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The Philadelphia 76ers season will be on the line when they lock horns with the Atlanta Hawks tonight in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The 76ers bounced back from a 3-2 deficit to make it 3-3 by winning Game 6, and head coach Doc Rivers will expect his team to put in a similar performance and advance to the conference finals.
5 Factors which might help the Philadelphia 76ers emerge victorious in Game 7 of the 2021 NBA playoffs tonight
The Philadelphia 76ers have been terribly inconsistent throughout the series, giving up on massive leads to concede games to the Hawks. However, the 76ers will have to shrug off the failures of Games 4&5, and put in a commanding performance if they have to see out the gritty Atlanta Hawks to set up a clash with the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference finals.
Here are five reasons why the 76ers will fancy their chances going into Game 7 -
#5 - Seth Curry's emergence in the series
The Philadelphia 76ers added Seth Curry in the off-season to improve their 3-point shooting as a role player, but the younger Curry brother has turned out to be a key presence in the starting lineup for Doc Rivers. Curry has averaged a stellar 21.8 points on 61% shooting from the field and 59% shooting from downtown, giving the 76ers the sort of production they expected from Ben Simmons.
Curry starred in Game 6, scoring 24 points on the night. It won't be surprising if he takes on the scoring mantle again to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a win.
#4 - The Philadelphia 76ers will have home court advantage
The home team has won only two games in this series, but there is no doubt about the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers will have a slight advantage in Game 7 because of the fan support. The one game Philadelphia did manage to win this series at the Wells Fargo Center was a blowout, as Joel Embiid dropped 40 points and 13 rebounds on the Atlanta Hawks in front of the home fans.
Fans have played a massive role in Game 7s in the history of NBA playoffs, and the Philadelphia 76ers will be hoping they turn out in massive numbers tonight.
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#3 - Tobias Harris' form
With the exception of failure in Game 5, Tobias Harris has put in some incredible performances for the Philadelphia 76ers in the series against the Atlanta Hawks. He is averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 51% from the field and 40% from 3-point territory.
Harris was one of the major reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers were able to force a Game 7, as he ended Game 6 with 24 points on 8-14 shooting from the floor.
He has played some exemplary defense as well, and there is a good probability of him coming through for the 76ers tonight as well.
#2 - The Philadelphia 76ers have shot better from the field
The Philadelphia 76ers have registered an effective field goal percentage (eFG%) of 56.1 so far this series. It stands out in comparison to the Atlanta Hawks' shooting efficiency, who have shot just above 50%.
The Philadelphia 76ers have multiple players who can get hot from the field on any given night (Seth Curry, Tobias Harris and Furkan Korkmaz and Shake Milton), which gives them an advantage over the Hawks going into Game 7.
#1 - Bogdan Bogdanovic's potential absence
Bogdan Bogdanovic left Friday’s game with “right knee soreness*” and did not return. Bogdanovic has been the Atlanta Hawks' second-best player this postseason, and his potential absence could swing the tie in favor of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bogdanovic's scoring and playmaking prowess has hurt the Philadelphia 76ers throughout the series, as they haven't been able to find an answer to the European swingman's talent. Bogdanovic has put up close to 15 points and 4 rebounds this series, apart from playing some commendable defense.
The Atlanta Hawks are already dealing with injuries to key players like DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish, and if Bogdanovic is not able to suit up tonight, it will put them in a seriously disadvantageous position.
*Bogdanovic is listed as questionable for Game 7
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