Hawks Survive To Steal Game 1! Clippers Dominate Game 7! 6.6.21
It’s a Sunday afternoon of NBA Playoff basketball and we have 2 games on the schedule tonight.
(5) Atlanta Hawks vs (1) Philadelphia 76ers
Atlanta Hawks (1-0)
The Hawks won this game without De’Andre Hunter. Their shooting gave them a huge lead (26) in the first half and then they just held their lead until the 4th, where they did their best to blow the game, but barely won in the end. The ending may have not been pretty, but the Hawks stole Game 1 without their best perimeter defender. Not a bad start to the series.
The first half was all Atlanta. Trae Young dominated the 76ers in the pick and roll as Danny Green couldn’t keep up with him. The Hawks hit 13 3’s in the first half and the bench unit for the Hawks dominated that of the 76ers. The Hawks went on a 17-0 run at one point, led by as many as 26, and they were dominating.
They held their lead in the 3rd but that 4th was ugly. The Hawks couldn’t handle the pressure and length of the 76ers defense. Young was blitzed in the pick and roll and the Hawks didn’t get good looks. The 76ers cut into the lead and while the Hawks scraped out a win (barely), they have to be better with that pressure because they have to overcome that to win this series. It’s a good win, but they have to be better in that area.
Trae had 35 points and 10 assists but he was 3/10 in the 2nd half with Simmons. Him and the rest of the Hawks have to prepare for more pressure.
Bogdanovic had 21 points and 5 3’s, he was very good. Capela had a double-double and he did his best with Embiid. John Collins was very good, 21 points and he hit a couple of 3’s when the 76ers blitzed Young. He’ll have to continue to make those in this series.
Kevin Huerter had 15 off the bench as the Hawks bench was very good. They had 34 points as a unit, outscoring Philly by 11. That was a weakness in the Knicks series, but if they can get that type of production, that’s very big.
The Hawks forced 19 turnovers and got 28 points off turnovers. That is so big to get that many extra possessions and then also capitalize off of them like that, that’s so important in the playoffs. The Hawks had 10 fastbreak points and 8 2nd chance points. The Hawks did have 15 turnovers, including 5 in the 4th, which obviously isn’t a good thing. Philly had 24 points off turnovers. The turnover battle is going to be something to watch.
The thing the Hawks have to do better is handling pressure. They have to make sure Trae Young has release valves if he’s blitzed. Bogdanovic and Huerter are great secondary ball-handlers and they can be very good in a 4v3 situation. The Hawks have to be prepared and they have to be able to hit the open shots they get. The 76ers are going to make the change of putting Simmons on Young for the whole game and put pressure on the Hawks, trying to break them.
So Atlanta has to be ready for Game 2, hopefully with De’Andre Hunter back on the floor. But at the very least, they got one game on the road.
Philadelphia 76ers (0-1)
This was so disappointing. The Hawks were missing their best perimeter defender and then you get embarrassed like that in the first half. I don’t care that Philly made it close, there was no reason to lose this game. It boils down to poor adjustments made in the first half.
Danny Green isn’t the same defender he was with the Spurs. So why on Earth is he on Trae Young. He couldn’t keep up with him and Embiid was playing drop coverage, taking away the lob. Young had 26 in the first half and 35/10 for the game. He slowed down in the 2nd half when you blitzed him and Simmons was pressuring him. Why not do that from the start?
The all bench unit of Hill, Maxey, Howard, Thybulle, and Korkmaz was outscored 10-0 in the 2nd quarter and they have 5 turnovers. That unit should never play together, you need Harris, Simmons, or Embiid on the floor at all times. I don’t know why that has to be said out loud, the 76ers bench is awful. They don’t have much off the bench. That unit should never, ever be on the floor again.
But there are positives to be taken from the 2nd half. They figured out one way to get to the Hawks, pressure. They blitzed Young and you saw the results with 5 turnovers in the 4th. Now the 76ers have to make sure they do a few things with that pressure. Disguise it, don’t make it obvious where the pressure is coming from. If you do it too early, it’s an easy pass and shot.
Then your backside rotations to shooters have to be good. The Hawks are going to get 4v3 situations and you have to be able to recover. But it’ll be interesting to see how well that 76ers pressure works in Game 2.
Offensively I am not that worried. Embiid had 39 points and 9 rebounds, 14/15 from the line. He’s fine. Simmons had 17 points and 10 assists. His offense was mainly in transition but I want to see aggressive Ben in the half-court. Make the Hawks really defend him.
Harris was solid with 20 and Curry added 21. Danny Green was awful but Harris-Simmons-Embiid-Curry were all good. Thybulle had 10 off the bench. But the shooting has to be better and 11 missed free throws and 19 turnovers is sloppy. Less turnovers and less missed free throws + better defense = 76ers win.
The 76ers can certainly win this series and they figured out how in the 2nd half of this game. Still, losing this game is unacceptable, especially with how ugly that first half was. Doc has to make changes and if they make the right changes, Game 2 should be a win.
(5) Dallas Mavericks vs (4) LA Clippers
Dallas Mavericks (3-4)
God Luka needs help. Other than him, Finney-Smith and Brunson are the only guys I wouldn’t let go. But other than that I’m open for improvement. The Mavs couldn’t shoot, their bench was awful, and their defense was awful. Luka could only hold things together for so long and a 24-4 LA run to end the 3rd ended the game.
Luka did all he could but he had no help. He needs help. Porzingis isn’t it. Injuries have ruined him and it’s clear he can’t be the #2 on this team. He could be the #3, but you don’t pay #3’s $30+ million over the next 3 seasons, which is what Dallas is doing. I don’t know who wants Porzingis, but he has to go. I don’t like his fit with the team.
Hardaway is interesting. He’s a UFA this summer and his talents fit what Dallas needs, scoring. Hardaway is 29 and I would keep him for like 2-3 years, $15 million per year at the max. But if he wants more than that, I wouldn’t keep him.
You need rim protection. Some possible free agents this summer to start at center are Richuan Holmes. He’s solid and I love him in pick and rolls with Luka. Nerlens Noel is a very good shot-blocker. Would love for Dallas to get him.
They need more scoring off the bench other than Brunson. I would love for them to get TJ McConnell, a great perimeter defender and backup guard. Jeff Green, Alex Caruso, Austin Rivers, I’m just spit-balling here.
The Josh Richardson deal was a flop. He’s probably going to accept his player option of $11.6 million for next year. He was god awful, get him off the team. Dwight Powell had 3 yrs/$33 million left on his contract. He’s certainly not worth that, especially with how little he played this season.
So Dallas has to make a lot of changes. They need more defense everywhere, they don’t have defenders. They need more scoring and bench help for Luka. They have some moves to make, but change is certainly needed for this team.
LA Clippers (4-3)
The Clippers dominated the 2nd half, plain and simple. Their bench was better, their shooting was better, they shut down Luka in the 2nd half. They showed why they were the better team. First home win of the series, that’s also cool. This series shouldn’t have gone 7 games. Just look at Dallas’s roster. How did these two teams go to 7 games? Great question. But anyway, the Clippers win and now they take on the Jazz. They have to be a lot better in this series and they can’t be so passive with their adjustments. If something doesn’t work, don’t keep trying to make it work. Go away from it.
Both teams can shoot really well but the Clippers have the two best offensive players in the series and the Jazz don’t have defenders for them. That should be a good series, hopefully LA doesn’t fall short again.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 2 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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