The Washington Wizards lost a close one in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, 125-118. The Wizards offense looked great but the defense was mediocre. Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook had solid games offensively as Beal finished with 33 points while Westbrook had 16 points and 14 assists. If the Wizards make some adjustments they will have a real shot in this series.
On the defensive end, the Wizards struggled as Tobias Harris exploded for 37 points while Joel Embiid had 30 markers. Embiid is expected to drop close to 30 points per game but they cannot allow Harris to get going as well.
The Wizards need to make three specific adjustments to have a chance against the Sixers in the NBA Playoffs.
Wizards must limit offensive rebounds
The Sixers had 13 offensive rebounds compared to only seven for the Wizards. Allowing that many offensive rebounds cannot happen if the Wizards want to win the first round series. Giving the more talented roster second chance opportunities is a recipe for disaster. It's hard enough to stop the dynamic Sixers offense as they have a great playmaker in Ben Simmons surrounded by scoring threats. They also have great shooters who can make the Wizards pay on second shot opportunities.
Force Ben Simmons to take more shots
Simmons is a great player but scoring is not his real strength. Although he can finish well at the rim, his strength on offense is his playmaking. Simmons went 3-of-9 from the field and 0-6 from the free throw line in Game 1. The Wizards, however, allowed him to play to his strength as a playmaker and he finished with 15 assists. The Wizards should force Simmons to become more of a scorer throughout the series. With great shooters and scorers around the former Rookie of the Year, forcing him to score may be the only chance to stop the offense.
Contain Tobias Harris
Harris is a good player but the Wizards can not allow him to score 37 points. The Wizards should look to a few double teams and traps on Harris to force him to become a passer. If they double off of Simmons it will force him to score and make Harris the passer. It's tough to stop Embiid so the Wizards need to stop the other options from scoring to give them a good shot in the series.
If the Wizards are able to contain Harris, they have a better shot of winning the series.
It's tough to win a series as an eighth seed but the Wizards have the talent to do it. With a superstar duo in Beal and Westbrook, they could pull off the upset. The series will come down to how the Wizards make adjustments. They had a great offensive performance in Game 1 but struggled heavily defensively. The Wizards have not been a good defensive team but a good scheme can help them step up on that end of the floor.
The Sixers talent is undeniable as they are the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a superstar duo in Embiid and Simmons paired with a borderline All-Star in Harris. The front office of the Sixers did a great job of surrounding them with shooters like Danny Green, Seth Curry, and Shake Milton. The defense of the Sixers has been good as well but their offense now has a ton of potential.
It will be a handful for the Wizards but if they make the three mentioned adjustments, it could be an entirely different scenario.
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