Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards Prediction and Match Preview - 5th August 2020
Fixture - Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards
Date & Time - August 5th, 4 PM ET (August 6th, 1:30 AM IST)
Where - The Arena (WWOS), Orlando, Florida
The 9th seeded Washington Wizards have not had the kind of start to their NBA restart as they would have liked. They've lost all 3 of their games so far - against the Nets, the Pacers and the Suns. The Philadelphia 76ers themselves have been below par for their standards. Their record in the NBA bubble stands at 1-1.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
While the Philadelphia 76ers' offense has held up on the restart, they have conceded 250 points in 2 games so far. This is despite the fact that they play at one of the slowest paces in the NBA.
The Philadelphia 76ers will be hoping the likes of Furkan Korkmaz and Matisse Thybulle make up for the absences of Glenn Robinson III and Mike Scott from the perimeter. Josh Richardson and Shake Milton will be hoping to play as they did against the Spurs, rather than their dismal outings against the Pacers.
Philadelphia 76ers - Key Player
Joel Embiid will be enjoying all kinds of advantages against the Washington Wizards. He dwarfs the likes of Thomas Bryant and Rui Hachimura physically, and his skill on the offensive end in being able to knock down shots from all 3 ranges will stretch their defense. Embiid is capable of weighing down on the Wizards all by himself.
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Washington Wizards Preview
The least talented among any of the teams in the bubble following injury to Bradley Beal, the Wizards' ability to force a play-in game looks less and less likely. Their best bet in this game would be to force more 3-pointers than usual, push the pace in transition and crash the boards hard.
The roles of Ish Smith, Shabazz Napier and Isaac Bonga will be exceedingly important. Troy Brown has also been quietly filling the stat sheet for the Washington Wizards.
Washington Wizards - Key Player
Being as shorthanded as they are, the Washington Wizards find themselves in the unenviable position of having a rookie as their most talented offensive player. Rui Hachimura has to be more assertive than usual and mark himself out with a breakout game.
The Japanese 22-year-old has a polished skillset on the post and has shooting range that extends up to the 3-point line, although his percentages are a bit iffy. Hachimura will have to go up against the likes of Ben Simmons prowling on the perimeter.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards - Match Prediction
This game is a relatively easy one to call. The Sixers are not done with their fight for the #5 seed by any means, and they will be looking to put to bed their easiest game of the restart. They are likely to come out shooting from the off and force-feeding Embiid on the low post.
Embiid is either able to get points at will or is able to put the Wizards' big men in foul trouble in the first half, enabling the Philadelphia 76ers to pull away. Expect this to be a blowout win with a point spread in double digits.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Washington Wizards - Where to Watch
This game can be viewed on NBA TV by viewers in the USA, as well as on local the Fox Sports network in Wisconsin and NBC Sports Washington. Indian viewers will have to resort to the NBA League Pass for watching this game legally.
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