5 things the Washington Wizards need to do to bounce back against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 | NBA Playoffs 2021

The Washington Wizards staged a remarkable comeback in the second half of the regular season to qualify for the NBA play-in tournament. They defeated the Indiana Pacers to clinch the 8th seed from the East but started their playoff journey against top seed Philadelphia 76ers with a tame loss.

After a close first half, the Washington Wizards were up by just one point. That changed quickly as Seth Curry and Joel Embiid caught fire in the third quarter and laid the foundation for a comfortable Philadelphia 76ers’ win. Needless to say, there are quite a few things that the Washington Wizards need to improve upon if they are to make a better showing of their series against the 76ers. In this article, we look at five of the biggest things the Wizards can improve upon.

All eyes on Game 2.#WizSixers | @RealDealBeal23 pic.twitter.com/m7cIuo4RfF

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 25, 2021

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5 things the Washington Wizards need to make happen in order to bounce back against the Philadelphia 76ers | NBA Playoffs 2021

It's fair to say that the Philadelphia 76ers were not at their best. Joel Embiid had a slow start and had foul trouble, while Ben Simmons had an average shooting night. The Washington Wizards were more efficient from beyond the arc, but were careless with the ball. In such a scenario, there are a number of things that they need to do better in order to bounce back in the playoff series:

#1 Abandoning the three-guard lineup

The Philadelphia 76ers have a huge size advantage over the Washington Wizards, something that was overtly apparent in the second half. Joel Embiid toyed with defenders and was able to dominate the Wizards physically. He played 30 minutes and had 30 points along with 6 rebounds.

Don't mind us, just posting another @tobias31 highlight.👟 @xfinity pic.twitter.com/sutVveymv2

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 24, 2021

Replacing Raul Neto with another forward in the form of Chandler Hutchinson or Anthony Gill is an option that the Washington Wizards should consider. Combatting the size advantage and better interior defense should give the Wizards an increased chance of keeping up with the Philadelphia 76ers’ offensive shooters.

#2 More volume of 3-point attempts

The Washington Wizards were better than the Philadelphia 76ers from beyond the arc. They converted only 10 of their 32 3-pointers. Hachimura made 2 of his 2 attempts on target while Bertans converted 4 of his 8 shots from beyond the arc.

Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards

With the Philadelphia 76ers’ boasting of a strong interior defense and a size advantage, the Washington Wizards might be better served targeting them from beyond the arc. The likes of Westbrook, Bradley Beal, Hachimura and Davis Bertans are all capable shooters who might be asked to attempt more three-pointers by coach Scott Brooks.

#3 Better overall performance from Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook did not have a good shooting night against the Philadelphia 76ers. He made just 7 of his 17 field goal attempts and did not get good looks throughout the game. He finished with 16 points and 14 assists, and was involved in a late turnover off a Daniel Gafford pass that helped the 76ers hold on to win in the fourth quarter.

Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards had enough chances to register a big lead in the first half, as the Philadelphia 76ers were poor from the free throw line and converted 23 of their 33 attempts. Simmons, in particular, missed all 6 of his free throws, including two in the fourth quarter.

Needless to say, if Russell Westbrook was at his best, the Washington Wizards would have fancied their chances of causing an upset in game 1.

#4 Containing the Philadelphia 76ers’ offense

With a few personnel changes, the Washington Wizards can ensure that they are not as grossly undersized as they ended up feeling in the second half of game 1. Joel Embiid had to sit out having accumulated three fouls, but came back in the third quarter to dominate the Wizards’ interior defense.

.@JoelEmbiid found his rhythm in the second half, and showed what makes him an MVP finalist.📹⤵️ pic.twitter.com/QOv9LSbhDM

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 24, 2021

In the first half, it was Tobias Harris who drove inside multiple times with ease. Harris had scored 28 points in the first half and had a whopping 19 shots, out of which he converted 12. It was only Ben Simmons who did not have a good shooting night, but was omnipresent on the court.

Of course, the Philadelphia 76ers also have able 3-point shooters such as Seth Curry and Danny Green, while Harris himself is capable of getting shots from beyond the arc. While the Wizards are sure to have a difficult time trying to contain the multiple offensive threats the Philadelphia 76ers have, improving on the above aspects will give them a better chance of competing in the series.