PHILADELPHIA — The Sixers have clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference after an impressive 122-97 victory over the Magic.
“It’s an accomplishment,” Doc Rivers told FortyEightMinutes and other media in Philadelphia while cautioning that it’s not the ultimate goal. “I don’t want to downplay it…It’s part of what you can get on the way to what you want.”
Philly also won the Atlantic Division for the first time in 20 years, which was also the last time that the franchise made it to the NBA Finals. During the 2000-01 season, Allen Iverson & Co. defeated the Bucks in the conference finals, and with this victory tonight, the franchise assures itself that this year’s version of the Bucks (as well as the Nets) are on the other side of the East’s bracket.
We’ll have plenty of Sixers coverage during the postseason at FortyEightMinutes.com and while we await the NBA’s second season, let’s take a look at some game notes from Philadelphia.
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- The contest against the Magic was never really close. Orlando was missing a plethora of players due to injuries and it’s likely that none of the 11 Magic guys who saw minutes on Friday will be starters when the 2021-22 opens.
- George Hill was the first Sixer off the bench. It’s reasonable to think that’ll be the case come playoff time, though there was a lot of funky stuff in this game with Dwight Howard suspended for the contest and Rivers having the ability to experiment without real consequences.
- Rivers played a lineup with Mike Scott at “center,” flanked by Hill, Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, and Tyrese Maxey because why not. Scott and the four guards helped Philly build an 11-point lead early in the second quarter before Simmons came back in.
- Paul Reed checked into the game during the fourth quarter to the delight of the crowd. Reed, who scored four points in seven minutes, is unlikely to play much in the postseason, though he should get some run on Sunday when the Sixers play the Magic again at the Wells Fargo Arena.
