76ers win final game of the season vs Bucks, playing Magic in 7/8 Eastern Conference Play-In!
So I had a rough time making this seemingly simple Sixers graphic. It's not that great but it's better than nothing! I figure it's decently informative. I like steal stats too but couldn't fit them and I'm already running insanely late. The stats for steals for the Sixers in 2025/26 was:
- Tyrese Maxey - 1.9 SPG
- Paul George - 1.7 SPG
- V.J. Edgecombe/Kelly Oubre Jr. tied - 1.4 SPG (Edgecombe is ranked third so perhaps he's slightly higher by some small unseen decimal I'm not sure but meh, I consider it a tie)
Anyway the Sixers took care of business against the Bucks on Sunday in their final game of the season. Unfortunately they couldn't quite make the sixth seed but they did manage to grab the seventh which actually isn't bad. They get to play the 7/8 Play-In game at home AND if they were to lose they would play the 8 seed game at home as well.
I thought this Play-In Tournament was kinda dumb at first but I actually think it's pretty clever. It adds a lot of excitement to the playoffs. Technically these aren't playoff games but I think in time it will be seen as playoff games among the fans. These are too intense and highly consequential.
Yeah the Magic are a tough team for sure but the Sixers found solid success against them this season. Even without Embiid I think this is a very winnable game. Frankly I think the Sixers still have a competitive roster in general for these playoffs. There's always a miracle Embiid comes back.
Yesterday's initial Play-In games were awesome. The Hornets defeated the Heat in thrilling fashion and the Trail Blazers also won a thriller versus the Suns. The Suns are still alive while the Heat are done.
If the Sixers win tonight they'll see the Celtics in the opening round of the Playoffs. That will be a very tough series but it's not totally impossible. It's that or the Pistons if they were to beat the Hornets if the Sixers lose tonight. So it's going to be a tough opening round regardless.
It's game seven baby!! That's the mentality!! Even if they can't win it all this year hopefully the Sixers win tonight for a taste of glory and spotlight and memories made.
LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!!!
#GOSIXERS
I know that the Heat made it to the finals after barely making the playoffs several years ago... but off the top of your head can you think of any play-in team other than them that did really well in the overall tournament?
Well no but the Play-In hasn't existed for very long so it's hard to say that the play-in isn't worthy. It's not as if there's a rich history of the play-in. I think it's very nature suggests the odds are slim for whoever makes it out of the tournament. You can say the same for any 7-8 seed before the tournament. Should there not be eight or seven seeds? It is what it is. I like the potential for an underdog story. Its fun and adds lore.
the playoffs are really the only time of year that I truly pay attention to NBA because there are just too many games and I often feel as though a lot of teams don't really even try to excel until about a third of the way through the season. There are exceptions of course.
I'm a Boston fan, which you are likely obligated by geography to dislike :)
I respect the Celtics. Celtics should advance of course, but I hope it's a good series.
I haven't properly followed them since the Paul Pierce days. Honestly I have kind of fallen out of love with NBA because of the way the game has become more like street ball in recent years. I guess some people like that but for me, the collection of egregious violations of the rules like 5 step drives to the basket and traveling or restarting dribbling after picking up and all that not being called is more entertaining to me than most of the actual games. There is also the massive amount of commercials that I find kind of makes most games unwatchable. Until we get deeper into the playoffs it is likely that I will just watch highlights instead of entire games.
Definitely understandable! I am just a sports junkie so I put up with silly aspects of the game I guess.