The regular season is over and the Sixers are heading into the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
They reached 16 straight wins with a 130-95 victory, which is the longest streak by a team heading into the postseason. The Sixers finished the regular season with a 52-30 record and will face the Miami Heat in the first round.
Markelle Fultz exploded off the bench for a 13-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. He came full circle in a rookie year that was hampered by injuries, clearly earning his place in the postseason rotation.
• The Sixers were in control the whole time. They were up 46-18 at the end of the first quarter. Their massive 80-44 halftime lead was the most first-half points scored by the team since Feb. 11, 1992 against the Heat.
• The Sixers took care of business easily with a quiet night from Ben Simmons. He shot just 1 for 6 from the field and finished with four points, six boards and seven assists. Simmons fell into foul trouble early in the game.
• Fultz and T.J. McConnell paired up to fill in with the backcourt production. T.J. McConnell turned into “3.J.” McConnell with a pair of treys. He had not hit a three since Feb. 27. McConnell scored 16 points with six rebounds and seven assists. The Sixers leaned on the pairing as JJ Redick sat out the regular-season finale.
• Brett Brown said he was not concerned with strategically game planning in case the Sixers were matched up with the Bucks in the first round. His focus was on winning and securing the third seed.
• Dario Saric returned to the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game because of a chipped tooth and lacerated lip. He found the rhythm he had been looking for since suffering from cellulitis in his right below. Saric scored a team-high 24 points.
• Joel Embiid joined the Sixers on the bench, standing out in a bright orange jacket. The big man said it is “unlikely” he would be ready to play in Game 1 of the playoffs (see story).
• The usually-dominating Giannis Antetokounmpo posted just 10 points (5 for 15 from the field). He pulled down 10 rebounds.
• Justin Anderson turned up the heat on his former college teammate Malcolm Brogdon. Anderson scored 25 points off the bench, topping Brogdon’s 13. Brogdon, who beat both Embiid and Saric last season for Rookie of the Year, was booed by Sixers fans when he touched the ball. Anderson has a way of stepping up in the regular season finale. Last season, he scored a career-high 26 points against the Knicks.
• Eagles head coach Doug Pederson rang the ceremonial pregame bell:
