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David Zahn



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Newest Tierra Whack Song “8” Joins the Soundtrack for “Madden NFL 22”
David Zahn Posted On August 15, 2021

Newest Tierra Whack Song “8” Joins the Soundtrack for “Madden NFL 22”

Earlier this year, Philadelphia MC Tierra Whack demonstrated her affinity for sports through “76”, a hype track meant to rally the city behind their basketball team as the playoffs approached. Her newest track, “8”, also relates to sports, albeit in a very different manner as the song will find a home on the soundtrack to EA’s “Madden NFL 22” video game.

The instrumental contains a thumping bass and many background voices while Whack delivers a braggadocious chorus. “I ain’t even hungry but I ate that” she ardently repeats many times across the song. One has to imagine her goal for the cut was to bring towering energy befitting the Madden video game franchise. 

While I’m happy that Whack was presented with this opportunity to showcase her talents to an audience as wide as the Madden franchise’s surely is, I can’t help but yearn for the more complex artistry that was woven into her earlier material. Sure, Tierra Whack works as the MC for inspirational pump-up jams but she can do so much more on a lyrical level when left to her own devices. If songs like this were my first introduction to Whack, I wouldn’t know she was the creative mastermind behind a project like Whack World. 

Joining Tierra Whack on the “Madden NFL 22” soundtrack are Swae Lee, Jack Harlow, J.I.D., Moneybagg Yo, Tank and the Bangas, 42 Dugg, and more. Listen to “8” here.


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Eagles Rookie DeVonte Smith Slated to Miss 2-3 Weeks with Sprained MCL
David Zahn Posted On August 5, 2021

Eagles Rookie DeVonte Smith Slated to Miss 2-3 Weeks with Sprained MCL

An injury bug that tormented the Eagles all of last season has already begun biting during this year’s training camp. During Saturday evening’s practice, rookie wideout DeVonte Smith suffered a knee injury and is expected to miss two to three weeks. The official diagnosis is a sprained MCL, which was determined after Smith underwent an MRI on Sunday. 

The team hopes Smith can return to action soon, as they fully expect him to immediately assume the lead wideout role. His combination of elite speed and clinical route running translated into a Heisman Trophy during his final season at Alabama. 

This injury will no doubt sorely remind fans of last year, when the Birds’ receiving core was decimated with injuries. Second year receiver, Jalen Reagor, missed a solid chunk of last season and reportedly is off to a slow start in this one as he failed the team’s conditioning test and has been limited with a lower body strain. 

Meanwhile, Travis Fulgham and Greg Ward will need to step up while the Eagles play it cautionary with Smith and Reagor, the latter of whom was able to return to drills on Saturday.


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Japanese Breakfast Triumphs with Third Record “Jubilee”
David Zahn Posted On June 23, 2021

Japanese Breakfast Triumphs with Third Record “Jubilee”

Michelle Zauner has been busy. Despite her notoriety as both the brains and music behind indie outfit Japanese Breakfast, she took a stab at the writing world in 2021. The month of April saw the publication of her memoir titled “Crying in H Mart”. The work immediately garnered positive reception and debuted at No. 2 on The New York Times’ Hardcover Nonfiction Best Seller List.

But the memoir would not be all. Earlier this month, news broke that her book was also being transformed into a movie, one that would be scored by none other than Japanese Breakfast themselves. “Crying in H Mart” revolves around Zauner’s relationship with her mother, who died in 2016 after a battle with cancer. Major themes from the book are also laced into the fabric of the first two full length albums from Japanese Breakfast, 2016’s “Psychopomp” and 2017’s “Soft Sounds from Another Planet”.

Zauner was intent on moving in a different direction for “Jubilee”, the band’s third LP, which was officially released on June 4th. “After spending the last five years writing about grief, I wanted our follow up to be about joy”, she stated in an interview prior to the release of the record. While there are still clear instances of sadness and pain across the album, “Jubilee” does manage to be the brightest release from Japanese Breakfast yet. Zauner’s songwriting manifests in grander sonic creations than ever before as more instruments, most notably a horn section, join the party. The ten tracks that comprise “Jubilee” are a successful audio experiment in lavish indie-pop that reward any ear giving the album multiple listens.

The aforementioned horns make an immediate entrance on album opener Paprika, providing a triumphant flourish that help punctuate Zauner’s vocals as she outlines her experience of strange sensations following lucidity from a dream. It’s a terrific start to a record that doesn’t slow down with second track Be Sweet, also the lead single for the LP. Though the song is months old at this point, it is by no means stale. Rather, it shines as the catchiest track on the project, urging the audience to sing along joyously to its chorus while a driving and somewhat sinister instrumental is reinforced by eerie backing vocals and a jangly guitar line.

