Sixers’ Potential Play-In Opponent Will Land Major Boost This Week

The Philadelphia 76ers could face Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks once more before the season ends.

Jan 10, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) is fouled by Philadelphia | Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t been knocked out of the running to lock up a playoff spot without having to go through the NBA Play-In Tournament.

As we’re reaching the halfway mark of the final week of the regular season, just two Eastern Conference teams are guaranteed to make the playoffs, as the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks are bound to hit the postseason already.

The New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Indiana Pacers are battling for the other seeds, while the Sixers remain in the hunt for the sixth seed, depending on what happens with the Pacers.

If the season ended today, the Sixers would host the Miami Heat for a Play-In matchup. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks and the Chicago Bulls would fight for an opportunity to challenge the loser of that matchup.

Feb 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) is defended by | Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

With the tournament inching closer, the Hawks find themselves in a good spot as they are set to get a major boost with their star guard Trae Young returning to the floor as soon as Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

A couple of months back, Young suffered a torn ligament. After getting surgery on his finger, the status of the star guard for the remainder of the regular season was unclear. With the Hawks in a position to potentially shock the East and crack a spot in the playoffs as a darkhorse opponent, Young’s presence would certainly give the Hawks a much-needed boost.

This season, Young appeared in 51 games for Atlanta. He averaged 26 points while shooting 37 percent from beyond on the arc on nearly nine attempts per game. He also averaged 11 assists in those matchups.

Atlanta showed clear signs of struggling even with the All-Star in the mix this year, but Young’s past performances in high-stakes games can’t be overlooked. Just a few seasons ago, the Hawks shocked the East by making it to the conference finals as a fifth seed. While they followed up that run with back-to-back first-round exits, the Hawks are now battle-tested in the Play-In Tournament.

The Sixers’ path to the playoffs could involve a matchup against Atlanta. Obviously, going against the Hawks without their sharpshooting All-Star would be an ideal scenario for any team, but Atlanta gets a key reinforcement at the right time.