The Sixers are in the playoffs — if they can get past Orlando

The big picture: The teams are near mirror images, finishing with identical regular-season records (45-37) and dealing with similar injury misfortune.

• All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey is still managing a lingering finger tendon injury that sidelined him for 10 games.
• Embiid is out as he recovers from an emergency appendectomy — the latest setback in his injury-plagued career.
• Orlando isn't at full strength either: Franz Wagner, who missed dozens of games with a high ankle sprain, was limited in the regular-season finale.

Zoom in: Paul George is coming off a resurgent season — despite having served a 25-game suspension — after last year's struggles. He enters the postseason as one of the Sixers' healthiest stars.

• Philly will lean on Andre Drummond and Adem Bona to replace Embiid by committee to replace Embiid's production.

How it works: A loss against the Magic means a do-or-die game against the winner of Charlotte-Miami for the final playoff spot against top-seeded Detroit.

What they're saying: George told The Inquirer the team is treating Wednesday like an elimination game.

• "We shouldn't be thinking about a Plan B."

What we're watching: How rookie guard VJ Edgecombe handles his first taste of postseason basketball.