The second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs is nearing its end, which means organizations are a step closer to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Still, some have one last chance to clinch a spot in the Conference Finals in a win-or-go-home situation. With the Philadelphia 76ers set to face the Boston Celtics on Sunday, it is time for Sixers Game 7 bold predictions.
Philadelphia finished the regular season with a 54-28 record, a three-win improvement from the previous year, securing the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This was also the franchise’s best regular-season campaign since its 56-win season in 2001, when Allen Iverson led Philadelphia to the NBA Finals.
On the other side of the matchup, the Celtics went 57-25 in the regular season, finishing as the No. 2 seed in the East. That represented a six-win improvement compared to the previous year and also earned the team the second-best record in the league, trailing only the Milwaukee Bucks at 58-24.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, James Harden and the Sixers stunned the Celtics with a 119-115 win at the TD Garden without MVP Joel Embiid. Boston would then win the next two contests, one on the road. Philadelphia followed that up with a 116-115 overtime victory at home. On Tuesday, the Sixers once again won on the road, this time 115-103.
After giving up a double-digit lead in the second half, Boston overcame Philadelphia's second-half run to take Thursday's Game 6 95-86.
The Sixers will need Tobias Harris at his two-way best for Game 7https://t.co/FRx3RPbc8n
— Sixers Nation (@SixersNationCP) May 12, 2023
Now back at TD Garden for an all-or-nothing Game 7, the Sixers will need to steal a game to advance to the Conference Finals. Here are some bold predictions for the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
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3. Sixers forces Jayson Tatum to a poor start once again
With the season on the line, Boston will need everything it can get from its main players. More specifically, Jayson Tatum will have to step up in Game 7. He is coming off the best year of his career and has been crucial for the Celtics in recent campaigns.
Tatum ended up earning his fourth consecutive All-Star selection and was in the MVP conversation throughout the season. He was recently named First Team All-NBA for the second year in a row.
So far in the playoffs, Tatum is averaging 26.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He is shooting 43.5% from the field, 33.6% from beyond the arc and 87.5% from the charity stripe.
While putting up solid numbers, Tatum has been enduring having some slow starts in this series. Most notably, he started Game 6 by going 1-for-15 from the field, including missing all his six of his 3-point attempts. He then bounced back in the end by hitting consecutive triples to give the Celtics a lead they never relinquished.
The bold prediction is that the Sixers will once again force Tatum into a poor shooting start. If that is the case, Philadelphia could certainly take some advantage of it.
2. Joel Embiid and James Harden combine for 60+ points
As for the Sixers, they have a duo that could make a big difference in Game 7. Both Joel Embiid and James Harden have had big performances throughout the series and could remain impactful on Sunday.
In the second round, the superstar big man is averaging 27.6 points, 9.2 boards, 2.2 assists and 3.2 blocks per game. He is making 44.8% of his field goals, 25% of his 3s and 88.9% of his free throws.
Harden is recording 24.2 points, 8.2 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game against the Celtics. He notably had two 40-point performances in the series, including one where he hit the game-winning 3-pointer in overtime.
Philadelphia's goals for the season heavily rely on Embiid and Harden. Should the duo have solid performances on Sunday, the Sixers could steal another game in Boston and end the Celtics' season. The bold prediction is Embiid and Harden will combine to finish Game 7 with 60-plus points, helping ensure Game 7 goes down to the wire.
1. Game 7 goes to overtime
At the end of the day, this series has already produced many memorable moments. Now in a win-or-go-home situation for both teams, it could come down to the last second.
The Celtics are the favorites to win on Sunday, according to FanDuel. The spread is currently -7, the largest among all games with their odds already announced. For comparison, it is the same spread that Boston had in Game 6 and considerably higher than its -3 in Game 5.
With both teams aiming high, the bold prediction is the result of Game 7 will hang in the balance until the final buzzer. Fans should not be surprised if Philadelphia and Boston need overtime to determine a winner. Should that be the case, Sunday's matchup could become an instant classic, perhaps the best game of the entire 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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