PHILADELPHIA -- Surviving both a Joel Embiid injury scare and a fourth quarter push by the Orlando Magic, the Philadelphia 76ers took a significant step toward escaping the Eastern Conference play-in picture with a 125-113 victory over the Magic here at Wells Fargo Center Friday night.
Philadelphia (46-35) has now ripped off seven wins in a row, and moved into a tie with the Magic - now losers of three straight - for sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings with just Sunday's games left to be played. But all of that quickly faded into the background late in the second quarter, when Embiid - playing in his fifth game since returning from a left meniscus procedure last month - came up limping and grabbing at that left knee after making a basket.