PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Hopes of making the playoffs are on the line for the 76ers and the Flyers as both Philadelphia teams near the end of their regular seasons.
Both teams lost important games on Thursday night, making their final few regular-season games that much more important.
“Both seem like they’re really close,” said fan Jacob Zall of South Philadelphia.
The Flyers feel confident, but their head coach says they need more discipline after Thursday night’s loss was filled with penalties.
“You just can’t punch a guy in the head, or you can’t rip a guy’s helmet off. It makes no sense. That isn’t tough hockey,” said Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
The Sixers appear to have a harder path.
They lost Thursday night in Houston while their star center Joel Embiid was undergoing surgery to have his appendix removed at a hospital there.
“I’ve had appendix surgery myself,” Zall said, “I hope he recovers quickly.”
Embiid has bounced back from half a dozen surgeries over his 12 years in the NBA, but it’ll likely take a few weeks for him to recover from abdominal surgery and to become competitive again.
The Sixers are trying to avoid the play-in tournament next week, where lower-seeded teams have to compete to make the playoffs.
“I definitely think they can make the first round,” said fan Mark Hill of South Philadelphia.
“If they can get past the first round and get Embiid back, I think they got a shot,” Heckstall said.
As for the Flyers, they got whipped 6-3, but are still holding onto the third and final playoff spot.
However, other teams are closing in with just three games left in the regular season.
“They need to win. They’re neck and necked the Islanders. I know they’re one point off and they’re fighting for that last spot,” Zall said.
Hockey playoffs start next Saturday, April 18.
Postseason play for the NBA starts early next week, depending on how teams finish the regular season.
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