NBA In-Season Tournament: 76ers Facing Elimination on Friday

The 76ers could get eliminated from the NBA In-Season Tournament officially on Friday.

The Philadelphia 76ers have a long shot of punching their ticket to Las Vegas next month to continue competing in the next phase of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

On Friday, the Sixers could find themselves eliminated once and for all.

Elimination Scenarios

As the NBA announced on Friday afternoon, two game scenarios could play into the Sixers’ elimination. With a Miami Heat victory and a Milwaukee Bucks win, the Sixers would become eliminated officially.

The Heat are set to face the New York Knicks for the first time this season. In the regular season series between the Heat and the Knicks last year, the Knicks won three out of four times.

As for the Bucks, they’ll go toe-to-toe with the Washington Wizards. When the two teams met for the first time this season four days ago, the Bucks found success with a dominant 142-129 win.

Even if one of the two team-specific scenarios plays out in the Sixers’ favor, point differential could play a major part in keeping the Sixers out of the wildcard spot. Currently, the Miami Heat lead the wildcard race at plus-13. The Sixers are in the hunt with a plus-9 point differential, with the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Orlando Magic still in the mix.

How the Sixers Got Here

Heading into the 2023-2024 NBA season, the Sixers seemed to be in a favorable position to win their group. Out of the five teams, the Sixers were one of three organizations to make the playoffs last year. They were the only team to find their way into the second round.

The Sixers’ first tournament game was a success, as they put the Detroit Pistons away to move to 1-0. They found themselves getting tripped up in the second game when they faced the Indiana Pacers.

Despite beating the Pacers two nights prior, the Sixers couldn’t make it two in a row. Unfortunately for them, the second outing counted towards their In-Season play, which led to a loss. A few nights later, the Sixers bounced back with a win over the Atlanta Hawks, but they failed to come out on top in a critical matchup against the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sitting at 2-2 in group play, the Sixers trail the 2-1 Cavaliers and the undefeated Pacers. With Indiana clearing the Cavs, Sixers, and Hawks, they have officially punched their ticket to Vegas, winning the East Group A play. 

The Sixers aren’t out just yet, but they have a very slim chance to advance.