2020-21-22 Sixers Season

[zambonir]

I suppose you are right. I think it's often futile to hope for certain match-ups (especially elsewhere in the bracket) but it's 2021 not the previous two years, the Wizards have been tougher on us.

Did last year really even happen? Al Horford played for us? Is he even in the league? (Kidding about that part.)

[phillychuck]

I honestly can't see a Boston team without Jaylen Brown beating the Wizards unless Beal is more injured than is being reported. I guess there is always a chance Tatum or one of the other players gets hot or the Celtics defend the heck out of the Wiz, but I'd think it's about 65-35 the Wiz get the 7-seed. Vegas has the Celtics as a very slight favorite, which I think is too generous to them.

[el-pietro]

Horford is mostly sitting on the bench in Oklahoma.

[zambonir]

Like I said, kidding. He hadn't played since March 24 and he's not hurt. Before that he had normal minutes. More about tanking than his performance.

[phillychuck]

Yes, OKC shut Horford down for the year right after the trade deadline on the grounds of giving more minutes to their developing younger players. They will trade Horford if possible.

[el-pietro]

Will the league force a new GM on them? Or is it ok to tank as long as you word it correctly?

[phillychuck]

It's OK to tank as long as you're not in a major market and the tanking story isn't leading Sportscenter every night. OKC and Houston and Orlando were all tanking hard this year. No consequences at all.

[xogfog]

I actually hope Sam Hinkie rings the bell ahead of one of these upcoming playoff games.

[zambonir]

Well, Houston didn't want to tank. Not originally, anyway.

[el-pietro]

Morey did suggest it might be possible, though I think Hinkie wouldn't go for that.
https://twitter.com/dmorey/status/464522461988405248?lang=en

[zambonir]

Well, neither of those games went how people thought they might. (And yes, Tatum got hot.)

[xogfog]

So the Wizards are the Sixers opponent in round 1. Game 1 is Sunday at 1:00pm.

[VoteForKalas]

Should be a fun, fast paced series. Hopefully, the 76ers come prepared and shut them down in 5 games

[phillychuck]

Game at 1 PM vs. Wizards today! My son and grandson are at the game--10 rows from courtside. It's nice to have friends with tickets to share...

[phillychuck]

Nice win in game 1--they didn't get the whistle early (or actually very much at all) and they still played well enough to win. They are going to have to defend Washington better in transition, and keep Embiid on the floor if the Washington players keep flopping around him.

[xogfog]

It wasn't really a great game, but the Sixers prevailed by shear talent. Embiid was limited to 30 minutes due to early foul trouble, still scored 30. Harris was great in the first half, cooled in the second. Simmons was impactful with 15 boards and 15 assists, but shot horribly and missed all six of his free throws, that simply will kill them going forward if he can't hit free throws. The bench was bad, with the exception of Hill. The bench will need to play better, especially in later rounds.

[el-pietro]

Really comfortable win last night. Ben came out of the gate with a point to prove and was dominant early on. Could easily have had a Triple Double but was taken out after 29 minutes, and the other starters all played 26 or less.
Matisse had a defensive performance for the ages with 9 steals/blocks in 20 minutes.
Theres a significant gap between these two teams, maybe The Wizards win one home game but I don't see this going beyond 5.

[phillychuck]

If the Wizards win even one game in Washington, much less two, I'm placing the blame squarely on popcorn guy.

[bigegypt0417]

Thybulle had 5 blocked shots and 4 steals in 20 minutes...wow

[xogfog]

Sixers cruise to a 132 to 103 victory over the Wizards and are now up 3-0. Embiid with a career playoff high of 35 in 28 minutes Sixers should wrap it up on Monday and then sit and wait for the Hawks or Knicks.