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The Philadelphia 76ers are now up 2-1 in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks after a 127-111 win in game 3. NBA MVP runner-up Joel Embiid starred with a stat line of 27 points, eight assists and nine rebounds. The Philadelphia 76ers came up with an elite shooting performance to see off Trae Young and co. Young finished with 28 points and eight assists despite John Collins being the most efficient shooter on the night for the Atlanta Hawks. Collins finished with 23 points, and had an efficiency of 71.4% from the field.
It was the Philadelphia 76ers’ improved bench performance that allowed them to take control of the proceedings. The 76ers now have a chance to put the Atlanta Hawks under pressure by going 3-1 up in the series. In this article, we look at five things we have learnt so far.
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Trae Young was delightful in game 1 and powered his way to 35 points and 10 assists. He was well supported by Clint Capela and John Collins, who both finished with 21 points each. However, Young has since been restricted to a greater extent while Embiid seems to be close to his best after having injury troubles through the first game. With the Philadelphia 76ers having turned things around after struggling in game 1, we look at five things that we have learnt from the three matches so far.
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#1 The Philadelphia 76ers have defended Trae Young well in the last two games
The Philadelphia 76ers have two brilliant perimeter defenders in the form of Matisse Thybulle and Ben Simmons. But it was Danny Green who defended Young for much of game 1, to disastrous effect. Young continued his form from round 1 of the playoffs and finished with a 35-point double-double.
However, Young has not had the same kind of success against Simmons and Thybulle, with the two spending most of the game guarding the Hawks’ star player. Young did not attempt a single shot in game 2 against either of the two, a game in which he finished with a 6-16 record from the field. He had more success in game 3 but the improved bench performances and the impact of Joel Embiid resulted in a comfortable 76ers’ victory.
#2 A fit Joel Embiid can lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the title
Joel Embiid’s physicality is taking a toll on the Atlanta Hawks’ defense and allowing other 76ers’ players to get easy looks as well. Embiid looks to have well and truly moved past his injury troubles and has toyed with the Atlanta Hawks after playing through pain in game 1.
He had 40 points and 12 rebounds in game 2 and followed that up with a commanding game 3. Embiid was fouled repeatedly and had 16 free throws, out of which he converted 12. The Atlanta Hawks had Clint Capela guarding Embiid through much of the game and were as active defensively as they could have been, barring a couple of loose possessions. Regardless, Embiid looks set to help his team to a deep run this time around, with both Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris also looking close to their best in recent games.
#3 Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris spring to life in crucial moments
While Ben Simmons’ defensive contributions have been for all to see, he has for a major part been average with his shooting so far. Simmons was an offensive passenger in game 2 and finished with just four points. In the first half of game 3, Ben Simmons had four points again and had converted just two of his five field goal attempts.
But Simmons took over the crucial third quarter with 11 points and three assists. Tobias Harris, on the other hand, came clutch in the fourth quarter and helped his team seal the deal with 10 points and two assists. While Embiid’s huge performances have been the center of focus, the likes of Simmons and Harris have also been impressive throughout the two playoff series so far. Harris arguably had his best ever playoff series against the Washington Wizards in round 1.
#4 Bench performances played a huge part in game 3
The Philadelphia 76ers were left wanting from the bench players offensively. The Atlanta Hawks relied on Trae Young in the first game and Kevin Huerter and Danilo Galliscoredscore 20 and 21 points off the bench in game 2.
However, the likes of Furkan Korkmaz, Shake Milton, Dwight Howard and Matisse Thybulle all had an impact in game 3. Howard was especially impressive with 12 points and six rebounds. Apart from the improved performances of the likes of Simmons and Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers’ bench also played a big role in them taking control of game 3 and pushing ahead in the series.
#5 The Philadelphia 76ers might have a title-winning defense
The Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as one of the best all-round teams in the NBA. Joel Embiid was the runner-up to the NBA MVP award and will argue that he would have won it if he had better luck with injuries. Embiid is a tank defensively as well, with the likes of Matisse Thybulle and Ben Simmons also impressing throughout the season.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been accused of not turning up at the playoffs but have a defensively solid roster. The likes of Tobias Harris and Furkan Korkmaz, along with three-point specialist Seth Curry, have all complemented their defense, led by Embiid and Simmons. They have a well-oiled roster and a bench that is more than capable of turning up the heat in crucial moments.
