PHILADELPHIA — Surviving each a Joel Embiid harm scare and a fourth-quarter push by the Orlando Magic, the Philadelphia 76ers took a major step towards escaping the Eastern Conference play-in image with a 125-113 victory over the Magic right here at Wells Fargo Center Friday evening.

Philadelphia (46-35) has now ripped off seven wins in a row and moved right into a tie with the Magic — now losers of three straight — for sixth place within the Eastern Conference standings with simply Sunday’s video games left to be performed. But all of that shortly light into the background late within the second quarter, when Embiid — enjoying in his fifth recreation since coming back from a left meniscus process final month — got here up limping and grabbing at that left knee after making a basket.

But after instantly strolling to the locker room, Embiid returned for the beginning of the second half and hit a 3-pointer, ultimately ending with 32 factors, 13 rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes. He was aided by his co-star, Tyrese Maxey, who completed with 28 factors, together with a pair of buckets in a row inside the ultimate 5 minutes after Orlando had gotten inside six factors to offer the 76ers the respiration room wanted to tug this one out.

Friday’s recreation right here, nevertheless, was one of a number of throughout each conferences with huge ramifications for a way the playoff image will shake out, as Friday’s play opened with solely three seeds having been determined with simply two days of regular-season basketball left to be performed.

The recreation with the largest fast affect on what occurred right here Friday was in Cleveland, the place the Cavaliers received 33 factors from Donovan Mitchell and 29 factors and 13 rebounds from Jarrett Allen to beat the Indiana Pacers and provides themselves a shot at shifting as excessive because the No. 2 seed with one other win Sunday towards Charlotte.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Knicks moved a step nearer to guaranteeing themselves no less than the third seed within the East with a 111-107 victory over their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Nets. Now, New York simply wants a win over Chicago Sunday at Madison Square Garden to lock itself into no less than the 3-seed. Here’s the place issues stand throughout the Eastern Conference heading into Sunday’s last day of regular-season motion:

– Boston is locked into the highest seed.

– Milwaukee would be the second seed if it beats Orlando; New York will probably be if it beats Chicago and Orlando beats Milwaukee; Cleveland will probably be if it beats Charlotte and each New York and Milwaukee lose.

– New York would be the third seed if the Bucks and Knicks each win. Milwaukee would be the third seed if the Knicks win and the Bucks and Cavaliers lose. Cleveland would be the third seed if the Cavaliers win and the Knicks win and Bucks lose.

– Cleveland would be the fourth seed if it loses or the Cavaliers, Bucks and Knicks all win. Milwaukee will probably be fourth if New York and Cleveland win and the Bucks lose. New York will probably be fourth if Knicks and Bucks lose and Cavaliers win.

– Orlando will end fifth if it wins towards Milwaukee, by advantage of profitable the Southeast Division. Indiana will end fifth if it wins towards Atlanta and Orlando loses. Philadelphia will end fifth if it wins and Indiana and Orlando each lose.

– Indiana will end sixth if it wins and Orlando wins. Philadelphia will end sixth if it wins and Indiana or Orlando loses.

– Philadelphia will end seventh if it wins and Orlando and Indiana each win. Miami will end seventh if the Heat win towards the Toronto Raptors, the 76ers and Pacers win and the Magic lose.

– Miami will end eighth if it loses or the Heat, Magic, 76ers and Pacers all win.

– Chicago is locked into ending ninth, and Atlanta is locked into ending tenth.