Sixers-Heat: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream NBA play-in tournament

The Sixers will take on the Miami Heat Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center needing a win to make it to the NBA playoffs.

After finishing the season with the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers were forced into the NBA’s play-in tournament for the first time. A win against the Heat means Philly would move on to face No. 2 seed New York Knicks in the playoffs, beginning Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

A loss means the Sixers would face the winner of Wednesday’s second play-in game between the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks (and means the Bad Bunny concert scheduled for Friday at the Wells Fargo Center would have to move). The winner of that game would face No. 1 seed Boston Celtics in the playoffs. The loser would head home.

Sixers star Joel Embiid was a full participant in practice for a second straight day Tuesday. He’s listed as questionable, but expected to play, reports my colleague Keith Pompey.

Embiid — who will be playing for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics — was forced out for two months by a left knee injury that required surgery, and was held out of the Sixers final regular-season game against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday after having tweaked his left knee Friday.

Philly will need all the help they can get against former Sixer Jimmy Butler, who led the Heat out of the play-in tournament last season all the way to the NBA Finals. The Sixers split their four games with the Heat this season, but won their two most recent matchups — a 109-105 victory in Miami on April 4, and a 98-91 win in South Philly on March 18.

» READ MORE: Sixers-Heat play-in game: Live updates

Despite that, Inquirer columnist David Murphy isn’t taking the matchup lightly, describing Butler as the Sixers’ biggest obstacle in the Eastern Conference.

“Beat Butler, and a realistic path unfolds,” Murphy wrote. “Lose, and the best-case scenario is a first-round series against a Celtics team that is the best the Eastern Conference has seen since LeBron haunted the joint.”

Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the Sixers-Heat game.

The Sixers-Heat play-in game will air on ESPN, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

Calling the game will be ESPN’s new NBA Finals crew, which includes play-by-play announcer Mike Breen alongside analysts Doris Burke and former Sixer JJ Redick. King of Prussia native Lisa Salters will report from the court.

The game can also be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic, with longtime play-by-play voice Tom McGinnis calling the action.

Despite not broadcasting the game, NBC Sports Philadelphia will air Sixers Postgame Live following the game, featuring Amy Fadool, Jim Lynam, and Marc Jackson. Sixers Pregame Live will air at 6:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia+

While the Sixers-Heat game will air on ESPN, switch over to ESPN2 and Philly fans will find a familiar face.

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart, a Philadelphia native and outspoken sports fan, will be hosting NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart during the game. The alternate broadcast — coproduced by ESPN, Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, and Hart’s production company Hartbeat — will also feature his comedic entourage, the Plastic Cup Boyz.

Hart just announced he’ll end his most recent tour in Philly in December.

Sixers-Heat will stream on any so-called skinny bundle that carries ESPN, including fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. Most offer a free trial.

ESPN+ won’t be streaming the game.

The first round of the NBA playoffs is scheduled to begin Saturday.

Sixteen teams ultimately will make the playoffs, eight in each conference. Each playoff round, including the NBA Finals, is a best-of-seven series with the higher seed having home-court advantage.

Here’s how the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs will look when they begin this weekend. Dates and times have yet to be announced:

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers punched their ticket to the playoffs Tuesday, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106.

Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors couldn’t do the same, losing to the Sacramento Kings 118-94. That means the Warriors are going home and the first round of the Western Conference playoffs is set: