Did the Philadelphia 76ers make it to the NBA 2024 Playoffs?

The Philadelphia 76ers, led by a 23-point performance from NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, staged a comeback to defeat the Miami Heat 105-104 on Wednesday, securing a first-round NBA playoff matchup against the New York Knicks.

Despite not returning to his peak form following a two-month absence due to knee surgery, Embiid elevated his game in the second half for the Sixers, who faced a 13-point deficit in the third quarter of the NBA Play-in tournament encounter.

The Miami Heat, who advanced from the play-in tournament to reach the NBA Finals just one year ago, are set to host the Bulls, the winner of Friday's second play-in game between Chicago and Atlanta. The triumphant team will secure the No. 8 seed in the postseason.

Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks preview

With the Knicks concluding the season with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, they have clinched home-court advantage over the Sixers in the opening round. The initial two games will be held at Madison Square Garden.

Throughout this season, the Sixers have encountered difficulties in achieving victories against the Knicks. In their initial encounter on Jan. 5, the Knicks dealt the Sixers their most significant defeat of the season up to that point. Displaying a commanding performance, the Knicks secured a 128-92 triumph, signalling their dominance over a Sixers squad led by Joel Embiid.

Over a month later, the teams reconvened in South Philadelphia. The Sixers encountered difficulties in achieving success while facing personnel shortages. Suffering a 110-96 defeat, the Sixers experienced back-to-back losses against New York for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

In the previous month, the Sixers embarked on a two-game series at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Despite facing the challenge without Embiid, the Sixers persevered and emerged victorious in a low-scoring contest, securing a 79-73 win over New York.

In the subsequent matchup, the Sixers were unable to secure victory. With another 79-point outing, they conceded 106 to the Knicks, resulting in a 3-1 loss in the regular-season series.

Philadelphia will aim for redemption as it prepares to face its Atlantic Division adversary in a seven-game series to commence the playoffs.