PHILADELPHIA — As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday for a 2-game series–they will face off again on Friday–it offers an opportunity for the Sixers to make some movement happen in the standings.

The Sixers were able to earn a season split with the Toronto Raptors after winning on Monday. They are now just half a game back of the Raptors for the No. 4 seed in the East. It was an important win for Philadelphia as it was not just a win that got it back in the win column, but it also avoided losing the outright tiebreaker to the Raptors, and it got them closer to a top 4 seed.

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Wednesday and Friday’s contests with the Cavaliers will be just as important. The Sixers are currently 1.5 games ahead of the No. 7 seed Cavs. So, this is an opportunity to move up the standings. The players know it.

“I try to look at it, obviously, from a competitor standpoint, but I try not to get too wrapped up in that,” said Dominick Barlow at shootaround on Wednesday morning. “We just got to control what we can control, and when you look at that, you start worrying about other teams losing. We just gotta worry about us winning.”

Barlow has the right mindset as he looks to help the Sixers win on a nightly basis. They can’t focus on other teams and will look to grow themselves as a team. However, it’s important to win games like this when the playoffs roll around in April. These games matter and it’s important for tiebreakers and such.

“I think you certainly look at it,” added coach Nick Nurse. “It’s still pretty early, but I mean, this is our last game with Toronto. This could have a factor. It’s unbelievable. You play 82 and you’re going down to the last weekend and you’re ending up a series tiebreaker could decide whether you’re home or away or whether you’re in or you’re our or any of that kind of stuff. So, I think when you’re playing these games against any of these 2 through 10/11, it’s pretty tight still.”

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The Sixers went 2-1 on the road trip and both wins were extremely important. The win over the Orlando Magic on Friday secured the tiebreaker and the win over the Raptors secured a 2-2 series split. These wins will help them down the stretch and these two matchups with the Cavs will be just as important.

“So, I think against any of them, you want to try to get as many of those series things at least tied,” Nurse finished. “It would be nice to win them, but get them at least tied, and go from there. We’re doing OK in most of them, and that’s important, I think.”

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 76ers discuss important games in terms of Eastern Conference standings