The Philadelphia 76ers hold a 3-0 series lead over the Washington Wizards and have given fans every reason to expect a swift arrival in the second round. While the Sixers’ next opponent has not yet been determined — Atlanta holds a commanding 3-1 lead over New York — Philadelphia must first handle business in D.C.
Game 4 is at 7 PM E.T. on Memorial Day. Here are some storylines to watch in the game and beyond.
Sixers storylines to watch: Success on Bradley Beal
In three games this series, Bradley Beal has averaged 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists on .481/.150/.778 shooting splits. That’s actually below his season average in points per game, while 15.0 percent success rate from 3-point range is notable — if not a little bit fluky.
The Sixers have done an admirable job slowing, if not stopping Beal this series. Ben Simmons has had his hands full, while Matisse Thybulle continues to make a significant impact in under 20 minutes a night. With Russell Westbrook struggling and no real weapons elsewhere on offense, Washington has placed a large burden upon Bradley Beal — a large burden the Sixers have only made heavier.
If current trends continue, the Sixers will face the Atlanta Hawks in the second round. That means Trae Young. While Beal is a very different player, the Sixers can still take away some level of confidence entering the second round. If anything, confidence Thybulle can log plenty of minutes and make a sustained impact.
The Hawks are not the Wizards, and Young has much more help than Beal, but there’s something to be said for making the NBA’s No. 2 scorer work hard.