The 76ers did a much better job defending the perimeter and rushing the Hawks’ offense:

In Game 1 of this series, the 76ers defense did not look engaged until late in the second-half. They allowed the Hawks to get off way too many open looks, resulting in Atlanta knocking down 20 three-pointers in their victory. 

Philadelphia brought the same intensity in Game 2 as they finished within Game 1 on the defensive-end of the court and as a result, they were able to limit Atlanta’s effectiveness on the offensive-end of the court. From turning the Hawks over to picking them up at the half-court line with pressure, Atlanta never seemed comfortable on offense in Game 2, which played right into the hands of Doc Rivers and the Sixers. 

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As much as they need to be able to score, especially if they are to win the Eastern Conference, defense is going to be extremely important to the 76ers in this series against the Hawks because of what happened in Game 1. Atlanta has proven that they can knock down three-point shots in volume and if their shots are hitting from the perimeter, they are going to wind up winning because of their ability to defend the paint. 

Philly does not have the three-point shooting threats to keep up in a three-point shooting contest with Atlanta, which is why it was essential that they came out in Game 2 of this series with the same energy they ended Game 1 with. The 76ers erased a double-digit deficit in the previous game late in the fourth quarter because they forced Atlanta to play faster, resulting in sloppy offensive possessions for them. 

The Hawks are going to make adjustments on offense in Game 3 and they will likely slow things down in the half-court to allow themselves to get the shots that they want against Philly’s stout defense, but it should also be interesting to see what kind of adjustments the Sixers make. 

Although their defense was much better, it definitely was not perfect, as they still allowed Trae Young to get in the lane way too many times, resulting in him scoring 21 points and dishing out 11 assists. Young is a terrific player andi s going to make plays regardless of how good the defense on him is, but the Sixers will need to tighten things up in terms of collapsing driving lanes for Atlanta.