The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics square off tonight in the first game of our second-round series. The 76ers swept the Nets in the first round, while the Celtics beat the Hawks in six games. The Inquirer has been very pessimistic about the Sixers’ chances in the series, with all of their “experts” predicting that the Celtics win the series in five or six games. Here’s a particularly colorful writeup from their featured columnist:
So the Celtics beat the Sixers in three of the teams’ four games this season. And the Sixers needed a nearly superhuman effort from Joel Embiid to win just that one time. And the Celtics were missing two of their top players that night. And a knee injury has hobbled Embiid for this series. And the Celtics have the personnel to give James Harden and Tyrese Maxey fits on the perimeter. To say this series will be an uphill climb for the Sixers does a disservice to hills.
-Mike Sielski, Philadelphia Inquirer
Here’s an excerpt from the biggest doomer in their writers’ room:
Their best hope: Tobias Harris turns into Jimmy Butler. As such: Celtics in 5. James Harden opts out. Doc Rivers gets fired. Joel Embiid demands a trade.
-Marcus Hayes, Philadelphia Inquirer
Process: Failed.
I’m not going to pick against my own team as readily as what were supposed to be the team’s biggest supporters in the media. I have the Sixers winning in seven games and sending Joel Embiid to his first conference finals. LCL tear or not, Embiid will prove once again that he’s the best player in the league. That’s my prediction, and I’m sticking with it until a team wins four in this series. Phil A. Phrenetic, out.
