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The Washington Wizards have survived and taken Game 4 of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. They now head back to Wells Fargo Center for Game 5 for another shot at keeping their season alive and hopefully forcing a Game 6.
The 76ers faced a major blow when their star center and MVP candidate, Joel Embiid, got injured in the 1st quarter and had to leave the game for the rest of the evening.
Match Details
Fixture - Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers | Game 5, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Wednesday, June 2nd, 2021; 7:00 PM ET (June 3rd, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers' offense crumbled when Joel Embiid got hurt in the 1st quarter of Game 4. They were looking to complete a sweep and get some rest before the second round buy collapsed after Embiid left the floor.
The rest of the 76ers got buckets and managed to keep the game close but the Wizards kept pulling away. Ben Simmons missed crucial free throws and Russell Westbrook and co. took advantage.
The Philadelphia 76ers had a very inefficient night. Tobias Harris went 8-24 from the field (1-5 from three), Danny Green went 4-10, Seth Curry had 5-11 (0-4 from three) and even the bench was horrific from the field.
The 76ers would have certainly completed the sweep if Embiid was on the floor. However, they are 10-11 without the Cameroonian big man this season, and the rest of the 76ers have a shot to put this series to bed in front of their home crowd.
Key Player - Ben Simmons
With Embiid possibly sidelined for Game 5, Ben Simmons is now the central focus of attention. He attempted just five shots in Game 4 and if the Philadelphia 76ers intend on icing this series for good, Simmons needs to be more aggressive offensively.
Although he doesn't have a jump shot, Simmons is an excellent finisher around the rim. He needs to attack the basket in transition and be more of a scoring threat alongside Tobias Harris.
He is an incredible playmaker but recorded just three assists in Game 4, and will need to display that area of his game as well.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Ben Simmons l Shooting Guard - Seth Curry l Small Forward - Danny Green l Power Forward - Tobias Harris l Center - Dwight Howard.
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards took advantage of Joel Embiid's early exit in Game 4 and capitalized on their lack of offensive rhythm. Several players made big shots on the team and a cohesive team effort got the victory. As many as seven players scored in double figures, with Bradley Beal dropping a game-high 27 points.
Hachimura scored 20 points on 8-12 shooting, including 3-6 from three-point range. Davis Bertans and Daniel Gafford dropped 15 and 12 respectively and Robin Lopez gave the team 16 off the bench on 8-11 shooting.
The Wizards need to repeat their action from Game 4 and get down low to score. Robin Lopez's skyhooks were unguardable and Westbrook and Beal were attacking the rim with impunity.
Key Player - Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook needs to be more efficient on Wednesday against the Sixers if the Washington Wizards intend on forcing a Game 6. Although he does everything else for the team, he has been quite inefficient in this series.
He scored 19 points on 3-19 shooting including 0-4 from beyond the arc. However, Westbrook recorded a playoff career-high 21 rebounds in Game 4 while also dishing out 14 assists.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Russell Westbrook l Shooting Guard - Bradley Beal l Small Forward - Davis Bertans l Power Forward - Rui Hachimura l Center - Daniel Gafford.
Wizards vs 76ers Match Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers are still the favorites to win the game over the 8th-seeded Washington Wizards. They have won 10 of 21 games without Embiid this season and if they game-plan without him, many believe they can win at home.
The 76ers had a horrible shooting night in Game 4 and the game was still very close. If they just manage to hit some of the shots they were missing down the stretch, the series could be over on Wednesday.
However, we have seen the Wizards mount incredible comebacks this season and given Embiid's absence, they might have a slight edge in the paint.
Where to watch the Wizards vs 76ers Game 5?
Game 5 of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs between the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers will be televised locally on NBC Sports Washington. The game can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
