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76ers seek dominating 3-1 Series lead in Atlanta


The Atlanta Hawks fell into a 2-1 deficit in their second round series vs. the Philadelphia 76ers with a loss on Friday evening. The outcome was not in much doubt after a third quarter thumping by the Sixers. Atlanta will now look to rebound at home in Game 4.

The Hawks threw more bodies at Joel Embiid in Game 3 after the All-NBA center torched them for 79 points in the first two games of the series. Embiid responded by dishing out eight assists to go with his 27 points and and nine rebounds. So while Atlanta stopped him from dropping 40 again, Philadelphia kept clicking as a whole.

Ben Simmons had his best game of the series, posting 18 points and seven assists while making life hard on Trae Young on the other end. Tobias Harris continues to be an issue, as he posted 22 points and eight rebounds on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor.

Simply put, the Hawks will have to find something defensively if they want to get back in this series. They haven’t been able to slow down the Sixers and Philadelphia has been able to make them work hard for buckets in the past two games. Since the first-half three-point barrage in Game 1, Atlanta has look pedestrian on offense, and worse on the defensive end.

Peachtree Hoops

Tobias has made the game easier for all of his teammates and Embiid is benefiting greatly too. He must be contained. Embiid will get his numbers but he's had 15, 16, and 16 free throw attempts in the series so I hope that's not the case today.

Must win game at home. Go Hawks!

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HMFFL wrote:Tobias has made the game easier for all of his teammates and Embiid is benefiting greatly too. He must be contained. Embiid will get his numbers but he's had 15, 16, and 16 free throw attempts in the series so I hope that's not the case today.

Must win game at home. Go Hawks!

I'm starting to think that it's easy for refs to call a foul when there several defender around Embiid. They are easy to call a foul in these playoffs when hands are down, more than high above your head.
This said, even if he scores easier, I would only defend with hands high and take the best position to limit him or even getting an offensive charge, especially if you double him.
It's the only way to avoid him shooting too many FTs

I'm tired of hearing Hawks are foul merchants when they never really got more FTs than opposite teams in these playoffs.
Embiid is shooting 7 more FTs than Young per game

McMillan can't defend on Embiid like he was doing on Randle, and they have Harris around him.
Hawks have to not try to steal the ball in his hand or block him while in the paint, but just making it not easy to shoot. Good placement if near the basket, or when he's near the 3pts line, like Capela did in Game2 by going on Embiid to force him to attack the paint, and being ready to go back and not touch him. Embiid ended up taking long 2s that he was not hitting

When PHI take a defensive rebound, ATL have to cover the other players first to not let them easy access to the basket, it's not Embiid that will run the court in 2s for a layup. Simmons and Harris are too much easy on layup with their size, they are hard to defend, so ATL need to work to avoid these two having easy access on fast-breaks and transitions.

They are scoring 13 more pts than ATL in the paint, and 6 more pts in fast-breaks, it has to stop.
And don't underestimate their bench guys, they built a big lead with Milton in Game2 (mostly without Simmons on the floor), and with Korzman in Game3 (+24 with him, -8 without him)

It's hard to play without wing size of Hunter, and even Reddish would have help, but they McMillan has to do his best with the available players and at least play his best game plan, not keeping the same thing that is not working, or what was working against NYK.

Go Hawks!

Nice.
?s=20

?s=20

Finally - No Solo.

Come on Trae make the 3-pointers!
Currently 0/3

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12-12, two good 3s from Bogi, horrible alley-oops and shooting from Trae, he needs to focus and play simpler.
Good defense until now, especially on Embiid, forcing him to take bad long 2s, except this last foul on Embiid where they tried to steal the ball at the top of the paint. Exactly what I said, don't try that, the ref will call a foul.

Next Embiid action, long 2 and missed! Just defend him like that.

Embiid already has 9 rebs., Cap 5
Cap needs help on the boards and to blockout Embiid.

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End if 1st : 20-28.
Horrible choices on offense for everybody except Bogi.
Trae on the bench with a problem on his shoulder, may come from the foul he searched on Embiid sooner in the quarter, which would explain his bad shooting.

Oh well, I guess Atlanta sports can't have nice things 3 straight blowout losses... time for the offseason

This guy Embiid plays bully ball. He uses his body often to push off to get space with no call. He also mouths off too much especially to the crowd.

thebigE wrote:This guy Embiid plays bully ball. He uses his body often to push off to get space with no call. He also mouths off too much especially to the crowd.

Yep. He makes a great villain to an excited NBA crowd.

Yah, but the bully ball sucks and shows he’s not elite

I wanted Trae to get a 20/20 game so badly tonight. Regardless, we got the win.

On to the next one.

thebigE wrote:Yah, but the bully ball sucks and shows he’s not elite

Riiiiiiight.

Jamaaliver wrote:

thebigE wrote:Yah, but the bully ball sucks and shows he’s not elite

Riiiiiiight.

Hahahahaha

I love that....Always have

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The difference there is Shack pushed off after the shot. Embiid pushes before the shot to create space. That’s not basketball and is also a foul that generally goes uncalled.

I'm surprised

Hawks pull out a gutsy win.