The Philadelphia 76ers secured a hard-fought victory over the Miami Heat, clinching a spot in the playoffs.

A slow beginning prompted the 76ers to face jeers from the crowd as the Heat surged ahead with a 51-39 lead at halftime.

However, Joel Embiid’s impressive 23 points, complemented by Nicolas Batum’s 20 points along with 15 rebounds and five assists, spearheaded the 76ers’ comeback, securing a nail-biting 105-104 victory.

Reflecting on the game, Embiid remarked, “There was a lot of booing, but we remained united. It just goes to show that even when I’m not at my best, struggling to find my rhythm until the fourth quarter, we still manage to pull off a win.”

Jimmy Butler led the Heat’s dominant first-half performance with 19 points, five assists, four rebounds, and five steals. However, he suffered a knee injury and was visibly limping by the end of the game.

The victory secures the seventh seed for the 76ers in the Eastern Conference, setting up a first-round playoff matchup against the New York Knicks.

Meanwhile, the Heat will face the Chicago Bulls in the play-in eliminator on Friday to determine the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Bulls advanced to the eliminator by defeating the Atlanta Hawks 131-116. Coby White delivered a standout performance with a career-high 42 points, supported by Nikola Vucevic’s 24 points and 12 rebounds.

The Bulls seized control early, jumping to a 40-22 lead by the end of the first quarter. Although the Hawks narrowed the gap and trailed by just three points with five minutes remaining, a pivotal three-pointer from Vucevic reignited the Bulls’ momentum, allowing them to pull away for the win.

Despite a strong effort from Dejounte Murray, who scored 30 points, the Hawks’ season came to an end. Trae Young and Clint Capela contributed 22 points each, while Bogdan Bogdanovic added 21 points.