76ers get huge injury update on MVP center Joel Embiid

The reigning MVP's comeback is at a crucial time for the Sixers, who are 40-35 and in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with seven games left in their regular season.

Philadelphia has clinched at least a spot in the play-in tournament, but it still has a shot at jumping into the top six to avoid the do-or-die contests and guarantee itself a best-of-seven series.

The 76ers are 11 games up on the Brooklyn Nets (29-46), who are on the outside looking in and should be eliminated any day now. Embiid and Co. are also comfortably ahead of the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks (34-40) and ninth-place Chicago Bulls (36-39), and within striking distance of the seventh-place Miami Heat (41-33) and sixth-place Indiana Pacers (42-33).

Philadelphia enters Monday just 1.5 games behind Miami for the top spot in the play-in tournament and two games back of Indiana for the coveted final seed in the top six.

Following Tuesday's home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (52-22), the 76ers play three straight road contests before closing with three back at home. The 76ers have gone 21-16 at home this season and 19-19 on the road.

Philadelphia's strength of schedule could work in its favor to finish in the top six. Its biggest tests will come against the Thunder, who are battling with the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for the top seed in the West, and the Heat on Thursday night.

Then, the Sixers will play three teams that have already been eliminated from playoff contention with a combined record of 56-168 (.250 winning percentage) in the Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons. They close at home against the Orlando Magic (43-31) and Nets (29-46).

When Embiid returns, an important note is that the team only has one more back-to-back (Saturday and Sunday against the Grizzlies and Spurs, respectively). They could potentially survive without the big man for one of those contests.

Embiid is one of the biggest difference-makers in the league, as Nick Nurse's crew has gone 26-8 with him in the lineup this season and just 14-27 when he doesn't suit up.