Japanese Breakfast - Union Pool
Japanese Breakfast – Union Pool

Despite the high energy of these opening tracks, much of the cuts that follow are more in line with the slower material of Japanese Breakfast’s earlier days. The album’s middle section rides a decidedly chiller vibe with instrumentals filled with fuzzy reverb (see Posing in Bondage and Sit). Orchestral sounds are also utilized tastefully across the record, most notably on standout track Kokomo, IN, a lazy dream-pop ballad where delicate strings swell poignantly into a forlorn chorus.

On the lyrical end, Michelle Zauner proves to be in top form across “Jubilee”. Some songs rely on their strength of concept, such as Slide Tackle where the title is also used as a central metaphor for overcoming life’s challenges. Or Savage Good Boy, where playful pitched-up vocals accentuate a satire of greedy capitalist culture. However, the most powerful lyrical moments of the record are heavy one-liners, which is comfortable territory for Zauner. The chorus of In Hell describes the titular setting as an impossible union after expectation with the line “Hell is finding someone to love and I can’t see you again”. The bends and lilts in the vocals really force listeners to feel the gravity of the statement. Sure, the emotion of joy can be found in pockets of this record, but Japanese Breakfast truly thrive while wrapped in an ambiance of melancholy, which they haven’t shed entirely on “Jubilee”.

Michelle Zauner - Crying In H Mart
Michelle Zauner – Crying In H Mart

There’s also an exceptional poetic moment shared across both “Jubilee” and “Crying in H Mart”. During a climactic moment of Posing in Bondage, Zauner declares that “The world divides into two people/Those who have felt pain and those who have yet to”. The line can also be found in a particularly heartbreaking moment of her memoir, as she grapples with a profound sense of loss.

“Jubilee” is but a brief snapshot of current life for Zauner, but she absolutely demonstrates her continued musical maturity across the project’s ten tracks and 37 minutes. Japanese Breakfast will tour in support of the record this summer, playing a full five shows at Union Transfer in early August.


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Sixers Eliminated from Playoffs after Game 7 Loss to Hawks
David Zahn Posted On June 21, 2021

Sixers Eliminated from Playoffs, Lose to Hawks in Game 7

The Philadelphia 76ers have been officially eliminated from playoff contention after falling to the Atlanta Hawks 103-96 in Sunday’s game 7 clash. The loss slams the door shut for this year’s top seed in the Eastern Conference, a squad that certainly had their sights set on a championship. While the Sixers’ organization will look ahead to the offseason, the Atlanta Hawks will advance to the Eastern Conference finals to do battle with the Milwaukee Bucks.

This loss is especially startling given just how poorly Trae Young shot the ball. He was an abysmal 5-23 from the field (2-11 3PT) and never found a consistent shooting rhythm. However, he continued to play with his characteristic swagger and found ways to both get to the free throw line (9-11 FT) and set his teammates up for easy baskets (10 assists). The hero of game 7 for the Hawks was fellow guard Kevin Huerter, who continually sought out isolation matchups against the smaller Seth Curry and took full advantage with 27 points to lead the Hawks in scoring.

Joel Embiid played 41 minutes in this game, pacing the Sixers with 31 points and 11 rebounds for yet another double-double. However, his 8 turnovers proved costly for the Sixers, particularly on a possession near the game’s end when he was cleverly stripped by Danilo Gallinari and the Hawks easily went on to score in transition. Coach Rivers expressed his desire to strategically rest Embiid earlier in the contest so the big man would be in top form for the game’s closing minutes. This tactic appeared to work as Embiid did play very strongly in the fourth quarter, but ultimately couldn’t push the Sixers past the Hawks this year.

Sixers vs Hawks Game 7 - Ben Simmons
Sixers vs Hawks Game 7 – Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons will deservedly shoulder a lot of the blame for his virtual nonexistence as a scorer against the Hawks. Having an equal amount of points and fouls at halftime became a literal pattern for Simmons this series and he looked absolutely terrified of the moment in game 7. While he did have a game high 13 assists, he repeatedly didn’t take smaller defenders to the rim as a result of a fear of the foul line. The defining play of his series, and one that Philly fans won’t forget soon, is his decision to pass the ball off to Thybulle for a contested layup instead of dunking the ball himself during an incredibly tight fourth quarter.

It remains to be seen whether the Sixers will continue to “trust the process” in regards to the pairing of Embiid and Simmons. Since they just lost on their home floor as a 1 seed, the prospect of this team winning a championship with that duo as their key pieces seems unlikely. The Atlanta Hawks aren’t exactly a juggernaut of a team so this defeat is extremely disappointing for a Sixers squad that had monumental hopes this year.


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Sixers Grind Out Victory Over Hawks, Force Game 7
David Zahn Posted On June 19, 2021

Sixers Grind Out Victory Over Hawks, Force Game 7

The Philadelphia 76ers were on the brink of elimination as they did battle on the road against the Atlanta Hawks in game 6. The contest proved gritty and physical with emotions running incredibly hot for both teams. The Sixers trailed at halftime, but demonstrated a lot of fight with a run in the third quarter to take the lead. While the game remained extremely tight the rest of the way, key lineups trotted out by Coach Rivers, including the guard combo of George Hill and rookie Tyrese Maxey, fended off a late surge by the Hawks. Ultimately, the Sixers emerged victorious, forcing a game 7 on their home court after the 104-99 result.

