Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction & Match Preview - August 17th, 2020 | Game 1
Match Details
Fixture: Philadelphia 76ers vs Phoenix Suns
Date & Time: Monday, August 17th, 2020, 6:30 PM ET (Tuesday 4:00 AM IST)
Venue: The Field House , Disney World, Orlando, FL
The Boston Celtics will lock horns with the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of NBA playoffs. The two teams share an old and legendary rivalry and will be looking to progress to the next round at the expense of one another. The Boston Celtics finished as the third seed after the conclusion of the regular season in the NBA bubble while the Philadelphia 76ers finished sixth.
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics showed that they were a serious contender for the eastern conference title when they put up a hallmark performance against the Toronto Raptors . The Boston Celtics have played their rivals off the floor in the NBA bubble and will be looking to do the same against a the Philadelphia 76ers.
Head coach Brad Stevens has seen his team play some great offence in the NBA bubble. The Boston Celtics will be counting on youngsters Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to deliver against the Philadelphia 76ers defence who are missing Ben Simmons.
Key Player- Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum has been a revelation this year for the Boston Celtics as he took an NBA All-star leap. He has averaged 23 points and 7 rebounds per game for the Boston Celtics this NBA season. He ensured he carried his pre-lockdown form in the NBA bubble as he has tormented other teams game by game .
The Boston Celtics will be hoping that Jayson Tatum has a good series against the Philadelphia 76ers which will help them go through to the next round of NBA playoffs.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Daniel Theis
Also read: 5 reasons why Houston Rockets need to be wary of Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 1 | NBA Playoffs 2020
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers will miss the presence of star point guard Ben Simmons in their back court. Shake Milton has done a good job of handling the ball in his absence and will be continue to do so against the Phoenix Suns. The Philadelphia 76ers have not been at their best in the NBA bubble so they will be looking to bounce back against the Boston Celtics and make a statement.
Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris will be the key men for head coach Brett Brown going into this important series for Philadelphia 76ers. The Philadelphia 76ers' length and athleticism will be a trump card for them against the Boston Celtics.
Key Player- Joel Embiid
In absence of point guard Ben Simmons, the Philadelphia 76ers will be relying on Joel Embiid to wreak havoc against the Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics have only one capable defender in the paint and Joel Embiid will be looking to take full advantage of the situation. He has averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds this NBA season. He is also an expert shot blocker, so we can see him taking the game to the Celtics on both the ends of the basketball court.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
Shake Milton, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics Match Prediction
We can expect this series to extremely gruelling and competitive as both the teams are intense rivals. The Boston Celtics will have the upper hand due to better team chemistry and multiple scoring options. On the other hand, the Philadelphia 76ers are missing key player Ben Simmons. The Boston Celtics are expected to come out on top in this match-up.
Where to Watch Celtics vs 76ers
Viewers in the USA can tune in to national sports TV channel ESPN for this NBA playoffs game. Local coverage of the game will be available on NBC Boston. International viewers can stream this game on NBA League Pass.
Also read: 5 reasons why the Philadelphia 76ers stand no chance of getting past the Boston Celtics | NBA Playoffs 2020