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The semi-finals of the 2020-21 NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference will see the Philadelphia 76ers taking on the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Both teams were dominant in their opening series of the postseason, easing past their opponents in five games to set up an enthralling matchup this weekend. The Philadelphia 76ers dominated during the regular season, topping the East with 49 wins and had the second-meanest defense.
The Atlanta Hawks, meanwhile, had an unbelievable second half of the season, winning 25 of 36 matchups, the third-best record of all teams after the All-Star break. That run helped them finish fifth in the conference standings and book a meeting against the New York Knicks, which the Hawks duly dominated.
During the regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers prevailed in two out of three matchups against the Atlanta Hawks. With home-court advantage, they come into this postseason series as the favorites. However, their likelihood of advancing took a big hit this week when Joel Embiid was injured in game four against the Washington Wizards.
On that note, let's have a look at three reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers could advance to the Conference Finals at the expense of the Atlanta Hawks.
#1 The Philadelphia 76ers have a superior defense
During the 2020-21 regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers narrowly finished second in defensive efficiency behind the LA Lakers. They also ranked second for steals and blocks and were fourth for opposition field goals allowed.
Doc Rivers has transformed the Philadelphia 76ers into one of the most menacing defensive teams in the league. They have had several candidates shortlisted for the Defensive Player of the Year award: Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle. Among the trio, Thybulle had the best defensive rating of 104.7, though he averages fewer minutes than the other two.
The 76ers have several ways to hurt the Atlanta Hawks, who like to play on the perimeter and drain threes. Simmons is one of the league's elite wing defenders and will likely be matched up against either Trae Young or John Collins.
If the Hawks try to go inside, Joel Embiid, should he be fit to play, is one of the NBA's best rim protectors and could thwart their efforts. Both teams ranked among the top four in the regular season for free-throw attempts, so the defensive focus may be in the paint.
While the Atlanta Hawks were great in offense this year, they conceded five more points per game than the Philadelphia 76ers. They also ranked in the bottom ten for offensive rebounds allowed despite having Clint Capella, who finished as the league's leader in boards.
#2 The Philadelphia 76ers have superior playoff experience
The Philadelphia 76ers have far greater postseason experience than the Atlanta Hawks. Their coach Doc Rivers, for a start, has won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and led them to the NBA Finals two years later.
Starting forward, Danny Green has also had his fair share of playoff experience, winning three rings with as many different teams. Over the last two seasons, he has won back-to-back championships, doing so with the Toronto Raptors and LA Lakers and was integral to both teams as a perimeter sharpshooter.
Coming with him from LA was Dwight Howard, who also played a key role for the Lakers as a back-up center and may well have to play the same role if Joel Embiid is out.
Apart from Rivers and Green, the Philadelphia 76ers have several other stars who have been with the team for the last few seasons. Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid were all part of the team that lost in seven games against the Raptors in 2019.
Considering the superior depth and postseason experience in their ranks, the Philadelphia 76ers are expected to beat the Atlanta Hawks and advance to the Conference Finals.
#3 Joel Embiid
Considering Joel Embiid's injury, it is not yet known if he would be fit in time to face the Atlanta Hawks. But he remains the Philadelphia 76ers' key player at both ends of the floor. Embiid has a small meniscus tear in his right knee and is listed as day-to-day in the Sixers' injury report.
In good news for Philadelphia 76ers fans, Embiid was seeing him put up some shots prior to his team's game five matchup against the Wizards on Wednesday. Since they were already up 3-1 in the series, it was expected he would sit out, and he did. The franchise has played down the severity of Embiid's injury so far, and they still have a few days to assess his availability for the series against the Atlanta Hawks.
If he is able to play even a few games, Embiid could play a key role for the Philadelphia 76ers. During the regular season, the 76ers went 10-11 without Embiid, while with him, they went 39-12.
He is the Sixers' cheat code, able to score close to 30 points a night, grab ten boards and a steal and a block per game. Although the 76ers may be able to win a couple of games without him, should push come to shove, they might try to get Embiid on the floor, even if it is for a few minutes.
There are few players who can compete with Embiid in the paint and even fewer who can defend him. His all-round play remains key to the Philadelphia 76ers' title hopes, but they won't want to run the risk of a serious injury by playing Embiid if he not fully fit.
If he does play, though, the Atlanta Hawks are going to face an uphill battle to progress to the Conference finals.
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