After securing the 7th seed with a hard-fought 105-104 win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. With Joel Embiid back in the Philly starting lineup and Julius Randle out for the entirety of these playoffs, the Sixers are seen as heavy favorites against Tim Thibodeau’s team. However, provided a contrasting and bold prediction, citing doubts over Philly’s depth off the bench.
“They (Knicks) have a lot of weapons, man,” Green. “I just don’t think Philly is deep enough to beat them.”
Danny picking the Knicks to come out victorious in this series isn’t solely based on Philly’s roster depth. The 3-time NBA Champ also highlighted the Knicks’ defensive superiority, particularly their size and physicality. With big men like Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein limiting second-point chances and OG Anunoby’s hard-nosed perimeter defending, the Knicks have plenty of tools to stifle the 76ers’ offense.
Considering Nicolas Batum’s impactful performance against the Heat, where he excelled on the offensive end by scoring 20 points, including six three-pointers on 10 attempts, he needs to build on this momentum. The Frenchman can offer the much-required offensive assistance to the 76ers’ starting lineup by doing so.
Alternatively, given Buddy Hield’s higher turnover count than successful 3-pointers, he must step up his game to make a meaningful contribution to the scoring front. Like in any playoff series, production from each individual one court will be crucial not only in points but in every aspect of the game, and given the history between the two franchises, we are for sure in for a treat.