76ers and Magic vie for Eastern Conference No. 7 seed

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The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic faced off Wednesday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. ET in Philadelphia to determine the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The winner earns a first-round matchup against the second-seeded Boston Celtics, while the loser must play the Charlotte Hornets on Friday for the final playoff spot.

Both teams entered the play-in game with identical 45-37 regular-season records. Philadelphia held the season series advantage, though the two rosters hadn’t met since January.

Statistical trends and player matchups

Philadelphia ranks ninth in the NBA with 16.9 fast break points per game, led by Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 21.3 points over his last 10 games. The 76ers closed their regular season with two consecutive wins after a three-game losing streak.

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Orlando ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference in paint scoring, averaging 51.1 points per game. Franz Wagner leads that effort with a 10.6 average. The Magic won five straight games before losing their season finale to Boston.

For more on this story, see Hornets & Knicks Heat Up Playoff Push: NBA Preview & Key Players.

Shooting efficiency remains a key variable. The Magic shoot 46.4% from the field, while the 76ers’ opponents averaged 46.7% this season. Philadelphia makes 12.3 three-pointers per game, barely edging out the 12.1 the Magic allow.

What the result means for the bracket

A victory for either team secures the No. 7 seed and an immediate jump to the first round against Boston. The loser of the game will host the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 seed matchup on Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This follows our earlier report, NBA Playoff Scenarios: Final Day Seeding Guide.

The Charlotte Hornets already advanced to that Friday slot after defeating the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime on Tuesday. The winner of Friday’s game earns the No. 8 seed and must face the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, who finished the regular season with a 60-22 record.

Who does the winner face next?

The winner of the Magic-76ers game advances to face the second-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

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What happens if a team loses this game?

The losing team hosts the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 seed game on Friday, April 17, to compete for the No. 8 seed.