How Will the Sixers Defeat the Boston Celtics, Come Playoff Time?
It appears as though basketball will be returning very shortly, which is a welcomed idea for the fans.
Upon basketball resuming, however, it is still in the air as to whether or not the regular season will pick back up where it left off, or if we will be jumping right into the playoffs.
If the NBA were to begin immediately with the playoffs, the Sixers would be matched up with the Boston Celtics, of whom the Sixers have defeated in three of the four matchups this season.
If these two teams are to meet in the opening round of the playoffs, here is how the Sixers can ensure they will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
*Editor’s Note: It is also a possibility that the NBA will adopt a 1-16 seeding for the playoffs, ignoring traditional conference ties. The Sixers would match up with Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round were this to become the case.
When facing off with one specific team enough times, trends can be developed and formulas can be made as to how to limit – and ultimately defeat – the opposing team.
As mentioned earlier, the Sixers have faced the Celtics four times this year and won three times. The Celtics are actually the only team in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket (as presently constituted) that the Sixers have a winning record against.
What is the key to victory that the Sixers seem to have figured out?
The first and most notable point is that the Sixers’ starters have simply outplayed the Celtics’ starters.
In the three games in which the Sixers defeated the Celtics, there was only one time in 15 tries a Celtics’ starter netted a positive plus/minus (Kemba Walker was +2 in the second Sixers’ win). To further explain, the plus/minus stat indicates the net amount of how many points were scored during that players’ time on the court.
For example, if during Ben Simmons’ time on the court, the Sixers scored 50 points and the Celtics scored 45, Ben Simmons’ plus/minus would be +5 regardless of who scored the 50 Sixers’ points. Therefore, the statement can be made that the Sixers’ starters outplayed the Celtics’ starters in the three wins.
Now, it would be easy to make the common-sense argument that the winning team’s players should be on the plus side of wins and vice versa for the losing team. But when you analyze the way the Sixers perform as a team, this stat means a bit more.
It is no secret that the Sixers are lacking a bit of depth. But in the playoffs, the bench shrinks considerably, with starters playing increased minutes.
If the Sixers’ starters have outplayed the Celtics’ starters in three of four matchups, and both team’s starters will be playing against one another more, it is fair to say that the true key to a Sixers’ victory in the opening round of the playoffs is through the play of their starters.
What do you think are some keys to victory for the Sixers?
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