Philadelphia (USA) May 16 (EFE) .- Rookie point guard Tyrese Maxey contributed 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and the Philadelphia Sixers, the best record in the Eastern Conference, beat the Orlando Magic 128-117 in the last game of the regular season that didn’t have any kind of incentive.
Philadelphia didn’t play any of its regular starters after clinching top spot in the East with Friday’s win over the Magic.
Cameroonian center Joel Embiid (illness), Australian point guard Ben Simmons (back), forward Tobias Harris (right knee), guard Seth Curry (right hip) and forward Danny Green (left hip) saw no action in the game. .
Maxey took over, hitting 11 of 19 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 triples, while making all five free throws. Another rookie, backup forward Paul Reed had a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Sixers finished 49-23 overall and 29-7 at home. They will host a first-round playoff series against the second team that will emerge from the league’s new entry tournament.
Rookie point guard Cole Anthony scored a career-high 37 points as the leader of the injury-plagued Magic, which was left without a number of key players. Orlando ended the season with a seven-game losing streak and an underdog of 21-51.
Philadelphia finishes with the best record in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2001, when point guard Allen Iverson led the team to the NBA Finals. Those Sixers lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Sixers have not made it past the Eastern Finals in 10 postseason appearances since then and will now have the home edge at least until the NBA Finals.
Your first-round rival could be the Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards or the Boston Celtics. Philadelphia was 11-1 against those teams in the regular season.
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