76ers-Hawks series to begin Sunday afternoon

We have a set date for the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Atlanta Hawks for game one on Sunday afternoon at 1:00. The Sixers are no longer on local broadcasts for the remainder of the postseason, so Sunday’s game will only be available on ABC. 

Game 1 of Sixers-Hawks will be Sunday at 1:00 PM ET on ABC.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 3, 2021

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Philadelphia will now have three days to rest and recover before beginning the next round. For the 76ers, every rest day counts following the announcement that Joel Embiid suffered a slight tear in his meniscus. After being listed as day-to-day and even warming up last night, it looks as though Joel could return to action sooner than many think.

Sixers down 15 at halftime to the Atlanta Hawks 50-65.

Joel Embiid: 24 PTS, 10 REB, 1 BLK#HereTheyCome | @drewmsmith pic.twitter.com/Z8J1Y8uoKn

— The Liberty Line (@LibertyLinePHL) January 12, 2021

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This series will be a lot more difficult than Washington, but it shouldn’t be an issue if Joel is available to play early in the series. The 76ers have dominated their season series with the Hawks, winning two games by a combined 66 points and losing one. During their one loss, the 76ers were without Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, and Matisse Thybulle. 

Atlanta has been scorching hot these playoffs, with Trae Young averaging 29 points and ten assists eliminating the New York Knicks in five games. Meanwhile, on the other side of the East, the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks will start their series on Saturday night.

Mandatory Credit: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images