The Philadelphia 76ers (46-35) enter the final day of the 2023-24 regular season on an NBA-best seven-game winning streak, and will host the Brooklyn Nets (32-49) for a Sunday matinee.
The Sixers also enter Game 82 as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Among the many possible outcomes, a win over Brooklyn combined with a loss from either Indiana (vs. ATL) or Orlando (vs. MIL) gets the Sixers the No. 6 seed and out of the Play-In Tournament. Philadelphia can finish as high as fifth if they win and Indiana and Orlando both lose, per ESPN, though there could be an additional route to No. 5 with only an Indiana loss (head-to-head tiebreaker with ORL). If Orlando and Indiana both win, the Sixers will finish seventh even with a win.
Now, If the Sixers lose and the Miami Heat (currently No. 8) win at home against Toronto, the Heat would own the second tiebreaker over Philadelphia based on conference record, which could bring home-court advantage into play depending on other results.
The No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8 seed for a single Play-In Tournament game, with the winner advancing to a full series against the two-seed (the loser would host the winner of the 9-10 game for the right to face top-seeded Boston).
Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET window features seven Eastern Conference matchups.
The Sixers’ most recent win was a 125-113 Friday result against the Orlando Magic (46-35). They now hold a 29-5 record when they score at least 120 points in a game. Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid scored a game-high 32 points in 32 minutes.
“Personally, I’m not,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said postgame about if he is concerned with seeding or potential playoff opponents. “But at the end of the day, I know how the game works. We don’t get to be successful unless we take care of each and every game in front of us. Obviously, it’s good to know that stuff, but it just kind of adds extra pressure and extra anxiety onto a stressful league. I’m not, but I’m just trying to go out there and perform and win every game that we play.”
Brooklyn leads the season series with Philadelphia, 2-1:
- Nov. 19 at BKN (121-99 PHI)
- Feb. 3 at PHI (136-121 BKN)
- Mar. 5 at BKN (112-107 BKN)
OPPONENT OUTLOOK
The Nets (32-49) fell, 111-107, to the Knicks on Friday despite leading by 17 points in the first half. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 30 points and 11 assists, but Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas led all scorers with 41 points. Thomas shot 15-for-26 from the field, 4-for-9 from deep, and made all seven of his free throws in 37 minutes as a starter. It was his fourth 40-point effort of the season, including one in Philadelphia in the Feb. 3 meeting.
In last year’s regular season finale, Thomas tallied 46 points (16-29 fg, 6-8 3fg, 8-8 ft) in 43 minutes against Philadelphia. Thomas leads the Nets in scoring on the season at 22.5 points per game, with Mikal Bridges at 19.7 points per contest.
76ERS-NETS INJURY REPORT
The Nets listed the following nine players as out leading up to Sunday afternoon’s game in Philadelphia: Keita Bates-Diop (right tibia stress fracture), Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee effusion), Cameron Johnson (left big toe sprain), Jaylen Martin (left ankle sprain), Dennis Schröder (right achilles soreness), Day’Ron Sharpe (right wrist effusion), Ben Simmons (lower back nerve impingement), Dennis Smith Jr. (right hip synovitis), and Dariq Whitehead (left shin stress reaction).
For Philadelphia, there are three players with questionable statuses in Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery), KJ Martin (left great toe contusion), and De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery). Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) is out.
ALL THINGS IVERSON
Allen Iverson on how he hopes his sculpture inspires those who walk by it at the Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex:
"Just playing every game like it's your last. That was always my motto... If [I was] on the court, there was no reason not to play that game like it was my last."
Iverson on Tyrese Maxey:
"I see the confidence level. The confidence in himself and knowing that he can do it. He put in the work to become the Tyrese Maxey that he is now. I love watching him play, I cheer for him - I'm always going to be a Sixer. That's who I am. I live this... When I'm rooting for them, it's a feeling as if I was still playing for us."
FRIDAY’S TOP PERFORMANCES
Joel Embiid
- In 32 minutes of play versus the Magic, Embiid posted a game-high 32 points (10-23 fg, 4-7 3fg, 8-9 ft), plus a team-high 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one blocked shot.
Tyrese Maxey
- Maxey finished with 28 points (10-19 fg, 5-10 3fg, 3-4 ft), two rebounds, three assists, and a block in 40 minutes of action.
Kelly Oubre Jr.
- Oubre Jr. contributed 21 points (6-14 fg, 2-7 3fg, 7-9 ft), nine rebounds, two assists, and a block in 30 minutes as a starter.
- In 38 minutes against Orlando, Harris tallied 14 points (5-10 fg, 1-2 3fg, 3-3 ft), six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
QUOTE TO NOTE
76ers Head Coach Nick Nurse on Ricky Council IV, who the team converted from a two-way contract to a standard NBA contract on Saturday, making Council IV eligible to play in the NBA playoffs…
“Man, he’s really done a great job. He’s absolutely earned this spot in everything he’s done. I keep saying this, he competes. Every day, he goes hard here. We’re flying him in here, flying him there, playing that game, coming to us, walkthrough, whatever. He’s doing them hard. His shooting has improved. He’s got a unique kind of athleticism that lets him drive and draw fouls. He’s a little bit versatile on defense. He can guard on the perimeter, he can guard up because of his athleticism.”
FOLLOW ALONG
Sunday’s regular season finale is a 1 p.m. EDT start in South Philadelphia.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Listen: 97.5 The Fanatic
UNIFORMS
The Sixers will wear white uniforms at home and the Nets will wear black.
@SIXERS SOCIAL