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The Philadelphia 76ers have been all over the news in the offseason because of the Ben Simmons shenanigans that have continued for several months already. Their Saturday night matchup will be against the Atlanta Hawks, who beat them in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in seven games. Their Game 7 loss to the Hawks was a day to forget for their franchise, but their first matchup this season will be a treat to watch for any NBA fan. In this post, we'll be unveiling our 76ers predictions against the Hawks.
Atlanta will enter this game at full strength, while Joel Embiid is questionable for this matchup because of lingering knee issues that he has been feeling over the last seasons. The 76ers will come out with a vengeance as Embiid is likely to suit and feast on the defense of Clint Capela and John Collins.
Thus, here are our 76ers predictions ahead of their game against the Hawks.
Philadelphia 76ers Predictions Vs Hawks
Embiid will tally at least 30 points, 15 rebounds
When Embiid is healthy and focused for a 48-minute stretch, there is no one in the NBA that could defend him at the post. He has his patented face up jumper and also his ability to barrel his way through contact will cause a plethora of problems for Capela and Collins. The ability of Embiid to adjust based on how he is being defended is a phenomenal asset that the 76ers will likely utilize in their game versus Atlanta.
Embiid is usually a player that manufactures his own way to get motivated for a matchup, like Capela and the Hawks. He has usually had trouble receiving the ball in his preferred areas this season with the absence of a playmaker in Simmons, but Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton will be able to unleash Embiid and bring on the momentum from their victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Seth Curry will be Curry-like once again
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In their playoff series last season, there were some instances wherein Curry exploded for over 20 points along with several three-point conversions. The Hawks wings are at playing at a phenomenal level on both ends of the floor, but Curry's floor spacing has been an advantage that the 76ers continue to capitalize on against Atlanta.
DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish are healthy for this matchup, which may make it more difficult for Curry to receive open looks. As Embiid is likely to dominate the paint, they may need to double team him which may cause some miscommunication with their defensive principles. When Curry goes on a hot streak, Atlanta will have a difficult time containing the shooting guard from Duke.
Thybulle, Green will not stop Trae Young
In Game 1 of their playoff series, Danny Green was cooked by Trae Young on pick and roll situations as he was able to create shots from himself and others. Rivers tried various matchups, but it was Simmons that prevented Young from exploding all throughout the series. Young was still able to fill up the stat sheet, but Simmons forced him to record inefficient numbers.
Without Simmons for this game, Green and Matisse Thybulle will likely alternate in defending Young. The craftiness and IQ of Young is excellent as he continues to flourish in the system of head coach Nate McMillan. Young will still continue tallying his usual numbers and possibly lead Atlanta to bounce back from their loss to the Washington Wizards.
Danny Green finally finds his stroke
Green has been known for his two-way presence for championship squads like the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, and Los Angeles Lakers. Philadelphia acquired him from the Lakers last season, but he has not been consistently been producing for the 76ers.
With the 76ers highly motivated to defeat this Atlanta squad, Green will also find his stroke and finally have an efficient night from behind the arc. When his shots start falling, Embiid and Tobias Harris can orchestrate the offense and create shots for themselves and others. Green will have ample opportunities to search for his niche in Rivers' rotation. As the Sixers are already experiencing internal turmoil, Green must continue producing consistently and not add to the current issues of the organization.
