After a red-hot shooting performance and all-out domination of the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1, you can definitely expect the Atlanta Hawks to see some major adjustments in Game 2.
Not only were the Sixers out of sync on offense, but defensively they lacked the intensity and grit that they've shown all season. Granted, they did wake up in the finals minutes of the 4th quarter, but the effort was too little too late. With Game 2 being an absolute must-win, you can definitely expect to see a different version of the Sixers on Tuesday night. So here are some predictions for what we can expect to see in Game 2.
The Sixers will throw more double teams at Trae Young
It might seem like everybody had a hot hand in the Hawks' high-scoring affair on Sunday, but Trae Young is the motor that makes this team go. So if Doc Rivers decides to throw the likes of Ben Simmons and Danny Green at Young at the same time, then you can definitely expect that to disrupt the Hawks' offensive flow.
This would cause the Hawks to switch things up and make Bogdan Bogdanovic their primary playmaker more than likely. Yes, he is a very skilled player with a lethal jumper, but he does not have the same explosiveness as Trae Young. So if they're able to slow him down, then they could make the Hawks' offense dysfunctional all game long.
Matisse Thybulle will be inserted into the Sixers starting line-up
Inserting Matisse Thybulle into the starting line-up will automatically give the Sixers more length and athleticism from the start. This can also give them the upper hand defensively by utilizing his size and speed to disrupt the passing lanes and provide them with more help on the interior.
This lineup change might be what allows Philly to land the first punch and take control of this game from the get-go. With Thybulle in their frontcourt to start things off, the Sixers can give the Hawks offensive woes by factoring in another athletic wing with lateral quickness.
Joel Embiid will be on a minutes restriction
Something else that seemed obvious from in Game 1 was that Joel Embiid is still not quite back at full strength. With Embiid still a bit hobbled and unable to perform at the best of his abilities, it would not be surprising if he played on a minute restriction in Game 2.
In turn, that would allow the Sixers to give Dwight Howard more time on the floor while also giving them the flexibility to play with a more up-tempo offense that can match the speed and agility of the Hawks. This also keeps the Hawks on their heels because these lineup changes and different play styles thrown at them could throw off their entire defensive game plan.
There's no knowing exactly how Game 2 of this epic series will pan out, but one thing for certain is that the Sixers will come out firing on all cylinders and not be taking the Hawks lightly this time around. Even though they fell short, they played with a lot more effort and hustle in the final minutes to close out Game 1. So you definitely can expect to see them pick up right where they left off in game 2 and put on a show that will give them more life and possibly tie up the series.
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