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The Atlanta Hawks came back from an 18-point deficit to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 103-100 in their 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. Trae Young and company mounted a huge comeback in the third quarter and hung on at the end to tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
It was a disappointing loss for the Philadelphia 76ers who looked like they were on their way to a third straight blowout victory until the Atlanta Hawks put the clamps on Joel Embiid.
Here are the 5 reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks
#1 The Philadelphia 76ers defense was sorely lacking in the second half
The Philadelphia 76ers were No. 2 in the NBA in defense during the regular season but they couldn’t force the Atlanta Hawks into more than four turnovers. Due credit must go to the Hawks for taking care of the ball, but the Sixers lacked the feistiness they displayed in their two previous outings.
Though the Atlanta Hawks shot just 36.6 percent from the field overall, there was less defensive pressure in the second half, which was one of the big reasons for the loss.
#2 Too many turnovers and shots given up by the Philadelphia 76ers
If the Atlanta Hawks took care of the basketball, the Philadelphia 76ers did the opposite. There were too many miscues in offense during the crucial third and fourth quarters that led to more Hawks opportunities.
The Atlanta Hawks shot the ball 101 times compared to just 86 for the Philadelphia 76ers. That 15-attempt difference is much larger than its face value, considering how close the game was.
#3 Joel Embiid was ice cold
After a good first half showing, Joel Embiid took too many wild shots in the second half and broke the Philadelphia 76ers' rhythm with his poor shot selection and ridiculous attempts.
Embiid was 0-of-12 in the second half, missing 3-pointers he should have never taken and took shots close to the rim that had no chance of going in. Included in those misses was an easy layup, in which he shot too hard and entirely missed the rim. If fingers are to be pointed in any direction, they should be directed towards the Sixers’ All-Star center who finished with just 17 points on 4-of-20 shooting.
#4 The Philadelphia 76ers were outplayed in the paint by Atlanta Hawks
There’s no question that the Philadelphia 76ers are the bigger team but it was the Atlanta Hawks who dominated the paint 40-34. This is an inexcusable statistic for a team with championship aspirations. Even if the Sixers had a 55-49 edge in rebounding, it was the Hawks who had more offensive rebounds with 12 compared to eight for the 76ers.
Their lack of focus in defending the paint was apparent when the Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins swooped in multiple times for putback slams.
#5 They couldn’t stop John Collins and Trae Young
Speaking of Collins, the Atlanta Hawks forward was their energy bunny in the second half. He scored inside repeatedly, challenged and outhustled the Philadelphia 76ers’ big men to put up 14 points and 12 rebounds. And when he wasn’t camping in the paint, Collins found time to hit a crucial 3-pointer from the corner with 2:15 left to play to bring the Hawks to within one point at 98-97.
In comparison, Trae's performance was mixed. He shot poorly from the field, 8-of-26 overall, but was able to consistently break down the defense and find the open man all night long, recording 18 assists. Even with his horrid shooting, Young scored 25 points and converted two clutch free throws with 6.6 seconds remaining to give the Atlanta Hawks a 3-point lead and, eventually, a victory.
Guess the Lakers players!
