The Hawks are coming off an impressive comeback win in Game 4 103-100 that evened the series at 2-2.
The young star point guard, Trae Young, had quite the night putting up 25 points and 18 assists in an impressive performance. Tobias Harris was the only player for Philly to reach the 20 point mark in a loss.
Atlanta Hawks Preview: Crucial Game 5 coming up for the Hawks
Grind, grind, grind has always been the motto of head coach Nate McMillian, and so far, his team has done just that. The Hawks have made their presence known in this series and continue to grind out wins. Philly were heavy favorites in Game 4, but McMillian’s squad has made it clear they are not going away in this series.
Down by as many as 18 points at the end of the first half in Game 4, this group fought back and made a tremendous comeback in the third quarter. The Sixers shot 8-21 from the floor, and over the Hawks, run outscored Philly 31-20 while committing just one turnover.
The impressive third quarter set the way for the rest of the game as the Hawks had all the momentum. Defensive stops and pushing the pace by putting pressure on the 76ers’ defense led to a win.
The Hawks will be looking to get off to a better start on the road and use that late half rally from Game 4 to Game 5 to take control of the series and push it to 3-2.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview: How’s Joel Embiid’s health?
The 76ers blew a second-half lead and will be looking to improve down the stretch and be able to make adjustments to avoid another blunder like in Game 4.
Opening the game, Philly got off to a brilliant start getting whatever they wanted over the course of the first 24 minutes shooting 52% and 7/11 from three, pushing their lead to 18.
The second half was a disaster as the defensive lapses and inability to defend the paint and protect the three-point line were a big reason for the loss. The 76ers will need to play with a more sense of urgency in Game 5 as turnovers, and mental mistakes led to the loss in Game 4.
Joel Embiid was not himself in the second half of the game as he was 0-12 from the field and couldn’t find his way to the free throw line. He has been banged up since their first series with Washington, so that could be playing a part in his struggles. He did have 21 rebounds in the game but monitoring his health is something to watch for.
Hawks vs 76ers Betting Lines & Odds
The Sixers are -6 point home favorites in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks with over/under set at 223.5
This is a difficult game to pick a winner for especially given the importance it has for the eventual outcome of the series. Both teams have shown how good they can be in their wins so far, but both have shown their struggles in their losses.
The first round of the playoffs was about winning on the road, but the second round has been about home-court advantage and the impact it has had on several occasions. The odds have the 76ers as favorites to take a 3-2 lead, but the Hawks looked impressive in the final 24 minutes of Game 4. Joel Embiid’s health is something to watch as tips get closer.
Free Betting Pick: 76ers -6