Philadelphia 76ers qualify for NBA playoffs after play-in victory over Orlando Magic

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maxey-tyrese/r9DvnZeC/"]Tyrese Maxey[/a] had 31 points to lead five Philadelphia players to score in double figures.[/p][p]Rookie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edgecombe-jr-valdez/GSA6NTGG/"]VJ Edgecombe[/a] added 19 points and 11 rebounds and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/drummond-andre/SKln14ec/"]Andre Drummond[/a] came off the bench to score 14 points with 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]76ers[/a]' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/orlando-magic-QZMS36Dn/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=f5BIjb5F"]play-in victory[/a] - with star big man [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/embiid-joel/G2hZm0nI/"]Joel Embiid[/a] sidelined as he recovers from an appendectomy - secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round series against the second-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Celtics[/a].[/p][embed guid="9db3d0e3-0959-4e78-a254-d13c57596f03" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2044605022575456351?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Magic, led by 34 points from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bane-desmond/dCwE0YA5/"]Desmond Bane[/a], will have a last chance to grab the East eighth seed on Friday when they host the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte Hornets[/a], who knocked out the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami[/a] Heat in a 127-126 overtime thriller on Tuesday.[/p][p]The reward for the winner of Friday's game will be a first-round series against East top seeds [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit[/a].[/p][p]Philadelphia led most of the night but the Magic cut an 11-point deficit midway through the third quarter to one early in the fourth.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robinson-orlando/nRFCr4U4/"]Orlando[/a] trailed by four with four minutes remaining, but the Sixers pulled away with a late spurt capped by Drummond's three-pointer with 41 seconds left.[/p]