For the first time in franchise history, the Philadelphia 76ers will be part of the NBA Play-In Tournament.
On Wednesday night, the Sixers are set to take on the Miami Heat at 7 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia. This matchup presents them with an opportunity to secure the No. 7 seed in the first round of the NBA playoffs, where they would face the New York Knicks.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of what you need to know about the Sixers’ upcoming Play-In game against the Heat.
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How to Watch the Sixers-Heat NBA Play-In Tournament Game
“The Sixers are facing off against the Heat tonight at 7 p.m. in South Philly. You can catch the game on ESPN if you’re tuning in on TV. And if you prefer to watch online, you can stream it through fuboTV.”
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Jimmy Butler returns to Philly
Since leaving the Sixers and joining the Heat after the 2018-19 season, Jimmy Butler has seen quite a bit of success, especially in the playoffs. He led the Heat to the NBA Finals twice in his first four years in Miami, but they couldn’t clinch the championship either time.
This won’t be the first time Butler returns to the Wells Fargo Center for a big game. Back in 2022, he and the Heat defeated the Sixers in six games during the Eastern Conference semifinals.
After the Sixers were knocked out, a video surfaced of Butler saying, “Tobias Harris over me?” The former Sixer also expressed a desire to still play alongside reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, with whom he formed a close bond during his time in Philly.
Butler will be aiming to play the role of the villain once again on Wednesday night.
Will Joel Embiid play against the Sixers-Heat?
Joel Embiid missed Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Brooklyn Nets, but he’s been actively participating in practice on Monday and Tuesday leading up to Wednesday’s game against the Heat.
Although he’s listed as questionable due to a left knee injury, it’s anticipated that Embiid will be in the lineup. He had a minor tweak to his surgically repaired left knee during Friday’s game against the Orlando Magic but returned to play.
During the regular season, the Sixers had an impressive record of 31 wins and 8 losses when Embiid played. In the 39 games he participated in, he achieved a career-high average of 34.7 points and 5.6 assists.
In other injury updates, forward K.J. Martin is listed as questionable with a left great toe contusion, while guard De’Anthony Melton and forward Robert Covington have been ruled out.
On the Heat’s side, guards Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson will be unavailable for the game.
What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament involves four teams from each conference vying for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in the playoffs.
The Sixers, seeded No. 7, are up against the No. 8 seed Heat. The winner of this game secures the No. 7 seed and will play the Knicks in the playoffs’ first round.
But if the Sixers lose, they still have a chance. They would then face the winner of the Bulls vs. Hawks game also happening Wednesday.
If that happens, the Sixers will play the Bulls/Hawks winner on Friday at Wells Fargo Center, which would require rescheduling the Bad Bunny concert. The loser of the Bulls-Hawks game will be out of the running.
The winner of the Sixers vs. Bulls/Hawks game will then play against the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
In the NBA Play-In Tournament, the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in each conference compete against each other. The winner moves on to face the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
Simultaneously, the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds also play each other. The winner of this game then faces the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup in a second round to determine the No. 8 seed. This No. 8 seed will go on to face the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Homecourt advantage goes to the higher seed in each scenario.
What teams are in the 2024 NBA play-in tournament?
In the Western Conference, the No. 7 seed New Orleans Pelicans will be playing at home against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in their matchup.
Simultaneously, the No. 9 seed Sacramento Kings will host the No. 10 seed Golden State Warriors.
Following the initial games, the loser of the Lakers-Pelicans matchup will advance to face the winner of the Kings-Warriors game. The team winning this second-round match secures the final playoff spot, while the loser is out of contention.
In the Eastern Conference, the No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers will face off against the No. 8 seed Miami Heat. The losing team from this game will move on to face the winner of the other Eastern Conference game.
Additionally, in the East, the No. 9 seed Chicago Bulls will host the No. 10 seed Atlanta Hawks.
What is the schedule for the 2024 NBA play-in tournament?
Here’s a breakdown of the play-in games in each conference:
Western Conference:
- No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers: Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
- No. 9 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 10 Golden State Warriors: Tuesday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Eastern Conference:
- No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 8 Miami Heat: Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- No. 9 Chicago Bulls vs. No. 10 Atlanta Hawks: Wednesday, April 17 at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Round 2 matchups:
- Eastern Conference No. 7/8 vs. No. 9/10: Friday, April 19, TBD (ESPN/Fubo)
- Western Conference No. 7/8 vs. No. 9/10: Friday, April 19, TBD (TNT)