Sixers: 5 storylines to watch in opening round vs. Wizards

The Philadelphia 76ers will battle the Washington Wizards in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. This comes after Washington went 18-7 in its last 25 games to steal the eighth seed and put Russell Westbrook back in the postseason. The Sixers should have no problem ousting them.

While Washington’s recent hot streak is mildly concerning, it is only concerning in the sense that Philadelphia may not sweep the series. There is no reason to believe Washington can actually compete for six or seven games. The Wizards winning the series would be an all-time upset.

Here are five storylines to watch for as the Sixers gear up for another postseason run.

Sixers storyline to watch: Transition O vs. Transition D

The Sixers have the capacity to control the pace in this series. Ben Simmons can run a fast break better than anyone, and Philadelphia has more than enough capacity for disruption on the defensive end. Russell Westbrook is a turnover machine half the time, and the Wizards’ transition defense is a mess.

There is, however, another side to that coin. The Wizards’ transition offense is, perhaps, the team’s best attribute. When Westbrook and Bradley Beal are out in the open court, it can be difficult to stop. The Sixers’ transition defense is one of the team’s few weak points on that side of the ball.

The only way this series is remotely competitive is if Washington is able to turn the ball over and control the tempo. If the Sixers can make this a halfcourt game, or better yet, if the Sixers can turn Washington over, then the Wizards are cooked.