What the Philadelphia 76ers’ Game 6 win means for Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks

Coping mechanisms are as a lot a characteristic of the NBA playoffs because the postgame podium.

“It’s important to have a short-term reminiscence,” Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Tyrese Maxey mentioned.

Maxey was referring to the situation of defending Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Younger with smothering strain solely to observe him drain a “brand 3” from 35 ft. But on a broader degree, this was a prescription for the Sixers after blowing a 26-point second-half lead on their dwelling flooring in Recreation 5 within the wake of squandering a 16-point lead in Recreation 4. The postseason flows too quick, and the calls for of bodily and psychological restoration are too crucial to dwell in humiliation.

Sixers ahead Tobias Harris, who endured a very dangerous night time within the loss, turned his cellphone off. Sixers guard Seth Curry maintained his routine of watching movie, testing the opposite postseason sequence, and transferring via his exercises. However the one salve for defeat is redemption.

After the lights in State Farm Area went again on with 1:59 remaining within the sport after a short outage that seemed like a live performance crowd ready for an encore — hundreds of smartphones glowing within the darkness — the Sixers accomplished their domination with a 104-99 win over Atlanta.

“Tonight, we simply stored telling one another, ’48 minutes,’” Sixers heart Joel Embiid mentioned. “‘That’s what we’ve to do, and we’ll be advantageous.’”

The primary half was extra drudgery for the Sixers. Their perimeter shooters went a collective 4-for-15 from past the arc. All-Star heart Joel Embiid was inefficient, and first-team all-defender Ben Simmons sat with foul hassle. Regardless of residing within the paint for a lot of the half, the Sixers might hardly purchase a visit to the stripe; and Trae Younger received free for 20 factors. Regardless of all of it, Philadelphia trailed solely 51-47 on the half.

Popping out of the locker room, the top-ranked protection within the Jap Convention went to work. Their 14-0 run to start out the half was as a lot a product of their protection because the taking pictures exploits of Curry. Trae Younger, who spent the primary half north to south and tormenting the Sixers along with his lob, discovered himself pushed out and towards the sidelines. Within the second half, Younger managed 5 area objectives, solely a single journey to the road, and turned the ball over 4 occasions.

After two mortifying collapses, the Sixers buckled down. Embiid nonetheless discovered himself pissed off, however he owned the offensive glass and stored the Hawks off-balance by commanding the double-team. Harris received to the rim on a number of events. And Maxey offered some important protection on Younger and drained a 3-pointer throughout a dry spell for each groups within the fourth quarter.

Now the East’s finest dwelling workforce will host Recreation 7 on Sunday after six video games which have featured each rugged protection and particular person offensive outbursts. A number of defensive methods have been deployed towards Younger, whereas the Hawks have tried with combined success to ship a number of defenders at Embiid.

Opponents know one another’s tendencies properly after two weeks of fight, which makes Recreation 7 extra about execution than creativity.

Primarily based on Friday night time’s Sixers win, listed below are just a few key elements that would show decisive:

Can the Sixers get Ben Simmons on the transfer?

Simmons carries the title of Sixers level guard, however his talent set has extra in frequent with Draymond Inexperienced than Chris Paul. Among the many 19 gamers on this sequence with a minimum of 10 area purpose makes an attempt within the half courtroom, Simmons ranks useless final in pictures per possession within the half courtroom, in keeping with Second Spectrum. It is going to be a very good whereas earlier than Simmons will be a part of his fellow All-Stars on the place in feasting off jumpers coming off excessive screens, the Sixers would assist themselves by discovering some alternatives for him as a cutter or with some brief pick-and-rolls nearer to the ring. Nevertheless they do it, the Sixers might use extra manufacturing from a man who can provide it — as long as the chance is there.

Does Trae Younger have another in him?

Atlanta had its devastating drag display working early, and it produced alley-oops for Hawks heart Clint Capela, in addition to house for Younger to fireside from distance towards the Sixers’ lanky defenders. However measurement can trouble Younger — and it has on this sequence. Towards Simmons, he’s producing solely .97 factors per likelihood on picks (his common season output was 1.06 factors per likelihood). The Hawks have loved their moments throughout the sequence, however will want the double-drag buzzing on Sunday if they need a sequence win — Collins and Capela slowing Simmons, then popping and diving respectively. The Hawks will seemingly work in additional small-big stagger screens as properly — and so they’ll additionally want their shooters to empty just a few of these seems to be produced by their main actions.

