Standings Update: Sixers fall back into the play-in with 4 games left in the regular season

The plan for the Sixers was to lose in Detroit and win the other three. They lost at home instead, got blown out by 23, and the standings flipped overnight. The Raptors won on Saturday and now sit at 43-34, a half game ahead of Philadelphia with the tiebreaker. Just like that the Sixers are back in the play-in with four games left and a razor thin margin for error.

Sixers destroyed by Pistons, fall behind Raptors in Eastern Conference standings

Give Detroit credit. The Pistons are 57-21 and the best team in basketball for a reason. The Sixers were on the second night of a back-to-back without Embiid and it showed from the first quarter. Down 26 at one point. Two points in the fourth quarter until the five-minute mark. Shot 25 percent in the fourth and went 0-for-6 from three. It was ugly and there is no way to dress it up.

One bad night and everything shifted. That is how tight this race is.

Sixers Updated Standings

• 5th — Hawks (45-33) — 8-2 L10, W4
• 6th — Raptors (43-34) — 5-5 L10, W1
• 7th — 76ers (43-35) ← us — 6-4 L10, L1
• 8th — Hornets (42-36) — 8-2 L10, W3
• 9th — Magic (41-36) — 3-7 L10
• 10th — Heat (41-37) — 3-7 L10

Half a game. Toronto owns the tiebreaker now after owning it for 24 hours. If the season ended today Philadelphia is in a play-in game. The Hornets at 42-36 have won three straight and are one game back. That is not a comfortable cushion with four road games left. The Hawks are gone. That race ended weeks ago.

Sixers Remaining Schedule

• Mon Apr 6 — at Spurs (53-18) — Tough
• Thur Apr 9 — at Rockets (43-27) — Competitive
• Fri Apr 10 — at Pacers (15-57) — Winnable
• Sun Apr 12 — vs Bucks (29-41) — Winnable

San Antonio tomorrow is a loss you accept and move on from. The Spurs are 53-18 and one of the best teams in the Western Conference. The Rockets on Thursday are beatable. The Pacers on Friday and Bucks on Sunday are the two the Sixers absolutely must have.

Projection is 3-1. Drop San Antonio. Win Houston, Indiana, and Milwaukee. Finish 46-36 and reclaim the sixth seed. That is the target and it requires stealing a road game in Houston against a 43-win playoff team. It is doable. This team has won road games against better competition this month.

The Playoff Picture

A 2-2 finish at 45-37 probably means staying at seventh, a play-in game against the Hornets or Magic, and then the Celtics if you survive. Not ideal but not over with this roster.

A 3-1 finish at 46-36 likely reclaims the sixth seed over Toronto, skips the play-in entirely, and sets up a first-round matchup with the Knicks. That is the realistic target.

A 4-0 finish at 47-35 locks up sixth and pushes Atlanta for fifth. Winning in San Antonio makes that a long shot.

The play-in with Embiid, George, and Maxey is not a death sentence. That trio in a one-game elimination setting is a problem for anyone. But skipping it is still the goal and that means going on the road and winning games they have no business winning. It has happened before this month.

Four games left. The Sixers need to respond the way they have responded all month. San Antonio is probably a loss. Everything after that is not.

Good luck to whoever is waiting. But Philly has to earn it first.

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