robert Covington Remains Out for 76ers vs. Thunder