Can Joel Embiid overpower Atlanta?

Capela was one of many league’s higher rim protectors this season, however has struggled to include Embiid one-on-one (who doesn’t). Embiid has labored superbly towards double-teams at occasions, with well timed kickouts that ship the ball across the perimeter and into the fingers of Sixers shooters. Philadelphia merely doesn’t have a fringe participant who calls for that type of consideration. Utilizing Embiid each down low and in dribble handoffs and as a screener for Curry will likely be a pleasant decongestant — Curry and Embiid as a fringe combo produced some good offense for the Sixers. With Curry scorching of late, that could possibly be a robust supply of strain on the Hawks’ protection.

Can Atlanta discover Philadelphia’s shooters in transition?

There’s no good motive why Curry ought to beat the complete Hawks unit to his spot on the wing off an Atlanta miss after he’s simply hit two consecutive 3-pointers. This is among the most simple rules in high-level basketball, however the Hawks couldn’t be bothered on Friday night time to abide by it. Curry scored 11 of his 24 factors in Recreation 6 in transition, and received 4 uncontested seems to be from 3-point distance, hitting three of them, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data. After Curry burned them to construct a lead within the third quarter, Furkan Korkmaz received into the act, darting forward of Atlanta’s ineffectual transition D off a live-ball turnover for his personal clear look from distance. General, the Sixers received eight uncontested area purpose makes an attempt on Friday, and transformed seven of them. A few youthful indiscretions are one factor, however a workforce with little expertise deep within the postseason can’t afford to get beat on the margins in the event that they aspire to win a Recreation 7 on the street.

Atlanta is already skinny on the wings, with Cam Reddish’s prolonged absence, the lack of DeAndre Hunter, and now probably Bogdanovic, who left Recreation 6 with soreness in his proper knee. Although he hasn’t shot properly within the sequence, he’s essential to the spacing that gives the fertile floor for his or her pick-and-roll assault. Behind him, the Hawks characteristic Lou Williams, Solomon Hill and Tony Snell. Although he hit a few large pictures in Atlanta’s livid comeback in Recreation 5, Williams is a defensive sieve who’s finest utilized in brief spurts towards opposing bench models. And neither Hill nor Snell have been productive offensively. Kris Dunn, who spent a lot of the yr recovering from ankle surgical procedure, is out there to the Hawks. Dunn is a premium perimeter defender with All-NBA potential, however he’s performed solely 45 minutes within the common season, and three within the postseason. Regardless of the contingency, the Hawks will likely be stretched to satisfy it.

Can Tobias Harris present some juice?

After a wretched Recreation 5, Harris was efficient in Friday’s win, scoring 24 factors on 9-for-20 taking pictures from the sphere, regardless of early foul hassle. “I believed the final two video games he’d gotten again into that outdated sluggish hold-the-ball,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers mentioned following Recreation 6. “Tonight, it was fast. It was assaults. It was downhill. That’s who he’s.” Harris is significant to the Sixers, largely as a result of their main wings, whereas long way shooters, aren’t basic creators, nor can Simmons do a lot in that capability for himself within the backcourt. Creativity is the product of power, and it dies in stagnation. At his worst, Harris generally is a ball-stopper in that regard. At his finest when he’s decisive, he can discover attractiveness off a dribble or two, and exploit his measurement in mismatches — one thing he emphasised as a purpose in Recreation 7. The Sixers ought to be cautious about getting too iso-heavy, however Harris stays their most versatile 1-through-4. If he’s selectively aggressive on Sunday, the Sixers can exploit Atlanta’s helpers.

The Sixers are a number of years into their Course of, whereas the Hawks fast-tracked theirs. Neither present incarnation has superior to the Jap Convention finals, however one among these rebuilds will lastly erect one thing price celebrating on Sunday.