The Eastern Conference playoff picture is currently a chaotic one, with the Sixers finding themselves in the thick of it after a disappointing loss. With seven games left and a 41-34 record, the Sixers are battling for a guaranteed playoff seed.
Sixers’ Playoff Path: Chasing Toronto
The Toronto Raptors currently lead this group and hold the 5th seed. They are 1.5 games ahead of Philadelphia. Toronto’s remaining schedule is the 10th easiest, including matchups against the Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, Heat (twice), Nets, Kings and Grizzlies.
The season series between the Sixers and Raptors ended in a 2-2 tie. The tiebreaker defaults to division record. The Sixers are 9-7 in the Atlantic Division, while the Raptors are 4-10, meaning Philadelphia would win the tiebreaker if the teams finish level.
Catching the Raptors in the short term seems unlikely. However, the April 5-10 stretch will determine whether Toronto stays out of the play-in altogether. If they slip against one of the tanking opponents early, the margin for error gets razor thin once you factor in the tiebreaker working in Philly’s favour.
Atlanta Hawks’ Advantage
The Hawks have been a problem lately, winning 16 of their last 18 to plant themselves at the 6th seed. Unlike Toronto, Atlanta is staring down one of the tougher remaining schedules in this group, ranked 8th hardest, with games against the Knicks, Cavaliers twice, Magic and Heat. Their only breather on paper is a date with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Sixers face a tricky situation with Atlanta because the Hawks outright own the tiebreaker over Philadelphia. This effectively turns their 1.5 game lead into something closer to a 2.5 game lead in practice.
The Sixers wouldn’t just need to match the Hawks, they’d need to surpass them.
These standings are shifting every single night.