Despite still working on regaining full rhythm after missing 29 games, Joel Embiid is determined to ensure the Philadelphia 76ers secure a playoff berth by giving his all.

Sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and heading towards the play-in tournament, Philadelphia has the chance to snatch the sixth seed when they take on the Orlando Magic at home on Friday night.

With a streak of six consecutive victories, the 76ers (45-35) are within striking distance of the sixth spot held by Indiana and the fifth-ranked Orlando in the East.

A win over the Magic (46-34) would tie the records of Philadelphia and Orlando, and the Sixers would hold the advantage thanks to a clean sweep of the season series with a 3-0 record.

While the Pacers, also at 46-34, are scheduled to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, they currently have the edge over Philadelphia having won two out of three games against the 76ers this season.

Therefore, even if Indiana loses, Philadelphia’s best-case scenario would be to secure the sixth position in the conference standings by the end of Friday night.

Since his comeback from left knee surgery, Embiid has participated in four games, notably delivering an impressive performance with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists in the recent 120-102 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Playing 29 minutes in his first game post-injury, Embiid gradually increased his playing time in subsequent matches, reaching 36 minutes against Detroit.

Although Philadelphia is already assured of playing in the postseason, Embiid is committed to maintaining his competitive edge without letting up.

Explaining his strategy for the remaining two games, Embiid expressed his intention to maximize playing time, aiming for over 35 minutes in the next game and pushing for 40 minutes in the final game of the season.

“Just keep trying to build up.”

On the other side, Orlando is working to avoid a late-season downturn.

With three losses in the past four games, the Magic are coming off a 117-99 defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.

Cole Anthony led Orlando with 23 points from the bench, supported by Paolo Banchero‘s 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists against Milwaukee.

Acknowledging the importance of their performance, Banchero stressed the need for Orlando to maintain a high level of play to secure a top-six seed and bypass the play-in tournament, with their regular season finale against the Bucks on their home court on Sunday.

“We have two left,” Banchero said. “One in Philly. They are going to be ready. That should be fun.”

“It’s going to be a game we have to try and go out and get. And then (we) see (Milwaukee) again back home in front of the fans. Looking forward to the next two.”

Turnovers plagued the Magic in their previous game with 16 turnovers leading to 27 points for Milwaukee. Head coach Jamahl Mosley is keen on ensuring better ball security as they face off against Philadelphia.

“Our ability to take care of the basketball is key,” Mosley said. “We just have to do a better job taking care of the basketball.”