It is the tradition, every year each series of Playoffs is entitled to its house predictions. Sometimes this shows all our expertise, while other times the world wonders why some people call us “specialists”. 2020 is no exception to the rule, so let’s get wet without further ado, and we invite you to do the same.
Ben : Boston Celtics – 4-1
It was supposed to be THE most interesting series in the Eastern Conference in the first round. But that was before Ben Simmons left the bubble to have knee surgery and Joel Embiid also accumulates small annoying injuries. The Sixers have never been out of the house this season and while that long break was a clear advantage for Philadelphia on paper, the City of Brotherly Love is simply starting from too far away to beat a more balanced team. and carried by a rather bleeding Jayson Tatum in the bubble. A little match for honor, but it smells scorched for Brett Brown.
Nicolas M. : Boston Celtics – 4-1
It’s been a tough season for the Sixers, and I can see them falling without glory in the first round against the Celtics. The absence of Ben Simmons hurts and even if there is still a lot of talent around a Joel Embiid also affected by a few small glitches, it is difficult to have confidence in this team against a rather solid Boston formation. in the bubble. Kemba Walker is back in shape, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward all had good performances on this recovery and we have a Celtics team that is generally doing well. So apart from a 40-20 series by Joel Embiid facing the Boston interiors and a Shake Milton in milkshake mode, Philly will quickly have to pack her bags.
Giovanni : Boston Celtics – 4-2
Super shared. On the one hand, I can hardly imagine a team whose sharing of the ball is the biggest weak point and deprived of its most collective player worrying a basketball institution like that of Brad Stevens. The other ? Hum, Tobias Harris and especially Joel Embiid against the Boston XXS racket? Defenders Jsh Richardson, Matisse Thybulle and Jojo to piss off the C’s snipers? Why not. We will start in the same way on a fairly quiet 4-2, even if a 4-1 or a… 4-3 would not seem surprising to me. Really annoying these Sixers.
Bastien : Boston Celtics – 4-3
Here is the series whose final score, whatever it is, will not surprise me. 4-0 for Boston? Dynamic shit from the Sixers, the Celtics who roll and Philly whose locker room implodes. 4-2 for the Sixers? Joel Embiid walks on the opposing racket, Kemba Walker is muzzled and Philly’s talent holds the gaze with that of Boston. So we’re going to cut the pear in half and say 4-3 for Tatum’s friends, because in the small game of adjustments something tells me that Brad Stevens has a little more ability than Brett Brown to get there. Just a little, but not too much. There are 100 bullets to go get shit.
Alexandre : Boston Celtics – 4-2
The Celtics are in the wake of a good end of regular in the bubble. They have talent in a lot of positions and a coach who seems to have found the right balance in his rotations. The same can’t be said for the Sixers. Ben Simmons got injured, he will not be there for the Playoffs. And then the proposed level of play… It is really weak from a collective point of view. Embiid can (must) dominate his vis-à-vis at position 5 in this series. Horford and Tobias Harris can do great things too, but the Sixers seem to be starting too far as a group to imagine them making an upset.
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Nicolas V. : Boston Celtics – 4-1
Here are two teams on perfectly opposite dynamics. On the one hand, the Celtics who have climbed up in temperature during this month of basketball, while perfectly managing the case of Kemba Walker, now ready to take the plunge when necessary. Opposite, the Sixers are deprived of Ben Simmons, whose omnipresence in game creation but also in scoring will certainly be a huge lack for the team in this series. Depending on the first game, Philadelphia can take one or two but I don’t see Boston wasting their time if it isn’t necessary, especially since it will be the Raptors who should be waiting behind them.
Thomas : Boston Celtics – 4-2
Still no upset here in the East and given the disappointing season for the Sixers to take two without Ben Simmons it’s already not bad as his absence is important. Embiid will curl them in the C’s racket but not from there to take out the Leprechauns. The Boston collective is still too well established to pitch in the first round. Injury, fitness and the bubble backdrop without the help of supporters for the “home” fixtures are going to get the better of Philly. The Celtics are just above Brett Brown’s men this year and with the magical trio of guys over 20 points between Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, anyone can score at home. Without counting on Hayward’s experience, the progression of the new Dirk by Daniel Theis and the versatility of Marcus Smart. A good alloy to secure access to the second stage. And if we can have a little Tacko vs JoJo, we sign!
Antoine : Boston Celtics – 4-1
We would have had this same series in a “normal” setting (with home and away matches, etc.) the prediction would have been quite different. Philly at home, even without the home advantage, it’s very strong. But here, we are afraid for the Sixers. Philadelphia can take two because Joel Embiid still has no strong opponent in the C’s racket and combined with good games from Tobias Harris et al, it can win games. But overall, Brad Stevens’ men are so much better prepared. Jayson Tatum has finally passed the step we expected and around it is very serious. I don’t see what world the outsiders of Philly don’t get eaten by the Celtics. Without Ben Simmons, the Sixers are losing too much of an asset to compete with this Boston team. We should still have a good series, Celtics-Sixers there is always a way that it sticks, but this year, the C’s are stronger.
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