Philadelphia vs Atlanta: Ben Simmons destroys the inexperienced Trae Young

Philadelphia met no decent resistance in the first round from Washington, closing the series 4-1. That was to be expected. It was unlikely that Atlanta would overcome the New York Knicks' barrier as easily. However, the same 4-1 and much less outsider status in the second round. Whose win will start the confrontation between the 76ers and Hawks? Let's pick a few bets at once.

Joel Embiid missed the final Game 5 of the first-round series against Washington because of a knee injury. "The 76ers did decently without him. Not surprisingly, Ben Simmons is a much more important player for the Phils than Embiid. The New Zealander is truly irreplaceable, while the Sixers can still win without the Cameroonian, as this season has proven. That's because Atlanta is not such a strong contender to blame the possible absence of their main center.

In addition to the leaders on Doc Rivers' team in the series with Washington, Tobias Harris, who averaged 25.0 points per game, is worth mentioning. As well as Seth Curry. The guard, apparently determined to avenge his brother, is producing an unprecedented 15.8 points per game in the current playoffs.

The only game where New York was able to stop Trae Young was a Knicks win. In all other games, the Hawks’ point guard was at his best and, despite his lack of playoff experience, avoided any major setbacks. In general, the final 4-1 score was due not only to New York's obvious problems but also to Young's excellent play.

Overall, the guard finished his first-ever playoff series with 29.8 points and 9.8 assists for a 3.0 loss per game average. A great start - there's no other way to put it. Among Trey's top assistants is Bogdan Bogdanovic with 14.4 points per game and 1.4 steals. John Collins has 12.2 points per game; De'Andre Hunter has 10.8.

Philadelphia simply has to take the series with Atlanta with maximum confidence. Ben Simmons, if necessary, will confront Trae Young personally and simply «eat» a very tough but inexperienced player. "The Hawks are too dependent on their leader, so they are unlikely to find a way out, even if their opponent does not play Embiid. Prediction - Philadelphia will start the series with Atlanta with a win.

• Philadelphia wins with a handicap (-3.0) at odds of about 1.95;
• Atlanta's individual total is less than 108.5 with an index around 1.975;
• Total Score Over 220.5 at odds of about 1.91.