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

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.

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.