The Sixers clinched the one seed in the Eastern Conference and unlike in past years, the team at the top of the conference will have to wait to see who their first opponent in the postseason will be.
With the play-in tournament set, Philadelphia has to just sit back and wait to find out their next matchup. The Celtics and Wizards will battle for the seventh seed and the loser will play the winner of the Pacers-Hornets tilt. That second game will determine who the Sixers play in the first round.
Season Record vs. Potential Opponent
- Wizards: 3-0
- Hornets: 3-0
- Celtics: 3-0
- Pacers: 2-1
While the Pacers were the only team out of the bunch to get a win vs. the Sixers this season, that victory was without Joel Embiid and Indiana just doesn’t have the firepower to win four games against Philadelphia.
Washington would likely be the team’s biggest challenge, as this isn’t quite the same team that lost several times to Philly during the first half of the season. The Wizards are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, though the status of Bradley Beal looms over them. Beal, who’s dealing with a hamstring injury, returned to the court on Sunday, though the franchise will need he and Russell Westbrook at full health if they want to make any noise in the first round (whether it be against the Sixers or the Nets).
While the Wizards are clearly the most dangerous of the bunch, it’s safe to say that none of the four are causing the team any anxiety as they await the results of the play-in tournament.
“I don’t care who we play,” Simmons told FortyEightMinutes and other media members over the weekend. “That’s the point of having the number one seed. You feel like you’re the best team in the conference, so you’re supposed to be able to play anybody. If we were scared, we shouldn’t be in this position.”
