Multiple Sixers give thoughts on having to face Magic in the play-in

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks 126-106 in the season finale on Sunday and then got some help from the Boston Celtics. The very undermanned Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 113-108 which vaulted Philadelphia into the No. 7 seed due to owning the tiebreaker over the Magic. The Sixers will now host Orlando in the play-in game on Wednesday.

The Sixers took out of three from the Magic on the season, but Orlando does present challenges. The Magic are a physical team led by Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane on the perimeter while also having two physical wing players in Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Tristan Da Silva, and others.

"They’re a pretty physical team," said coach Nick Nurse. "Looks like they got everybody back now, too. I think they're pretty much fully healthy. So that's a very talented team. They haven't hardly been healthy all year. Big wings and aggressive guards."

Those big aggressive guards are going to be the initial challenges for Philadelphia to have to deal with. Both Suggs and Bane, along with Anthony Black, will do their best to bother Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe out on the perimeter. That is what's on the mind of Nurse at the moment.

"Suggs and Bane are two competitive, physical guys back there, Banchero and Wagner at the wings and they got some decent depth back," Nurse continued. "Black has had a great season when he's been healthy, too. So very good, very talented team. They've been one of many teams in the league that hasn't been very healthy this year. So, a really tough game."

On top of them being physical, they have some playoff experience. The Magic have been in the playoffs in each of the last two years so they know what these types of games are like. Orlando also won the 7-8 matchup in 2025 against the Atlanta Hawks so it knows what play-in games are like as well.

"I mean, they're a tough team," said Maxey. "They won like five straight, five or six straight prior to right now. They're getting guys back, and they're playoff team. They've been in the playoffs the last couple years. They know how to play. They have very good talent, and they're well coached. So, it's gonna be a good challenge for us."

The one win the Magic had over the Sixers came in the NBA Cup back on Nov. 25. The Magic won easily 144-103 as they handled their business on the road in Philadelphia.

"They beat us down pretty bad last time they played here," Paul George said of his thoughts on the matchup. "So, that's motivation enough for us to go in and protect home court with a chance to lock the seed in."

One thing about NBA players, their memory is long. The Sixers certainly remember the Magic whooping them pretty good back in November. Now, they have a chance to lock in the No. 7 seed and force the Magic to play another game in the play-in.

"I'm looking forward to just going out there and play," said VJ Edgecombe. "The last time they played here, we know the score. I say, you know. We know they're a good team. We got to come out—even though they just lost us now, they got to prove something also. It's just best team win. I think that'll be it. Just the best team win."

The Sixers and the Magic will face off on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT from the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

"We’ve played them a couple of times this year," added Andre Drummond. "They had our number. I think we're in a different position now. The attention to detail is there. We know what's at stake. I think we're prepared for what's to come."

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Multiple Sixers give thoughts on having to face Magic in the play-in