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It has been a back and forth series as the Atlanta Hawks prepare take on the Philadelphia 76ers for the seventh time in the 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semi-finals. With neither team letting up, a pivotal Game 7 will decide which team advances to the conference finals.
The Atlanta Hawks have performed exceptionally well, as not many expected them to make it this far against Joel Embiid and the dominating Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks have kept their heads above water and now have one more chance to qualify for their first conference finals in six years.
Although it won't be a walk in the park, the Hawks have shown their resolve in this series. While a few of the Philadelphia 76ers' losses have come due to their lackluster approach and failure to close out games, the Hawks' resilience is worth noting.
As we look forward to what could be a riveting Game 7, here are five reasons why the Atlanta Hawks could snatch a win against the Philadelphia 76ers in this deciding game.
#1 The Atlanta Hawks have held their own on the road in this series
Teams are known to dominate and take advantage of their home court. However, that has not been the case at the Wells Fargo Center Center in Philadelphia. It is almost as if the hearty cheers for the Philadelphia 76ers give the Atlanta Hawks more reasons to play better.
So far in the series, the Atlanta Hawks have left the Philadelphia 76ers' home court with two victories in three visits. Although some could argue that they were narrow victories, the crux of the matter is that the margin makes no difference.
Even as momentum is with the Philadelphia 76ers following their 104-99 victory in Game 6, the Atlanta Hawks will go into Game 7 knowing that winning in Philly is not an impossible task.
#2 The Atlanta Hawks' bench has outscored the Philadelphia 76ers' bench
Bench production is a crucial factor that the Atlanta Hawks have continually taken advantage of. The Philadelphia 76ers bench has not been as productive partly because of their heavy reliance on their starters.
Lou Williams and Danilo Gallinari combined for 31 points off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5. Although Williams missed the mark in Game 6, the firepower at the disposal of the Hawks is amply evident.
Tyrese Maxey was the Philadelphia 76ers' revelation in Game 6. He checked in early after Ben Simmons got into early foul trouble. What seemed like a misfortune for the Sixers turned out to be one of the biggest threats for the Atlanta Hawks.
While Maxey was exceptional in Game 6, not much production came from other bench members. If the rookie fails to perform at the same level in Game 7, it could be difficult for the Philadelphia 76ers to defeat the Atlanta Hawks.
#3 The Atlanta Hawks have a successful strategy to restrict Joel Embiid
The Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid is a dominant force to contend with, but the Atlanta Hawks successfully restricted his production in Game 6. There are only a handful of centers in the league that can guard Embiid 1v1 successfully, but Clint Capela is not one of them.
In Game 6, whenever Embiid attempted to post up Capela, help arrived quickly. While this strategy created open looks for other players, the Atlanta Hawks were satisfied, allowing the Philadelphia 76ers have a go from range rather than allow Embiid to take high percentage shots.
It is also worth noting that this strategy was successfully executed, as Embiid was not given the opportunity to take shots from the charity line.
With their dogged defense, the Atlanta Hawks could take the Philadelphia 76ers' most lethal weapon away from the game. In Game 6, Embiid finished with 22 points, which was a long way from his Game 5 tally of 37.
#4 The Philadelphia 76ers have not found a way to contain Trae Young
Although Ben Simmons got one block against Trae Young on the perimeter, the Philadelphia 76ers cannot count on him to do that consistently. Trae Young has posed the biggest threat for the Sixers, as he can score from range, drive to the basket and create dimes for his teammates.
Young is averaging 30.3 points, 11 rebounds and two steals so far in the series. The Atlanta Hawks guard has been a menace to the highly-rated Philadelphia 76ers' defense.
Another impressive performance from Young could be devastating for the Philadelphia 76es in a do-or-die Game 7.
#5 Better ball protection by the Atlanta Hawks
The turnover count has continued to increase for the Philadelphia 76ers, as they do not show much care handling the ball during each possession. While it might come down to discipline, the Atlanta Hawks' defense also deserves some credit for inhibiting the Sixers in this manner.
The Philadelphia 76ers are averaging 11.3 turnovers per 100 possessions. Considering how dicey playoff basketball can be, every possession could be crucial. If the Atlanta Hawks take full advantage of every turnover and get points in transition, the Philadelphia 76ers could end up chasing the game in the series decider.
Guess the Lakers players!
