After winning in the 7-versus-8 matchup in the play-in tournament, the Philadelphia 76ers have officially secured an express ticket to the playoffs where they will not duke it out with the Boston Celtics, their longtime nemeses, to kick off the first round. Right from the get go, they will not be favored in that series, especially in view of Joel Embiid being sidelined to start their seven-game showdown.
If there is one clear advantage the 76ers have over the Celtics on paper, it is at the center position. After losing Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet, Boston does not really have an experienced defender they can throw at Embiid, a former league MVP. After all, the erstwhile troika of big men has given the superstars fits numerous times.
Now, the Celtics still have a much improved Neemias Queta and a heady veteran in Nikola Vucevic, but none are billed as tenable enough on the defensive end to truly handle a skillful and physically imposing force like Embiid. Fortunately for Boston, they do not have to think about that deficit, at least to start the series.
The 76ers face a nearly impossible task of upsetting the Celtics without Joel Embiid
With Jayson Tatum back in the fold, the Celtics have an edge on nearly all departments over the 76ers. Thanks to their unrelenting offense heavily predicated on whipping the ball around the perimeter to maximize their go-to scorers, they have the second-highest offensive rating in the league.
As if that is not enough, Boston also touts a suffocating defense. They have the fourth-best defensive rating among all teams, which is a testament to their elite point-of-attack defense and their smart positioning across the board on that end.
It is clear that the all the numbers favor the Celtics to win this series handily. That is more so the case given that Embiid, who could have given Boston's personnel a lot of problems on the defensive end, is expected to be out to start the series as he recuperates from a recent appendectomy procedure.
As such, this is basically the tall task the 76ers are going to be facing –– more likely than not, they will have to beat the Celtics at their own game without homecourt advantage, at that.
Bigger upsets have happened in the NBA, but if the 76ers pull this off, they could very well be in the loop of title contenders this season. The Celtics are a hell of a litmus test for where they stand, so while it may be an improbable task, defeating them would be massive for their confidence across the board.
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