Maxey Leads 76ers Past Magic; Celtics Await in Playoff Opener
In the NBA Play-in tournament, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 109-97, led by Tyrese Maxey's 31 points. They secured the 7th seed and will face the Celtics in the first round.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 11:49
- 🔍 Collected: April 16, 2026 at 12:01 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 04:01 (63h 59m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA, Comprehensive Foreign Report, Philadelphia, 15th) In the NBA Eastern Conference Play-in tournament, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic fought for the 7th seed today. In the end, the 76ers won 109 to 97 and advanced. As for the defeated Magic, they still have a chance to fight the Charlotte Hornets for the last playoff ticket in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers and the Magic were evenly matched in the regular season, both at 45 wins and 37 losses. Although the 76ers had home-court advantage due to a better head-to-head record, their strength was greatly compromised because star Joel Embiid did not play due to appendicitis. Guard Tyrese Maxey had to take on the heavy responsibility of scoring.
In the first half, Maxey scored a team-high 16 points. Star forward Paul George, returning from suspension, and Kelly Oubre Jr. also scored in double digits. The Magic, led by star guard Desmond Bane and the 2022 No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero, formed a dual-threat attack. The two scored 32 points combined in the first two quarters, but the 76ers led 59 to 55 at the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half, the Magic fell into scoring trouble. Continuous misses from the outside allowed the 76ers to gradually widen the point difference. When the gap exceeded 10 points, the Magic were forced to call a timeout. The 76ers clearly had more scoring options than their opponents, while the Magic relied solely on Bane and Banchero. Fortunately, Anthony Black returned to the attacking lineup. He and Bane teamed up to chase points early in the fourth quarter, and the situation became deadlocked again.
The 76ers maintained a lead of about 6 points for most of the fourth quarter. The Magic attacked multiple times but could not get closer. The 76ers played steadily and finally widened the score, successfully entering the playoffs with a 109 to 97 victory. Maxey scored 31 points in the game, and a total of 5 players on the team scored in double digits. The team will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
For the defeated Magic today, Bane scored 34 points and Banchero also contributed 18 points. They will face the Hornets next, and the winner will qualify for the playoffs. Even if they advance, their opponent in the first round of the playoffs will be the Eastern Conference leader, the Detroit Pistons. (Compiler: Chu Hsiang-ping) 1150416
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(CNA, Comprehensive Foreign Report, Philadelphia, 15th) In the NBA Eastern Conference Play-in tournament, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic fought for the 7th seed today. In the end, the 76ers won 109 to 97 and advanced. As for the defeated Magic, they still have a chance to fight the Charlotte Hornets for the last playoff ticket in the Eastern Conference.
The 76ers and the Magic were evenly matched in the regular season, both at 45 wins and 37 losses. Although the 76ers had home-court advantage due to a better head-to-head record, their strength was greatly compromised because star Joel Embiid did not play due to appendicitis. Guard Tyrese Maxey had to take on the heavy responsibility of scoring.
In the first half, Maxey scored a team-high 16 points. Star forward Paul George, returning from suspension, and Kelly Oubre Jr. also scored in double digits. The Magic, led by star guard Desmond Bane and the 2022 No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero, formed a dual-threat attack. The two scored 32 points combined in the first two quarters, but the 76ers led 59 to 55 at the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half, the Magic fell into scoring trouble. Continuous misses from the outside allowed the 76ers to gradually widen the point difference. When the gap exceeded 10 points, the Magic were forced to call a timeout. The 76ers clearly had more scoring options than their opponents, while the Magic relied solely on Bane and Banchero. Fortunately, Anthony Black returned to the attacking lineup. He and Bane teamed up to chase points early in the fourth quarter, and the situation became deadlocked again.
The 76ers maintained a lead of about 6 points for most of the fourth quarter. The Magic attacked multiple times but could not get closer. The 76ers played steadily and finally widened the score, successfully entering the playoffs with a 109 to 97 victory. Maxey scored 31 points in the game, and a total of 5 players on the team scored in double digits. The team will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
For the defeated Magic today, Bane scored 34 points and Banchero also contributed 18 points. They will face the Hornets next, and the winner will qualify for the playoffs. Even if they advance, their opponent in the first round of the playoffs will be the Eastern Conference leader, the Detroit Pistons. (Compiler: Chu Hsiang-ping) 1150416
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First Hand News" APP to grasp the latest news in real time.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.