One nightmare matchup for the NBA’s top seeds in each conference

NBA Playoffs: Philadelphia 76ers: Atlanta Hawks

Much has changed for both franchises since the Hawks defeated the 76ers in the 2021 playoffs. Still, to this day, Doc Rivers is likely having nightmares about that series, and Atlanta still presents the same advantages they did then over Philadelphia, despite what some would call “falling off” in the meantime.

Trae Young and his assortment of sidekicks overwhelmed the 76ers’ poor defense in the playoffs last time, and that should be even more true this time around after adding another elite playmaking guard in Dejounte Murray. And as much as people love to hate on Ben Simmons, he was a key part of the 76ers’ defense in that series, so losing him will make things even more difficult on that end.

Additionally, recently hired coach Quin Snyder should help evolve the Hawks’ offense, which has been underwhelming for the majority of the season. We’ve seen him emphasize spacing and off-ball movement in the past with Utah, so it would be no surprise to see him do it again, and it should yield good results with such a talented roster.

The 76ers are probably too talented to lose this early in the postseason. But isn’t that what we’ve been saying about them for years? Meanwhile, the Hawks have little to no expectations of making a playoff run despite being fully capable of doing so, making way for an upset.