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It's no surprise the Philadelphia 76ers have advanced to the next round after manhandling the Washington Wizards. Now more than ever, they're getting closer and closer to the championship dream. In this post, we're going to be doing some Sixers-Hawks NBA Playoffs series thoughts; though it's mostly focused on the 76ers.
The Atlanta Hawks, meanwhile, are certainly a brand new sight to behold in these playoffs. This is their first trip to the postseason in three years. It's already a major accomplishment that they're in the second round.
The Hawks will have to face reality in the second round against a powerhouse squad. The 76ers are the better team in basically every aspect. The Hawks may be able to snatch a game or two. And these games will be driven by their heart more than anything else. But as the series goes on, the 76ers will figure out the Hawks and essentially shut them down.
Fans and analysts have probably culled their own reasons why the Sixers are the better team. Here's our own version of that list.
Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is the front and center of this Sixers squad. Doc Rivers has done a splendid job at identifying Embiid's strengths (as well as weaknesses) and mold a playbook around them. At this point in his career, there's really a shortlist of people who can guard Embiid one on one. And there's not a single Hawks player on that exclusive list. John Collins may have the mobility but he's just too thin and weak to deal with Embiid's heft. Is Clint Capela the answer? Not really. Just look at the clip below.
Apart from his offense, Embiid's ability to clog the paint will contain those sneaky floaters by Trae Young. Props to Young for seemingly having mastered the floater. But Embiid takes great pride in his defense. Expect him on how to properly react (or not overreact) to these antics by Young.
Hawks Don't Like to Run
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It's not a secret that the Sixers are one of the worst teams at defending the fastbreak. In fact, they are the worst at defending the fastbreak this postseason, allowing 23.0 points per game. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason. Embiid once hypothesized that a chunk of his teammates and craving for that offensive rebound so much that they all stay in the paint. And when they fail to get it, they're too far out to set up their defense. Another factor could be the entire roster dynamic of the 76ers. Their centers Embiid and Howard may have the advantage on halfcourt sets. But when the opposing team starts running, they'll get left in the dust because they're just too slow.
Unfortunately, the Hawks do not have a predilection for transition ball. Statistics reveal that they run the ball 13.9 percent of the time which ranks 10th among 16 playoff teams. They get 19.0 points off the break which presents the 76ers a relatively easier job. We're not saying that a team that likes to run the ball can immediately boot out the Sixers. The Wizards, with a feisty Russell Westbrook in the fold, practically ran circles around the Doc Rivers-coached squad but got slapped. We're saying that if the Hawks want to win the series, then they have to exploit every weakness they see.
Coach Nate McMillan probably knows this. But he's not foolish to invent and integrate a new playbook for his team at this point. He knows that the Hawks have to play their game and play it extremely well. He just needs to hope that the 76ers mess up in other fields of the game.
76ers Too Experienced
Perhaps the greatest asset the Sixers hold, and probably the main reason for their success this season, is their significant playoff experience. Embiid and Simmons are still young but they've been in the NBA long enough to understand how to win. Besides, they've gone through so much heartbreak in the playoffs over the last couple of years. We can definitely say that they turned all these sour losses into life lessons. Now, we're seeing the fruits of their labor.
Apart from Embiid and Simmons, there's also Danny Green and Dwight Howard who are probably the most important players for the team. Howard doesn't play that much but you cannot discount all the lessons he's passing onto Embiid and their teammates. The same goes for Green who's been blessed with playing with some of the greatest players in the game.
Fans bash them from time to time for their poor performance. But there's a pretty good reason why they've been in the league for so long. They understand the sport more than anyone else.
