PHILADELPHIA — Tyrese Maxey scored 31 factors, V.J. Edgecombe added 19 factors and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers weathered the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Orlando Magic 109-97 on Wednesday evening and safe the No. 7 seed within the Japanese Convention playoffs.

The Sixers moved on to a first-round sequence that begins Sunday at Boston.

Desmond Bane and the Magic aren’t achieved but. They may host Charlotte on Friday evening, with the winner incomes the No. 8 seed within the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.

The Hornets held on to beat Miami 127-126 when Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell’s try at a profitable layup on the buzzer. Charlotte’s LeMelo Ball will play, though he was fined $35,000 for what the league stated was an uncalled flagrant foul when he tripped Bam Adebayo, inflicting a again harm that pressured the Miami star out of the sport.

Embiid had an emergency appendectomy final week in Houston. Whereas the 76ers haven’t given a timetable for his return, the two-time scoring champion returned to the workforce on Wednesday, shocking teammates within the locker room and watching the sport from the bench.

Maxey, named an Japanese Convention All-Star starter for the primary time in his profession, scored seven straight factors late within the fourth to provide the Sixers some respiratory room in opposition to a Magic workforce that wasted an opportunity to play this sport at residence with a late collapse in a loss to the Celtics within the season finale.

Bane, who averaged 20.1 factors and performed all 82 video games, carried Orlando’s offense with 34 factors. He hit a 3 that moved Orlando inside two and Anthony Black hit a 3 that pulled the Magic to 87-86.

Maxey had a bit extra assist down the stretch.

Andre Drummond crammed the void left by Embiid with 14 factors and 10 rebounds off the bench. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 factors and Paul George had 16.

George, who served a 25-game suspension this season for flunking a drug check, hit a fadeaway jumper within the third quarter that stretched the result in seven and prompted an Orlando timeout. He later popped the ball free and dumped it to Edgecombe, who dunked on — and acquired within the face of — Jalen Suggs for a 73-62 lead.

Edgecombe, the No. 3 general choose in final 12 months’s draft, was whistled for taunting and officers needed to separate the groups. Oubre waved his arms towards a roaring crowd and the Sixers appeared primed to construct some separation.

Sport 2 is Tuesday in Boston, and the Sixers return residence for Sport 3 on April 24.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba