Magic fall at Sixers in play-in, will host Hornets on Friday for playoff spot

PHILADELPHIA — The Magic will have one last chance Friday to advance to the playoffs after falling to the 76ers in the Nos. 7 vs. 8 game of the NBA play-in tournament on Wednesday night.

In a tight, chippy contest that featured 12 lead changes and was tied nine times, the Sixers pulled away late for a 109-97 victory inside Xfinity Mobile Arena in front of national TV audience on Amazon’s Prime Video.

Despite Desmond Bane (34 points), Paolo Banchero (18) and Anthony Black (13) combining for 65 points, Orlando was unable to overcome a late surge by the Sixers, who advance to the first round of the playoffs.

Playing without five-time All-NBA center Joel Embiid, Philadelphia was led by Tyrese Maxey, who scored 31 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 19 points apiece for the Sixers.

With the loss, the No. 8 Magic (45-37) will now host No. 9 Charlotte on Friday night in a win-or-go-home contest with the No. 8 seed in the playoffs on the line. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Prime Video. The winner would open its best-of-seven series at No. 1 Detroit on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the No. 7 Sixers (45-37) will face No. 2 Boston in a best-of-seven first-round series that also opens Sunday.

The result also means Orlando still hasn’t won on the road in the postseason under coach Jamahl Mosley. The Magic went 0-4 on the road in a 2024 seven-game series against Cleveland and then lost three away games against the Celtics last postseason.

The Magic will have their backs against the wall Friday at home against the Hornets, who beat the Heat in the Nos. 9-10 play-in game Tuesday night.

The Bane event

Bane followed up a seven-point first quarter with 11 in the second frame.

Bane shot 8 for 9 at the free-throw line in the first half and led the team with 19 points at the break. He and Banchero (13 points) were the lone members of the Magic to reach double figures by the half.

The performance marked Bane's 13th of the season scoring 30-plus points. He added three rebounds and three assists, recording five turnovers.

Third quarter of runs

The Magic scored the first five points of the second half to take a one-point lead less than a minute into the third.

From there, however, it was all Sixers, who went on a 14-2 run and take their largest lead of the night at 11 points, 73-62, more than halfway through the frame.

Orlando was able to respond late thanks to six straight points from Bane, including his second 3-pointer and an and-one opportunity. In a low-scoring 12-minute stretch, Philadelphia outscored the Magic 20-19 in the third.

Franz Wagner’s still working

Mosley said before the game that German forward Franz Wagner was still on a minutes restriction but he’d get “bumped up a little bit,” after playing 26 minutes in the regular-season finale at Boston last Sunday.

Wagner, however, didn’t help himself out when he found himself in early trouble by picking up his third personal at the 1:37 mark of the second quarter.

After playing 12 first-half minutes, Wagner ended at 29 for the night, totaling 12 points, four rebounds and three assists. He appeared to be in some pain as he grabbed his left knee and exited the game with 1:06 left in the game.

Second-chance scoring

Philadelphia took advantage of extra chances early, notching 10 second-chance points in the opening frame. That included a Maxey 3-pointer late in the first quarter.

Orlando was able to clean that up as it allowed zero second-chance points in the second quarter.

Ultimately, both teams scored 14 second-chance points.

Free points

The Magic shot 24 for 31 from the free-throw line while the Sixers finished 21 for 25.