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The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers have looked like one of basketball’s most entertaining rivalries over the past few seasons. The NBA Playoffs 2020 will be the perfect battleground for these two Eastern Conference powerhouse teams to meet. The Boston Celtics had gotten the better of the Philadelphia 76ers during their last playoff meeting in the 2018 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
The excitement around the marquee matchup of the NBA Playoffs 2020 had fizzled out after it was announced that Ben Simmons would be missing the rest of the season. The Boston Celtics were now practically guaranteed a ticket to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals of the NBA Playoffs 2020.
76ers were fairly average in their seeding games and will need a miracle to get past the Boston Celtics. Joel Embiid performing well will be critical for the Philadelphia 76ers chances at cracking the second round of the NBA Playoffs 2020.
5 reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers can’t beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Playoffs 2020
Philadelphia 76ers need Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons injury was a huge blow to the Philadelphia 76ers playoff hopes and his presence was critical for a good performance against the Boston Celtics. To put things in perspective, the Philadelphia 76ers have given up 111 points per 100 possessions when Ben Simmons is not on the floor, which puts them below the league average.
Apart from his defensive abilities Ben Simmons was an ideal mismatch on the offense. This aspect would have been particularly problematic for the Boston Celtics who currently start Kemba Walker at point guard. Ben Simmons missing the NBA Playoffs 2020 will likely allow Brad Stevens to stick to his defensive playbook and allow his guards to play more freely.
The Boston Celtics have the momentum
The Boston Celtics had a rough start in the NBA bubble winning only one of their first three games. Since then the Boston Celtics have gone on a 4-1 run, having only dropped a game when they rested their starters. Additionally, Celtics also managed to fix their issues on the defensive end of the floor during the last couple of weeks.
During their stay in the bubble, Boston Celtics have notched up huge wins over the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies. On the other hand, Philadelphia 76ers have struggled in their las three matchups against playoff contenders such as the Toronto Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Boston Celtics' All-Star calibre wing players
The 6th seed Philadelphia 76ers boast of some of the league’s best up and coming wing defenders such as Matisse Thybulle and Josh Richardson. The duo has been able to subdue most teams throughout the season however, Boston Celtics pose a unique threat. Keep an eye out for these two to make waves in the NBA Playoffs 2020.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker have all been performing at a high-level recently. What makes matters worse for the Philadelphia 76ers is how diverse each player is. The Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown tandem has left defenses confused in the NBA bubble and will surely overwhelm the Philadelphia 76ers. Furkan Korkmaz could possibly provide some support from behind the arc however, it is unlikely to make a dent on the Boston Celtics scoring ability.
Boston Celtics squad has greater depth
Boston Celtics have been one of the luckier teams in terms of having their stars and supporting cast show up to the NBA bubble. All of the players have also been able to remain relatively healthy throughout the seeding games and have gotten adequate rest. The Philadelphia 76ers are entering the NBA Playoffs 2020 having overworked both their starting lineup and their bench, which has resulted in multiple players sustaining injuries in the NBA bubble.
On the other hand, Boston Celtics young second unit have proven themselves in their matchup against the Washington Wizards which saw Javonte Green have a break out game. Carsen Edwards and Brad Wannamaker continue to be reliable on both ends of the floor and their pace will create problems for the Philadelphia 76ers, in whatever minutes they are given during this series.
Boston Celtics' ability to wear down Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has a reputation for being one of the NBA’s least durable big-men and frequently succumbs to injuries. Boston Celtics definitely do not have the edge over the Philadelphia 76ers big men however, both Al Horford and Joel Embiid have shown significant wear and tear in the bubble.
Celtics have a plethora of options to chose from and could possibly match up Embiid against Enes Kanter who will force Cameroon born player to earn every bucket. The young and energetic Robert Williams could also be pitted against Embiid which would allow the Boston Celtics to play man to man defense.
Daniel Theis is the least preferred matchup due to his height, however, his aggression will definitely throw Embiid off balance and disallow Philadelphia 76ers to get anything going. Boston Celtics perfect combination of imperfect big men could be the winning formula against the Philadelphia 76ers. Following this series, Celtics are projected to make a deep run in the NBA Playoffs, 2020.
Also read : Top 10 wing defenders of the 2019-20 NBA season
