It's going to be a rough one for Sixers in Play-In game vs. Magic

CAMDEN — Once upon a time, Wednesday's Orlando Magic-Sixers game would have been a get your knee pads and sharpen your elbows type of game. 

But physicality will be at a premium during the Play-In game that will determine who will play the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs beginning this weekend.

In Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs, the Magic will bump and bang and double Sixers' guard Tyrese Maxey, looking to take his speed and quickness away, much like the San Antonio Spurs did to him twice this season. In forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Philadelphia will face two players who aren't afraid of contact and many times prefer it to create space for themselves. 

As has been the case most of this season with the shorthanded roster he is handed game to game, Sixers coach Nick Nurse will have to search out any possible mismatches he will be able to find at the offensive end while also matching the tough style of play that Orlando presents.

"For us, I think there's probably some of the matchups that we like better," Nurse said after the team's workout at their practice facility. "But again, it's a read of how things are going. Again, we're going to play Drum (Andre Drummond), we're gonna play (Adem) Bona and we have to figure out what it's going to look like as the game is going on.

"(Bonchero) is a physical player and gets a lot done with his strength and size, carving space and attacking with his shoulder hits and things like that. You got to stand in there and be able to use your own physicality to do that. You got to have multiple coverages ready for him. I think showing multiple bodies, especially in certain matchups, will be important for us. Even going as far as having three or four different schemes and three or four different guys that will guard him, trying to keep him off balance is important, too. A lot of it is going to come down to somebody standing in there and using their force against his."

Do the Sixers have that? The absence of Joel Embiid down low no doubt hurts tremendously. And the center spot is still somewhat undecided on how Nurse is going to use Drummond and Bona. That alone makes the mismatch seem to lean towards the Magic. 

But the crucial part of the game is how Maxey will be able to shake loose from the incredible amount of attention he will surely get from the Magic defense. It will most likely mean rookie VJ Edgecombe will have to become the prominent ball-handler to enable Maxey to avoid the immediate double teams. And Edgecombe has thrived there as of late, as he's averaged eight assists the past three games. But he'll most likely have to take over a scoring load and be someone who warrants attention to take some of the pressure off Maxey.

"It's different. Lot of details," said Edgecombe of the preparation for the postseason. "I know they're going to be physical. They're good. They're good players. My focus is just winning. Play basketball and may the best team win."

How that comes about and who it will be Wednesday isn't exactly clear. While the Sixers have had problems building an identity with all the injuries and a suspension, Orlando has rounded back to theirs as they come into the game in pretty good health.

"It's what we got," said Maxey of who is available for Sixers. "It's been tough. Guys have really rallied, guys have played the right way, guys have come to work every single day. It's tough, we dealt with injuries, we dealt with Paul (George's 25 game suspension) situation. Both of them (Embiid and George) played less than 40 games this year, so I think guys had to step up and guys did that. 

"Because from day one, after what we went through last year, it couldn't be an excuse. That was my biggest thing, it wasn't going to be an excuse. In the season, we want a chance to play postseason basketball no matter who played, no matter how many games missed. No matter what. Again, it was a roller coaster season. For the circumstances, we did pretty good. Now we're here and we have to make the best of our opportunity."

They'll need contributions from everyone. The saying in the NBA is to take away the head of the snake. Maxey is that for the Sixers, and Orlando, no doubt, has preached it since this game was set.

"We got home-court advantage. We've got the best home court in the league," said Maxey. "They push us to be better. We appreciate all our fans. Can't wait to see them tomorrow and we're going to go out there and try our best to get a W and secure us a spot in the playoffs. We're going to need everybody to be at their best. It's the hardest time of the year to win a basketball game, no matter what the circumstances, up 20, down 20. It's so hard to win basketball games at this time of the year."

For a team that has faced an unusual amount of challenges this season, mostly from within, the Sixers should have a good idea of what's ahead for them on Wednesday.    

NOTES

Should the Sixers lose on Wednesday, they will host the winner of Miami and Charlotte at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday with the winner getting the eighth seed and a trip to Detroit to begin the first round... Coach Nick Nurse was a guest of the Phillies Tuesday, hanging out with manager Rob Thomson and taking in batting practice... Nurse said Embiid hasn't been around the team as he recovers from his appendix surgery.