![]() ![]() However, things seemed amiss in the conference semifinals against the upstart Hawks, who took a 26-point lead in the first half of Game 1 and stiff-armed a frantic 76ers comeback in the final moments. In the first round of the postseason, the team dispatched the Washington Wizards in five games and won the final matchup with Embiid sidelined with a knee injury (a somewhat surprising result, given how the Sixers normally played without him ). Ben Simmons was a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. Joel Embiid mostly stayed healthy and played at an MVP-caliber level. Under new head coach Doc Rivers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, the team finally grabbed the East's top seed. But this year's squads appear to be here to stay, which would make the next few seasons even more thrilling.Īfter the 76ers failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals in three straight postseasons, it seemed like 2021 might be different. The older guard will be heard from again. The Hawks have never made the NBA Finals in their Peach State home, while the fourth conference finalist-the Los Angeles Clippers-had never even been that far before. This would be Milwaukee's first championship in 50 years and Phoenix's (and point guard Chris Paul's) first. Young and the Atlanta Hawks dominated the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the following round.Īll three of these teams made the conference finals, and the Bucks now lead the Suns in the Finals 3-2. With Milwaukee's revenge-series win against the Miami Heat and Phoenix's defeat of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round, Antetokounmpo's Bucks and Booker's Suns quickly silenced doubters. Prior to the postseason, questions about the efficacy of players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Trae Young and Deandre Ayton against more experienced rosters seemed valid. ![]() We're often watching LeBron James trying to add to his GOAT case, or Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant attempting to establish themselves as inner-circle Hall of Famers, so the 2021 playoffs' comparatively smaller stakes have been undeniably refreshing. ![]()
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