Sixers beat Hawks, Clinch Playoffs!

Philadelphia is wrapped up in playoff fever tonight, as the Sixers joined the Flyers in wrapping up a postseason bid. The Sixers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 109-104 to ensure they would be playing basketball beyond the regular season. The Sixers held small leads most of the way, as the Hawks, who were riding a five game winning streak, proved to be pesky and wouldn't be put away until the very end.

The Sixers got their typical stellar play by the Andre's, Iguodala and Miller. Iguodala was all over the court, making a number of dunks, big shots and one sweet block, shown in the video below. Iguodala finished with 30 points and 1o assists. Andre Miller continued his solid play that should be garnering him more attention for MVP. Miller put up 23 points, 6 assists and 5 boards. All 5 starters also finished with double-digit points.

The playoff berth is a big step in the evolution of this Sixers team. They have gone from a young team with a lot of promise to a playoff team that could do some damage. The Sixers are currently tied for the 5th seed in the East with the Washington Wizards. If the season ended today, they would face LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the first round. You can bet that no one wants to face the surging Sixers in the playoffs, as they are just the type of hot team that will cause fits for any top team who has just been coasting.

While some may hate on the Sixers because they are only 2 games over .500, they have still improved by leaps and bounds over the last few months. They are an exciting team that runs the fast break with the best of them. No one expects the team to win a championship this year, but any playoff experience their young guys can get will be good for them down the road.

Enjoy this feeling Philly fans. Two of our teams will be entering the playoffs, and neither one will go down without a fight. More importantly, both teams are on the right track and have bright futures ahead of them. We may be seeing the beginnings of our next Philadelphia championship in one of these two teams.

Highlights of the game courtesy of Comcast SportsNet: