Tyrese Maxey starred as the 76ers moved past Orlando in the SoFi Play-In Tournament.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points, V.J. Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers weathered the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Orlando Magic 109-97 on Wednesday night and secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Sixers moved on to a first-round series that begins Sunday at Boston.
Desmond Bane and the Magic aren’t done yet. They will host Charlotte on Friday night in the SoFi Play-In Tournament finale, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.
The Hornets held on to beat Miami 127-126 when Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell’s attempt at a winning layup at the buzzer.
Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball will play against Orlando, although he was fined $35,000 for what the league said was an uncalled flagrant foul when he tripped Bam Adebayo, causing a back injury that forced the Miami star out of the game.
Embiid had an emergency appendectomy last week in Houston.
While the 76ers haven’t given a timetable for his return, the two-time scoring champion returned to the team on Wednesday, surprising teammates in the locker room and watching the game from the bench.
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