The NBA has agreed to send 22 out of 30 teams down to the Magic Kingdom to finish the remainder of the regular season and ultimately, the playoffs. The 22 teams heading to Walt Disney World will play 8 final regular season games to determine the 16 teams that will make the playoffs.

Keep an eye on OKC – their final 8 games will be the key for a 1st round Sixers pick in this year’s NBA draft. OKC isn’t the only team looking to make a move during the final games of the regular season. The Sixers now have the opportunity to jump up in the seeding.

When talks of a return initially happened, we were thinking that the season would resume and head straight to the playoffs. In that scenario, the Sixers were locked in to play the Celtics in the 1st round – a team they beat 3 out of 4 times during the regular season. It seemed like a favorable match-up regardless for the Sixers.

Now with 8 games left in the regular season, the Sixers can make a jump in the standings and potentially face the Miami Heat in the 1st round of the playoffs. Personally, I’d kill to watch the Sixers embarrass Jimmy Butler in the 1st round. But I’m confident in either matchup.

Here’s who the Sixers will have left on their schedule:

• Pacers
• Wizards
• Raptors
• Suns
• Blazers
• Rockets
• Wizards
• Magic

The final 8 games should go in the Sixers favor. Only three opponents have a record above .500. Of course, with the Sixers, there’s also reason for concern. For whatever reason, they have struggled against bad teams, and shined against the league’s best.

The most important game is the first one against the Pacers. Every other team, with the exception of the Raptors and Rockets, should be no problem for the Sixers.

It would be a huge momentum boost for the Sixers to escape the regular season at 6-2 and enter the playoffs on somewhat of a hot streak. This will fall on the shoulders of Brett Brown and the Sixers to enter the Magic Kingdom focused, in-shape, and ready to play.