NBA 2022/23, on Sunday, 07.05.2023
The NBA playoffs are in their “quarterfinal stage”, but already tonight a preliminary decision could be made regarding who can already be counted among the upcoming semifinalists.
According to my 76ers Celtics forecast, the guests have already maneuvered themselves into pole position before Game 4.
The tactical adjustments after the opening defeat have not only paid off, but could soon put the Sixers’ NBA Finals dreams to bed for good!
This series has been back and forth, but after the 76ers somewhat surprisingly won the opener 119-115, the C’s have found ways to turn the tide for good in the tactics meeting.
Game 2 was a pure show of force by the Bostonians, who tolerated no argument in a 121-87 win. Of course, Joel Embiid was badly injured on the other side and not capable of an overwhelming performance, but of course the Green-Whites did not take this into account.
Game 3, on the other hand, was a little tighter at 114-102, but also a relatively clear affair for the Celtics, who thus made some successful adjustments that lead me to believe they will be victorious tonight as well.
I would describe Boston’s strategy as the “Anaconda Tactic”, which has paid dividends against Joel Embiid – who also has a health scare – time and again in recent years, and was used especially in Game 2 & 3.
We’re talking about the tactic of making the 76ers’ brawny center “work” for his points and challenging him again and again in the hope that he’ll run out of steam after the second half.
Sure enough, in the last meeting Embiid scored 30 points on balance, but in the final quarter he could only contribute four points to the Sixers’ offensive output on 2-for-5 shooting, far too little for a comeback!
However, Joel Embiid’s early signs of fatigue not only put a strain on his own offensive game, but also his play without the ball.
That’s because the banged-up center was put through the wringer and downright worn out by the C’s in Game 2 and Game 3 in the backcourt, creating good throwing opportunities for Tatum and Brown.
In turn, the C’s do everything better that they failed to do in the opener. They put up more blocks, grab more rebounds, execute the better fastbreaks and attack more as a collective.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, is collapsing more and more. Harden and Maxey will have to do a much better job “in the paint” for the 76ers than they did during their last two performances!
Because Joel Embiid alone definitely won’t be able to fix it in his condition, not against these savvy C’s.
It’s only 2-1 for the Celtics, but the upcoming game is obviously crucial, if the visitors win it, then a Sixers comeback is only theoretically possible.
The C’s didn’t find themselves in the opening game, but since then have again defended excellently and in the offense have also been able to restore their superiority on the board.
The momentum is clearly on the side of the Green-Whites, who currently seem to be much closer to the Conference Finals. Incidentally, the sports betting providers also see it that way.
The win odds of 1.71 to 2.20 undoubtedly signal that the confidence in a comeback of the Sixers is within narrow limits. By the way, if you want to try out other mobile apps, you’ve come to the right place.
Conclusion: There were good reasons why the C’s were considered one of the hottest title contenders right from the start of the season, no doubt including their tactical finesse.
Boston has also been superior to their opponents in almost every important aspect of the game over the last two matches, and of course benefits from the condition of the stricken Cameroonian on the opposite side.
It still seemed in the 1st round that Philadelphia would be able to score even without Embiid, but against an absolute top team like Boston, the alternatives are simply not enough to prevail without their center in top form.
My 76ers Celtics tip: The visitors go up 3:1.
