NBA Playoffs: 5 takeaways from Game 1 between Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers

Well, the Washington Wizards will not be sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers. After losing all three regular-season games against Philadelphia, Washington kept the losing streak alive in game one of this seven-game series. Thanks to some sloppy fourth-quarter play by the Wizards and 37 points from Tobia Harris (?!), the 76ers took game one,125-118.

The Wizards proved in the opening game of the series that they aren’t a “typical” eighth seed. Most of those don’t have two All-NBA talents in the backcourt. And the underdog Wizards were within four points of the East’s top seed in the final quarter. However, they’re still down 0-1. There are no moral victories in the playoffs. Besides, this series is far from over.

With game one behind us, here are five takeaways from the Washington Wizards’ game one loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Game 1 Takeaway #5: No more wasted possessions

During the regular season, the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers averaged the same number of turnovers per game: 14.4. In game one, though, their turnover totals did not match. The Wizards were above average and coughed it up 15 times. The 76ers tightened up and committed fewer turnovers than usual, 11.

Not only did the 76ers do a better job of holding onto the ball, they also did a better job of turning turnovers into points. The 76ers turned 15 Wizards turnovers into 15 points (1.0 points per turnover), while the Wizards turned 11 turnovers by Philadelphia into nine points (0.82 points per turnover).

Russell Westbrook — who led the NBA in turnovers per game this season (4.8) — and Bradley Beal combined for 12 of the Wizards’ 15 turnovers, more than the entire 76ers team committed in game one. Five of those 11 turnovers came in the final quarter. The Wizards wouldn’t be in the playoffs were it not for the play of Westbrook and Beal all season, but they won’t win any games in the playoffs if the two keep being so careless with the ball.