Sixers Sent to 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament After Win vs. Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers are not playoff-bound just yet. Despite winning their last eight games, including a victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon, the Sixers didn’t receive help from the other matchups that mattered on Sunday.

Therefore, the Sixers are set to host an NBA Play-In Tournament matchup for the first time in franchise history this week. The 76ers will go toe-to-toe with the Miami Heat.

Over the past month, the Sixers figured they could be on the path to potentially making their first appearance in the four-team tourney. Despite a solid start to the year, the Sixers found themselves in a tough position in late January, as their star center went down with an injury.

Joel Embiid suffered a meniscus injury, which required surgery. While the Sixers held out hope for a late-season return from the big man, nobody could be so sure. Fortunately, all went right for Embiid’s recovery.

Last week, Embiid suited up against the OKC Thunder for the first time in 29 games. Once Embiid returned to the Sixers’ rotation, they got back to their winning ways while sitting in the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed.

Philadelphia put together a seven-game win streak before heading into the season finale on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. They needed an eighth in order to increase their odds of cracking the fifth or sixth seeds.

The Sixers ruled out Embiid, along with KJ Martin, De’Anthony Melton, and Robert Covington against the Nets. While holding Embiid out was a major risk to take, the Sixers managed to take care of business against Brooklyn, increasing their chances of making the playoffs as early as this weekend.

Unfortunately, they still find themselves beyond the East’s top six. A win against the Heat on Wednesday would allow the Sixers to punch their ticket to the playoffs. A loss would cause them to take on the Chicago Bulls or the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, giving them their final chance to crack the postseason.