Bring on ATL

After a minor blip on the radar, the Sixers finished the job on Wednesday night, defeating the Washington Wizards 129-112 in game 5 to close out the series 4-1 at home. Less than hour after they walked off the court, they found out their second round opponent would be the Atlanta Hawks, after the latter completed a 4-1 series victory of their own over the New York Knicks.

But enough looking ahead. This will be a bit different than normal--these are going to be more sweeping quick hitter observations of the series past as a whole. Let's keep it going, boys.

Quick note--no mention of Joel Embiid here, apart from a brief shoutout. Check out my coverage of his knee injury here, if you want your mood killed.

Series MVP: Tobias Harris (honorable mention goes to Joel Embiid)

Harris was excellent for the Sixers in this series, averaging a team high 25.0 points, and doing so with tremendous efficiency (50.5/38.1/90.5). He also grabbed 10.0 boards per game and moved the ball well with 3.8 assists. He seems very well poised to put his postseason struggles of the past behind him.

As for Embiid, in the four games he played, he put up 24.0 points and inhaled 6.8 rebounds in just 23.8 minutes. Had he eclipsed 30 on average, there's no telling what kind of cartoonish statistics he would have managed.

Shoutout to Ben Simmons

The oft-maligned 6'10" guard didn't light up the scoresheet (14.8 points per game) and his free throw woes were a major talking point (10-of-28, or 35.7% for the series, so rightly so), but he was a force on the glass (10.2 rebounds) and put the ball where everyone else wanted it (9.2 assists) without sacrificing any of his unimpeachable defensive effort and intensity or transition brilliance.

Keep doing your thing, Danny

Danny Green is Danny Green is Danny Green. He will space the floor (13-of-28 from deep, 46.4%) and make plays defensively (1.0 steal and 1.4 blocks) for contenders (hopefully this one) until the end of time.

An idea for Trae...

I know I said no more looking ahead, but it must be said that Trae Young presents a totally different challenge for the Sixers, and it's the exact challenge they've long struggled with--a small, quick lead ballhandler who has self-creation ability. Ben Simmons being an athletic freak of nature, he'll obviously spend his fair share of possessions on the 22-year-old point guard. Ditto Green. But I think Matisse Thybulle might be the Sixers' best bet to contain Young. At a lean 6'5" with limbs that go on forever and plenty of quick-twitch athleticism, he has the perfect physical profile to swallow Young whole on the perimeter, and his patented come-from-behind shot-blocking is a great weapon against a guy who likes to pull up from 30. Thybulle also does an excellent job maintaining discipline and avoiding being baited into fouls for such an active, handsy defender, and nobody this side of James Harden sells calls better than the Atlanta floor general.

Maxey's moment at the expense of Milton

20-year-old rookie Tyrese Maxey in his first playoff series: 9.0 points on 50.0% shooting including 40.0% from 3 in just 15.9 minutes

24-year-old Shake Milton in his second playoff series: 3.4 points on 21.1% shooting including 20.0% from 3 in 9.5 minutes.

One of the above lines is better than the other. I'll let you decide which. IN all seriousness, it is very impressive how ready for the moment Maxey looks considering his youth and inexperience. He was the Sixers' best bench player for much of the series (Thybulle would like a word on defense), and it's great to see. I cannot contain my excitement for his future enough.

Milton on the other hand is at a bit of a crossroads. He is on the fringes of the rotation (11th on the Sixers in total minutes in this series) and has done nothing to entice Doc to give him more court time. I still believe in the kid and think he has a place here going forward, but his fall from grace has been as troubling as it has been surprising.

Seth, more of that, please

Seth Curry went off for 30 in the series-clinching victory, and bringing his average for all five games to 15.8 points. Those points came on 52.5/34.5/100.0. The 3-point percentage is mediocre, but after he finished the year shooting 45.0% from outside, I'm not worried. Otherwise, it was a reminder of how valuable of a contributor the 6'2" guard can be when he's on. Simmons will get him looks. It'll just be up to him to knock them down. I'm confident.

What's Next?

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semis against the Atlanta Hawks will take place Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. in front of a hype crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.