Sixers: 5 storylines to watch vs. Hawks in second round

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

The Philadelphia 76ers will battle the Atlanta Hawks in the conference semifinals — a sneakily challenging matchup made only more challenging by the recent Joel Embiid injury news. Unlike the Wizards, the Hawks are a deep and balanced team. This is no easy task for Doc Rivers’ squad.

With the first game set to tip off at 1 PM E.T. on Sunday, June 6, let’s investigate five key storylines that could come to define this series.

Sixers-Hawks storyline to watch: Joel Embiid’s health status

Duh.

Might as well get this one out of the way — if Joel Embiid cannot play for a significant stretch of games, or he is not his whole self, then the Sixers will have a tough time winning this series. The Hawks have a potent offense and, in Clint Capela, have one of the best defensive anchors in basketball. Trae Young had the entire Knicks defense on a string for five straight games. Atlanta is poised and ready for the moment.

Joel Embiid injury updates. light. The latest

Embiid is the Sixers’ heart and soul. Without him, the offense often grinds to a halt, and the defense falls apart. Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle are two of the best perimeter defenders on planet earth, but nothing unlocks them quite like having Embiid as a backstop at the rim. If Embiid is out of the loop offensively, then a greater creation burden will fall on Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris. That’s always risky.

There is a reason Embiid will finish second in MVP voting despite over 20 games missed. He’s a special two-way talent and a big reason behind the Sixers’ revitalization this season. Without him, Philadelphia is lost in a dark forest.