Observations after Sixers earn tough play-in win, advance to series vs. Celtics 

The Sixers pulled out a tough play-in tournament victory Wednesday night and earned a trip back to the postseason in the process.

They notched a 109-97 victory over the Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Next up for the Sixers is a first-round playoff series against the No. 2 seed Celtics. Game 1 is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Boston.

The Sixers had five double-figure scorers. Tyrese Maxey posted 31 points and six assists. VJ Edgecombe had a double-double in his first career postseason game with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Desmond Bane starred for the Magic, scoring 34 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Paolo Banchero had 18 points.

Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery) watched Wednesday’s game from the Sixers’ bench. He remains out indefinitely. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ playoff-clinching win:

Oubre fires away in first 

Adem Bona got the start for the Sixers at center and knocked down a pair of free throws to kick off the scoring.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was in the middle of much of the early action. He drained two three-pointers in under two and a half minutes.

Oubre was also active defensively in his opening stint against Franz Wagner. He brought the necessary off-ball physicality and didn’t let the 6-foot-10 Wagner capitalize on his height advantage. 

With 8:30 left in the first quarter, Oubre committed an obvious offensive foul when his screen knocked Wagner to the floor. The teams exchanged some unfriendly words after the whistle and both Oubre and Banchero were assessed technicals.

Oubre capped the first quarter in sweet fashion for the Sixers, swishing a corner three with 1.8 seconds left to give his team a 28-24 edge. 

This season Oubre shot a career-best 36 percent beyond the arc, an improvement he credited largely to gaining flexibility in his left wrist and hand through offseason therapy following years of issues. He carried over that confidence in his jumper to the postseason. Oubre shot 5 for 10 from three-point Wednesday in his 19-point performance.

Maxey takes balanced approach 

Maxey made a concerted effort in the first quarter to drive hard, reach the paint regularly and invite contact. 

He drew the second foul on Banchero with 7:06 left in the first. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley let Banchero play through his foul trouble and Orlando’s star forward avoided any more problems on that front.

Paul George was scoreless in the first quarter, but he hit a couple of jumpers in Maxey-less minutes to begin the second period. Quentin Grimes’ and-one layup put the Sixers up 39-33. 

Grimes, Andre Drummond and Dominick Barlow were the only three bench players in the Sixers’ rotation. Drummond had a strong first half. He registered a highlight assist when he short rolled, took Maxey’s pocket pass and fired the ball to a cutting Barlow for a dunk. Drummond’s first quarter also included a put-back slam and two blocks. 

While Maxey mostly kept his foot on the gas offensively, he also recognized when he’d attracted extra defenders and could find open teammates.

With the second quarter winding down, Maxey tossed a one-handed skip pass to Drummond in the corner. The veteran big man drilled his jumper and the Sixers entered halftime with a four-point lead. 

Sixers strong in the clutch

Bane converted a mid-range, and-one jumper on Edgecombe 18 seconds into the third quarter. He made his free throw, which was already his 10th attempt of the game. 

The Magic had a hard time building any serious momentum because of their poor outside shooting. 

Orlando was fourth-worst in the NBA this season in three-point percentage (34.3 percent) and did not transform into a sharpshooting squad Wednesday. The team finished 7 for 27 (25.9 percent) from three-point range. 

Bona stepped up for the Sixers in the third quarter, swatting three shots and providing ample energy. Edgecombe also picked up steam in the third. His fast-break layup extended the Sixers’ lead to 73-62.

There was an altercation under the basket after Edgecombe’s hoop. The home crowd enjoyed the chaotic scene and Oubre spurred them on, asking for more noise. However, the fans were not happy with the conclusion of the officials’ review. Edgecombe got a taunting technical foul for his dust-up with Jalen Suggs. 

Maxey missed several open jumpers in the third quarter and the Sixers couldn’t grow their advantage. The Magic hung around and Orlando cut its deficit to 87-86 on an Anthony Black three early in the fourth quarter.

Maxey had a superstar’s stretch with the game up for grabs. He first made a driving layup. Edgecombe then ripped the ball from Banchero, leading to a Maxey triple on the other end. A Maxey floater built the Sixers’ lead back to eight points.

The game was destined to come down to the final few minutes.

The Sixers had a good night overall on the glass, but Wagner got a put-back layup to trim the Sixers’ lead to 99-95 with 3:25 left, prompting head coach Nick Nurse to call timeout.

Just as he did in the regular season, Edgecombe looked very comfortable in the clutch. He made a difficult layup and hit two foul shots to restore a seven-point lead.

Soon, “We want Boston!” chants rang out from the stands and a Drummond corner three was a joyous way for the Sixers to truly ice the game.

The Celtics series won’t be easy at all, but the Sixers deserve their chance to face the East’s No. 2 seed and try to spring an upset.