Sixers’ best matchup: Charlotte Hornets
Sixers record against Charlotte: (3-0)
January 2nd vs Charlotte (W) 127-112
January 4th vs Charlotte (W) 118-101
February 3rd @ Charlotte (W) 118-111
Philadelphia has torched Charlotte this season, winning all three games with none of them ever really being close in the second half. Since then Charlotte has faced a number of devastating injuries, with Gordon Hayward and LaMelo Ball missing significant time. They’ve stuck around in the playoff hunt because of the strong play of some of their young players, like Miles Bridges and Devonte Graham, but just don’t have the depth to keep up with the Sixers over a seven game series.
Tobias Harris dominated Charlotte this year, scoring 22+ in all three contests. Ben Simmons was also solid, notching a triple double in the first contest and generally causing chaos throughout all three. However the reason this team is first is because of one man: Joel Embiid. Simply put, the Charlotte Hornets have no answer for him. Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo just don’t have the size and speed necessary to hang down low with him. If Embiid gets the ball in the post early and often, this could be a quick sweep by the Sixers.
Sixers’ second-best matchup: Indiana Pacers
Sixers record against Indiana: (2-0)
January 31st @ Indiana (W) 119-110
March 1st vs Indiana (W) 130-114
May 11th
The Philadelphia 76ers have played the Indiana Pacers twice so far this season, winning both. Back in January, with Embiid out and nursing a sore back, Philly needed a huge fourth quarter comeback to beat the Pacers. This was the game where the Sixers infamously deployed the Ben Simmons-Matisse Thybulle zone defense in order to make up a 16 point deficit in eight minutes. Then, in March, the Sixers controlled the entire game and never trailed after the second quarter despite the absence of Tobias Harris.
Although the wins against the Pacers haven’t been the most dominant of the season, they’ve both been with stars missing. It’s a small sample size, but Ben Simmons had two excellent games against them. He’s always dominant defensively, but in these games he was also dominant offensively and guys like Sabonis just couldn’t keep up with him. Despite Myles Turner’s reputation as a rim protector, Joel Embiid dominates him pretty much every time they play each other.
The X-factor for the Pacers is Caris LeVert, who seems to have a knack for big games against the Sixers. The teams play again next week, which bears watching. Either way, Philadelphia would love this matchup and should be salivating if they get out of the first round this easily.