Joel Embiid, 76ers Celebrated by Fans for Clinching Playoff Berth After Nets' Loss

The Philadelphia 76ers weren't in action on Tuesday, but they still had reason to celebrate.

When the Brooklyn Nets lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Sixers officially clinched a spot in the playoffs for the sixth straight season.

Philadelphia sits in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 48-23 record, a half-game behind the Boston Celtics (49-23) for the No. 2 spot and three games behind the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks (51-20). The Sixers still have some time left if they want to make a move up the standings, and scheduled matchups against the Bucks and Celtics in early April put them in prime position to control their own destiny.

For now, Philadelphia fans took full advantage in reveling in their team's return to the postseason:

The Sixers are led by a top MVP candidate in Joel Embiid, who leads the NBA with 33.6 points per game while also adding 10.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He's shooting a career-high 54.6 percent from the field and he's also a force on the defensive end, averaging 1.8 blocks and 1.1 steals.

Embiid has benefitted from a strong supporting cast headlined by former league MVP James Harden, who averages a league-high 10.8 assists along with 21.4 points and 6.3 rebounds. Third-year guard Tyrese Maxey has also been a consistent contributor, averaging a career-high 20.0 points per game.

As long as Philadelphia is healthy, it will have a strong chance at making the deep playoff run that has eluded the franchise in recent seasons. Embiid and company will surely be motivated to satisfy their fans by achieving postseason success.