Can the Sixers learn much from their Game 1 win over the Wizards? | Off the Dribble
A number of the occurrences in Game 1 will be difficult to duplicate in the best-of-seven series.
Welcome, 76ers fans, to the postseason, where the first round can take a few weeks to complete because of television considerations.
The Sixers aren’t expected to take the full two weeks, although Sunday’s 125-118 opening win over the Washington Wizards seems like an eternity ago.
We’re in a society that wants quick evaluations, but how much can be learned from the Game 1 victory? Not as much as one would think.
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— Marc Narducci (offthedribble@inquirer.com)
Game 1 reflections
While many will look to see if Game 1 could tell us much about how the rest of the series will go, the main thing it told us was that the Sixers won and they should continue to win. They just might not win in this way.
Consider some things that happened that likely won’t occur again in most of the games:
The Wizards shot 55.7% from the field in Game 1. During the regular season, the Sixers held teams to 45.3%.
Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook each had six turnovers. Their total of 12 was more than the Sixers committed (11). While both players combined to average 7.9 turnovers per game this season, this was a high total even for them.
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It’s not realistic to expect Tobias Harris to scored 37 points again. In three regular-season wins games against the Wizards, Harris averaged 14.7 points. Plus, Wizards coach Scott Brooks said a great deal of preparation for Game 2 was an attempt to slow Harris.
One thing that did go according to form: Despite being in early foul trouble, Joel Embiid scored 30 points in just less than 30 minutes. Embiid averaged exactly 30 points against the Wizards in the regular season. He might actually average more in the playoffs.
While Washington can use three centers — Alex Len, Daniel Gafford and Robin Lopez — none is equipped to stop Embiid. According to NBA.com stats, in matchup minutes vs. the three centers, Embiid shot a combined 6-for-10, with two of the misses from three-point range.
It even appeared as if Embiid was gassed at times during the game, but he had enough energy to dominate offensively and have a game-high plus-20 rating.
Here are things to look for as the series goes on:
Ben Simmons isn’t a good free-throw shooter (59.7% career) but 0-for-6? While it isn’t surprising when Simmons struggles, he entered the playoffs shooting free throws efficiently (for him). In his last six regular-season games, Simmons was 10-for-13 (76.9%). One of the big questions is whether he can regain his confidence at the foul line. When Simmons isn’t shooting free throws well, he is often hesitant to take the ball to the basket. The Wizards won’t hesitate to foul him until he proves proficient at the line.
Harris will continue taking Wizards defenders off the dribble to the basket. Second-year forward Rui Hachimura said he has to do a better job of fighting through screens, but Harris also beat him one-on-one when isolated and not needing screens. Whether Hachimura can step it up defensively and keep up with Harris when he takes him off the dribble will be something to watch.
Beal, despite his turnover-filled game, still scored 33 points. He lit up most Sixers, but not Simmons. According to NBA.com stats, he shot 1-for-6, including 0-for-4 from three-point range, in 7 minutes, 24 seconds of matchup time against Simmons. Doc Rivers doesn’t always like to keep Simmons on an elite scorer the entire game, but one has to wonder if Simmons will spend even more time on Beal.
Starting five
Tuesday was the one-year anniversary of George Floyd being murdered by now-former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Marcus Hayes gave his observations on how the world has changed in the last year.
Keith Pompey writes about Doc Rivers’ message on the anniversary of Floyd’s murder: “Pass the George Floyd policing act bill.”
Even though Simmons had 15 rebounds and 15 assists in Game 1, he was roundly criticized by fans for scoring just six points and missing all six of his free throws. Pompey writes that the Sixers have Simmons’ back amid growing criticism for his lack of scoring and poor foul shooting.
The Wizards say they need to toughen up against the Sixers, while also needing to find an answer to stopping Harris.
Pompey writes that after a tough battle with the Wizards in Game 1, the Sixers expect the same for the rest of the series.
Screening with Howard
It’s early but Brooks already has the quote of the series. On Tuesday, Brooks was asked about the screens set by Dwight Howard. A Wizards reporter stated that Howard had nine screen assists that led to 20 Sixers points in Game 1.
Brooks was asked what can be done about it.
After deliberating a few seconds, Brooks asked, “Were they legal screens?”
The suggestion that Howard might set illegal screens isn’t new. He has been called for his fair share of them.
Howard has been really successful in the screen and roll, where he goes to the basket and often converts a lob pass.
It’s easy to say that the Wizards should fight through the screens. Howard is a rock-solid 6-foot-10 and 265 pounds, and fighting though him is not the easiest of tasks.
After his one-liner, in which Brooks wasn’t really kidding, he addressed the Howard screen issue.
“Some of the things we can’t control, so we have to do a better job of fighting through them,” he said of the picks set by Howard.
Important dates
Wednesday: Game 2, Washington at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV
Saturday: Game 3, Sixers at Washington, 7 p.m., Capital One Arena, NBC Sports Philadelphia, ESPN
Monday: Game 4, Sixers at Washington, 7 p.m., Capital One Arena, NBC Sports Philadelphia, TNT
Wednesday, June 2: *Game 5, Washington at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBA TV
Friday, June 4: *Game 6, Sixers at Washington, TBD, Capital One Arena, TBD
Sunday, June 6: *Game 7, Washington at Sixers, TBD, Wells Fargo Center, TBD
*-if needed
Passing the rock
Question: Who is the shooter coming off the bench for the Sixers? — James Lang from Facebook
Answer: Thanks for the question, Jim. Rivers didn’t reduce his rotation, but he did reduce the minutes of many. In Game 1, 11 Sixers saw action. The easy answer would be George Hill because he came off the bench and shot 5-for-8 in the opener.
The reason I would say Hill is that I think he will get the most minutes off the bench. He saw the most time among the reserves (18:25) in Game 1, so he will have the most chances.
Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz will get chances, but Rivers won’t be as patient with them, evidenced by their playing time in Game 1 (9:39 for Milton, 4:53 for Korkmaz).