The NBA playoffs are rapidly approaching, and the Sixers will soon find out who they will face in their first postseason matchup.
For weeks, the Sixers have been battling the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors for position in the Eastern Conference. Between now and Sunday, April 12, the final stretch of the NBA’s regular season will be played.
Here’s a preview of the Sixers’ current position in the Eastern Conference and a look at some of their potential postseason matchups.
With three games remaining this season, it may seem that there’s little room for movement up or down the standings, but they still have a chance to fall anywhere between the fifth and tenth spots in the East.
Securing the fifth or sixth seed would allow the Sixers to clear the league’s play-in tournament. If the Sixers were to finish in the seventh or eighth seeds, they would be subject to a matchup with the other seed.
If the Sixers win that matchup, they officially secure the seventh seed. If they lose, they would face the winner of the ninth and tenth seeds to battle for the eighth seed and the opportunity to face the Detroit Pistons.
Falling to the ninth or tenth seed in the Eastern Conference would force the Sixers to win two play-in games to secure a spot in the postseason.
Should the Sixers finish tied with the Hawks, Raptors, Magic, Hornets or Heat, a tiebreaker would decide their fate. Philadelphia lost its season series against Atlanta, 0-4 and Miami, 1-2, and would lose in a two-way tiebreaker.
They did win their season series against Orlando, 2-1 and Charlotte, 2-1, and after splitting with Toronto, 2-2, they would win a two-way tiebreaker thanks to a superior division record.
Below is a table expressing the odds of where the current fifth through tenth seeds in the Eastern Conference will finish the season, courtesy of basketball-reference:
Team |
No. 5 |
No. 6 |
No. 7 |
No. 8 |
No. 9 |
No. 10 |
Hawks |
70.6% |
19.3% |
8.4% |
1.7% |
0.1% |
n/a |
Raptors |
21.3% |
47.4% |
24.5% |
6.2% |
0.6% |
n/a |
Magic |
3.8% |
5.4% |
28.1% |
41.1% |
21.7% |
n/a |
Sixers |
2.9% |
24.2% |
33.4% |
25.3% |
10.5% |
3.7% |
Hornets |
1.5% |
3.8% |
5.7% |
20.1% |
41.7% |
27.3% |
Heat |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
5.6% |
25.4% |
69.0% |
*Table updated the morning of Thursday, April 9.
There’s been some conversation about which is the best course of action for the Sixers. With the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference nearly set, the fifth seed would likely land the Sixers a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept the Sixers in four games this season. The sixth seed would match the Sixers against the New York Knicks, who finished off Philly in six games, all of which felt like road games as the New York faithful crowded what was then the Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia and New York split the season series this year, but the playoffs have proven to be a different setting.
It’s easy to wonder if there’s a better alternative. Would the Celtics, who have only recently welcomed back Jayson Tatum, be better? Or the Detroit Pistons, who have the least proven postseason track record in recent years?
If the Sixers were to participate in the play-in tournament, they would be required to face at least one, if not two, extra opponents in double, if not potential single elimination.
That added challenge alone, mixed with the Sixers’ struggles to remain healthy, would prove less than ideal, especially as that pathway would only lead to a matchup against the Celtics, who they split against — but without facing Tatum, or Pistons, who swept them in four games — that’s if it doesn’t lead to an early elimination before the playoffs.
As for which pathway is best, the Sixers have very little that they can control at this point in the season. They’re better off controlling what they can, which would mean finding a way to tie or pass the Raptors by the end of the season. With the tiebreaker in Philadelphia’s favor, there’s a chance the Sixers can finish strong and avoid any unnecessary basketball.
Unless otherwise stated, all stats included in this article are via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, Basketball Reference or Team Rankings. All salary information via Spotrac.
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