76ers vs. Hawks series preview

The 76ers finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and looked like a juggernaut for most of the first round. Injuries could change everything, though, especially with a surging Hawks squad primed for a potential upset.

Here's our preview and favorite wager on the series.

1. 76ers (-180) vs. 5. Hawks (+160)

A week ago, the 76ers looked unstoppable. They'd outscored the Wizards by a combined 61 points through the first three games of the series to bring their record to 29-6 when all five starters were active. That lineup ranked sixth in net rating (+14.0) out of 35 regular-season lineups with at least 200 minutes played, and it led all five-man units in the postseason (+45.6) with at least 20 minutes logged.

That all came crashing down in the first quarter of Game 4 when Joel Embiid's troubled right knee knocked him out of the contest and cost him the final seven quarters of the series. He's still day-to-day with a meniscus tear, which will certainly hinder his play if and when he returns to the court.

Philadelphia needs him because Atlanta looks like a team eager to play spoiler in the second round. Since firing Lloyd Pierce in early March, the Hawks have posted the third-best record (31-12) in the league - identical to the 76ers' in that span. They also picked apart a Knicks defense that ranked among the best during the regular season, showing just how dangerous they can be when Trae Young (29.2 points, 9.8 assists) rises to the occasion.

They'll face a much stiffer test against Philly, which has the size to challenge the diminutive Young (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) inside and along the perimeter. Ben Simmons (6-11) has garnered DPOY consideration with his play this year and is a potential X-factor if Young starts cooking, though the Sixers can also throw the likes of Tobias Harris (6-8), Danny Green (6-6), or Matisse Thybulle (6-5) at the wiry guard to throw him off.

While Philly's lineup is among the biggest in the league, the Hawks are chock-full of switchable wings with a deadly stroke from deep. Bogdan Bogdanovic (14.4 points), Kevin Huerter (9.4), and Danilo Gallinari (9.4) all drained at least eight triples in that first-round win versus New York, and their gravity will force the 76ers' supersized lineup to cede the paint - especially if those shooters heat up.

Again, everything comes back to Embiid. If he's sidelined, that'll likely force the Sixers to use Simmons at center for stretches, which would neutralize their biggest defensive advantage against Young and Co. Even if Embiid does play, will he have the bounce to contend with two of the league's best rim-running bigs in Clint Capela and John Collins?

This would be a compelling matchup with Embiid healthy, though the 76ers' uber-efficient lineup and size advantage would likely have prevailed. With a reeling superstar, there are too many questions on Philly's side to lay that hefty of a price. All it takes is one or two standout performances from Young to blow this series open, and the Sixers' margins might be too small to survive it.

Pick: Hawks +160

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.