There’s a lot on the line for the Philadelphia 76ers heading into the final night of the 2025-26 NBA regular season.
By the end of the evening, the Sixers will know for sure if they’re headed for the dreaded Play-In Tournament, or if they’ll secure a spot in the postseason and get some added rest as a result. Obviously, the latter route would be the preferred one for Philadelphia. Here’s how it could happen.
76ers will need some help in order to avoid NBA Play-In Tournament
For the Sixers to secure the sixth seed in the East and avoid the tournament entirely, they’ll need three things to happen. They’ll need a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, they’ll need the Orlando Magic to lose to the Boston Celtics and they’ll need the Toronto Raptors to lose to the Brooklyn Nets.
If all three of those things happen, the Sixers will leapfrog both Orlando and Toronto and lock up the No. 6 seed in the conference, which would mean a first-round matchup with the rival New York Knicks. But, if any of those outcomes go the opposite way, the Sixers will be destined for the Play-In Tournament.
If the Sixers lose to Milwaukee, they’ll remain in the No. 8 spot regardless of what happens with Orlando and Toronto. If the Sixers and Magic both win and the Raptors lose, the Sixers will move up to the seventh spot, and the same would occur if both the Sixers and Raptors win and the Magic lose.
It’s a lot to keep track of, but basically there’s only one way for the Sixers to avoid the Play-In, and that’s with a win and losses for both Orlando and Toronto.
Joel Embiid’s Status Is a Major Question for 76ers
Unfortunately for the Sixers, the status of their star center is a major question for the team with the regular season coming to and end and playoffs set to start. Joel Embiid underwent an emergency appendectomy in Houston earlier this week, and so far the Sixers have provided no timeline for a potential return to game action for the former MVP.
It seems extremely unlikely that Embiid will be available should the Sixers be forced to participate in the Play-In Tournament. Perhaps if Philadelphia is able to advance past the Play-In, Embiid will ultimately be able to re-join the team at some point during the playoffs, but that’s purely speculative at this point in time.
With Embiid on the sideline for the time being, more of the offensive burden for Philadelphia will fall on the shoulders of star guard Tyrese Maxey, who is prepared for the road ahead, regardless of what that road looks like for Philly.
“Whether it’s 6, 7, 8, 9. I don’t care,” Maxey said of the Sixers’ postseason path. “Going to play at home. Play on the road. I don’t care. I just want to have high spirits going into the postseason. I guess that’s still the postseason. So, I’m ready, man. I’m ready. I’m locked in. I don’t really care about anything else right now, but that.”
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