Could Sixers Clinch a Playoff Spot on Sunday Night?

The Philadelphia 76ers had an opportunity to clinch a spot in the 2022 NBA Playoffs on Saturday. Before the Sixers tipped off against the Charlotte Hornets, the

Justin Grasso | Apr 3, 2022

Could Sixers Clinch a Playoff Spot on Sunday Night? /

The Philadelphia 76ers had an opportunity to clinch a spot in the 2022 NBA Playoffs on Saturday. Before the Sixers tipped off against the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA announced that with a win on Saturday and a Cleveland Cavaliers loss, the Sixers would officially punch their ticket to the playoffs.

The first scenario played out perfectly for Philly. After a tight first half, the Sixers turned their play up a notch in the second half and dominated the Hornets. Suddenly, the Sixers' three-game losing streak didn't mean much, as a 144-114 victory allowed the Sixers to get out of their rut and potentially notch their spot in the postseason.

Although the Sixers accomplished their task, the Cavaliers prevented the 76ers from clinching their spot on Saturday. With a dominant victory against the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers improved their record to 43-35 and made Sunday's game between Cleveland and Philadelphia more interesting.

What Will It Take for Philly to Clinch a Spot?

After defeating the Hornets on Saturday afternoon, the Sixers hit the road right away to head to Cleveland. On Sunday, the Sixers will tip-off against the Cavaliers a little over 24 hours after wrapping up their matchup against the Hornets.

With a victory over Cleveland, the Sixers become the next team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff berth. A loss keeps them waiting for another day.

In the three matchups between the Sixers and the Cavaliers this season, Philadelphia came out on top with wins in every game. Can they get a season's sweep over Cleveland on Sunday? Soon enough, we'll find out.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

Published Apr 3, 2022

JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA