The Eastern Conference Semifinals will decide which team gets to host the Conference Finals.
The Philadelphia 76ers won a 4-0 series against the Brooklyn Nets, advancing to the semifinals. Boston Celtics was expected to follow a similar route but Trae Young’s Atlanta Hawks made them fight for their spot. The Celtics took the series by 4-2 following a tightly contested Game 6
Most people would agree that the semifinal series between Joel Embiid, James Harden and the Boston Celtics led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen brown was unpredictable. It’s not surprising that the East is contested by the second and third seeds for a spot in the Conference Finals. Online, the debate has already started about who has the advantage heading into the series. Many on social media have sided with the Celtics because of Doc Rivers, head coach of the 76ers.
The majority of fans picked Celtics over 76ers. Doc Rivers has a track record of success in the playoffs, as he was the coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia Eagles, before ironically coaching the Celtics. In the last decade, the veteran coach has not been able to take many star-studded teams all the way to the championship. The fans believe that the story of Rivers’ failure in the playoffs despite a talented team will continue. His coaching has led to the disappearance of championship-bound and heavy favorite teams in series on many occasions.
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Before the Celtics-Celtics semifinals, Twitter comedians Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers.
NBA fans are predicting that the Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff fate will be similar to many of Rivers’ past teams. Despite Joel Embiid’s and James Harden’s presence, many fans do not believe the 76ers will be able to beat the Celtics. These are some of best reactions on social media from fans:
Fans’ predictions are based upon Rivers’ history as a coach and on the recent history of the Boston Celtics versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics dominated the 76ers in every win during the regular season. The trio of Jayson Brown, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen will not hold back against Tyrese Maxiey, Joel Embiid and James Harden. Embiid’s health is a major concern for the 76ers. The MVP favorite is still unsure if he will be available to play in Game 1 against Celtics.
Rivers and the rest of the 76ers will be looking to take on the Eastern Conference champions and prove their critics wrong. The form of Embiid, Harden and the 76ers will be crucial to Philadelphia’s future. If the two find their groove, they may face a more difficult task than the Atlanta Hawks did in the first round.
The Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 1 between the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics will be played on Monday, 1 May at 7:30 p.m. at TD Garden. ET.
