Tobias Harris, Seth Curry Help 76ers Eliminate Wizards With Game 5 Win
The Philadelphia 76ers are on to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the third time in four years after eliminating the Washington Wizards with a 129-112 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Playing without Joel Embiid (knee), the Sixers inserted guard Matisse Thybulle into the starting lineup. The second-year pro responded with seven points in 16 minutes, helping clinch the series at Wells Fargo Center.
Philadelphia will play the Atlanta Hawks in the second round.
Getting a healthy Embiid back on the floor remains the top priority for Philadelphia, but finishing off Washington at home Wednesday was just as imperative. The Sixers proved they can win in the postseason without their MVP finalist. They just don't want to have to continue to do so for much longer.
Notable Performers
Tobias Harris, PF, Philadelphia 76ers: 28 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Ben Simmons, PG, Philadelphia 76ers: 19 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Bradley Beal, SG, Washington Wizards: 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
Russell Westbrook, PG, Washington Wizards: 24 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds
Curry, Harris Step Up With Embiid Out
For the first half on Wednesday, Washington appeared to have the upper hand on a Sixers team trying to figure out how to play without Embiid in the middle.
Philadelphia's post defense looked nonexistent as the Wizards shot 53.8 percent from the floor and outrebounded the home team 24-17. Every time the Sixers chipped away at Washington's lead, the Wizards would come right back with a quick bucket.
It was a clear recipe for an upset—until Tobias Harris and Seth Curry took over alongside Ben Simmons.
The two starters made up for the loss of Embiid and then some, combining for 58 points as Simmons polished off another triple-double. Which is what made it so fitting that a Curry three-pointer off a Simmons assist early in the third quarter is what ended up putting the Sixers ahead for good.
Philly is used to watching the dynamic duo of Simmons and Embiid take the lead in big games. In Game 5, it was a trio of stars taking over.
The Sixers ran their largest lead up to 21 after trailing by seven and finished shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, while Washington dropped to 49.4 percent for the game. Philadelphia also came back to win the rebounding battle 40-38 and notched 52 points in the paint as Harris' inside-out game—coupled with Curry knocking down three of six three-pointers—gave Washington's defense fits.
Whether that strategy works out against an Atlanta Hawks team that boasts a much larger frontcourt with Clint Capela and John Collins remains to be seen. That'll be a problem for Thursday, and one that largely depends on the health of Embiid.
For now, the Sixers continue to prove they have more tools they can turn to than just their franchise cornerstones. If there was ever a doubt why Philadelphia was the team to beat in the East coming into the playoffs, Wednesday helped erase it.
Where the Wizards Go Next
The 2020-21 season was a bizarre one for the Wizards, to say the least.
The team started off by trading John Wall to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook, sank to the bottom of the standings and then rallied back to advance to the postseason via the play-in tournament and took a game from the No. 1 team in the East before getting bounced.
So where does that leave head coach Scott Brooks?
Not even he knows.
The 55-year-old has reached the end of his contract in Washington without much to show for it. He guided the team to a Southeast Division title in 2016-17 before losing in the second round in his first year with the team, but that proved to be the high point of his tenure.
What followed was two first-round exits and two missed postseasons.
Shooting guard Bradley Beal certainly isn't going anywhere. The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $71.8 million extension that begins next season. He won't become an unrestricted free agent until 2023. That's the same year Westbrook is scheduled to hit the open market.
Davis Bertans is signed through 2025, but beyond that, the roster is in flux. Center Thomas Bryant is signed through 2022, while Robin Lopez, Raul Neto and Alex Len are all free agents.
Whether the Wizards are going to attempt a full rebuild remains to be seen.
Either way, the club has many big decisions ahead—starting with its head coach.
What's Next?
The Sixers will face the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with the series scheduled yet to be released. Games 1 and 2 will be played in Philadelphia when the series tips off.
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