While everybody is stuck in quarantine missing NBA basketball, there is a website out there that is simulating all of the playoff action right now to try and get us our basketball fix.
Strat-O-Matic has been simulating the 2020 NBA Playoffs in real-time and the 6 Philadelphia 76ers entered Game 4 on Saturday with a chance to take a 3-1 stranglehold over the rival 3 seed Boston Celtics. The Sixers had won Games 1 and 3 in the simulated series and they had the home-court advantage on their side.
However, the Celtics came away with an important win on Saturday 118-111 to tie the series at 2-2. The Celtics received 29 points from Jayson Tatum, 28 points and eight rebounds from Gordon Hayward, and 23 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds from Kemba Walker.
As for Philadelphia, Joel Embiid was huge inside as he had 32 points, 23 rebounds, and seven assists and Ben Simmons had 24 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. The Sixers committed 21 turnovers, six from Simmons, and they shot 6-for-28 from deep.
According to the simulation, the #Sixers drop Game 4 to the Celtics today at home 118-111. Joel Embiid led the way with 32 points, 23 rebounds, and 7 assists, Ben Simmons had 24 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds, and Josh Richardson had 18 and 6 boards. It’s a 2-2 series now.
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) April 26, 2020
This is a bad loss for Philadelphia as it represents a missed opportunity. The Sixers had home court on their side and they let it slip away. Now, they have to go back to Boston on Tuesday and try and get it back. That is tough to do considering they have not been a very good road team this year. It was a shock that they took Game 1, to begin with. [lawrence-related id=30029,30020,30010]