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abr 16 2026PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 109-97 in the NBA play-in tournament, led by a decisive Tyrese Maxey with 31 points, to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and advance to a first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
The game started at a fast pace with back-and-forth action on both ends of the floor, with the Orlando Magic finding their primary offensive outlet in Desmond Bane. The shooting guard, who finished with 34 points, kept his team competitive in the early stages, while the Philadelphia 76ers worked to compensate for the absence of Joel Embiid, who was sidelined following a recent appendectomy.
As the game progressed, the Sixers began to find collective solutions. Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 19 points, Paul George added 16, and rookie V.J. Edgecombe delivered a complete performance with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Additionally, Andre Drummond dominated the paint off the bench with 14 points and 10 rebounds, filling the interior void left by Embiid.
The turning point came in the third quarter. A jump shot by Paul George extended the home team's lead and forced the Orlando Magic to call a timeout. Shortly after, a defensive play by George himself led to a fast break finished by Edgecombe with a dunk that energized the crowd and put the score at 73-62, a moment of intensity that even led to protests and referee warnings.
Still, the Orlando Magic refused to quit. Bane connected on a three-pointer that brought his team closer, and Anthony Black adjusted the score to 87-86, leaving everything open heading into the fourth quarter. However, in the decisive stretch, Tyrese Maxey emerged as the key figure.
The Philadelphia 76ers point guard strung together seven consecutive points in the final minutes to definitively break open the game and secure a crucial victory in this NBA play-in. His offensive leadership allowed the Sixers to open a decisive gap against a Magic team that found no answer.
With this victory, the Philadelphia 76ers advance to the NBA playoffs as the seventh seed in the East, where they will face the Boston Celtics in the first round, while the Orlando Magic will have one last chance to qualify when they face the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth seed.
From a competitive standpoint, this victory solidifies the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoff race despite uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid's physical condition.
The Sixers' next challenge will be a demanding series against Boston, while Orlando will fight for their season's survival in another decisive play-in matchup.