Seth Curry continued his hot shooting stretch as he nearly single-handedly took over the game in the third quarter. His three point shooting prowess was the catalyst to a 14-0 Sixers run and all told the younger Curry had 24 points on 8-14 FG (6-9 from three). Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris were the other primary scorers for the Sixers with the former going for 22 points and 13 rebounds and the latter for 24 points and 5 rebounds. However, Embiid was not as dominant as expected and did flash a mortal side to his game, only shooting 9-24 from the field and also having 8 turnovers.

The surprisingly stellar play from Tyrese Maxey is another undoubtedly key takeaway from game 6. Coach Rivers was quick to take Ben Simmons out of the game in the fourth quarter when the Hawks predictably started to employ the “hack-a-Simmons” strategy. Tyrese Maxey answered his coach’s call admirably, scoring 16 points (5-12 FG) and grabbing 7 rebounds in 29 minutes of action. His playing time was by far his high mark of any game during this series. He, along with George Hill, also helped contain Trae Young on the defensive end while both Simmons and Thybulle were off the floor.

Sixers and Hawks Series Goes To Game 7
Sixers and Hawks Series Goes To Game 7

As the Sixers have continually learned this series, one can “contain” but not totally thwart the offensive efforts of Trae Young. He took a staggering 30 shots in this game, hitting 13 of them en route to 34 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. But the rest of his roster couldn’t provide enough firepower to close out the Sixers. Both Bogdan Bogdanovic (3-11 FG) and Lou Williams (0-5) had poor shooting efforts, though Danilo Gallinari turned back his own clock and contributed multiple clutch buckets in the fourth quarter.

While the Sixers did get the win, they still have a Simmons-sized problem on their hands. His minutes were eclipsed by Tyrese Maxey in this game, and while that strategy happened to work, who knows if it is sustainable for game 7. Simmons’ fouls nearly outnumbered his points in game 6. While his defense, rebounding, and playmaking were still helpful to the team, he will need to play with a more aggressive scoring punch in the final game of the series.

Game 7 of this wildly exciting series will take place in Philadelphia on Sunday, June 20th at 8 PM. Expect emotions to be even higher, defense to be even tighter, and for both squads to be feeling the pressure of elimination.


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Sixers Face Elimination After Another 2nd Half Collapse
David Zahn Posted On June 17, 2021

Sixers Face Elimination After Another 2nd Half Collapse

It’s officially desperation time for this year’s Philadelphia 76ers. In a game that strangely mirrored its direct predecessor, the Sixers came flying out of the gate in game 5, only to squander the lead in frustrating fashion during the second half. When the dust settled, the Hawks defeated the Sixers 109-106. The Atlanta victory brings them within a game of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Meanwhile, the Sixers will have to win two in a row, including a game 6 on the road, in order to advance to the next round.

This loss has to fall squarely on the shoulders of Philadelphia’s periphery stars, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris. It’s a clear problem when the primary playoff story for an important player is their disastrous free throw shooting. This is exactly the case for Simmons who struggled once again from the charity stripe, shooting a horrific 4-14. The Hawks even employed the hack-a-Simmons strategy when trying to cut down on the Sixers big early lead. Coach Rivers was actually quick to sub Simmons out during these situations, but the experience still kills any momentum the Sixers would have. All told, Simmons finished with 8 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds. The team flat out needs more from him if they are to have any chance at all in the remainder of this series.

Tobias Harris, meanwhile, may have played an even worse game. In 38 minutes of action he managed just 4 points, going 2-11 from the field and 0-3 from behind the arc. The Sixers were searching for offense outside of Embiid and Harris, who has fit that mold all year, could not deliver. Seth Curry, on the other hand, did come to play. He delivered another stellar game and has proven consistently reliable all series. In this contest, he had his playoff career high with 36 points. He was feeling his shot all game, shooting a remarkable 13-19 from the field and an outstanding 7-12 from three point land.

Sixers vs Hawks Game 5 - Seth Curry
Sixers vs Hawks Game 5 – Seth Curry

But Curry and Embiid were the only players providing serious production in the points department. The Sixers built a gigantic first half lead behind the dominant play of Embiid, who posted a double-double in just a half’s worth of play. However, their possessions continued to come up empty down the stretch and the Hawks never gave up. Trae Young put on a dazzling display with 39 points and 7 assists, despite hounding defense all game courtesy of the Simmons/Thybulle combination. Lou Williams also went supernova in the fourth quarter, hitting shot after shot, and being a huge reason the Hawks eviscerated the Sixers in that quarter with a +21 point differential.

We will now truly see how gritty this defensive-minded Philadelphia team is. Embiid has demonstrated through his play that he can shoulder a huge amount during this series, but he will need help from his fellow starters for the Sixers to avoid a disappointing second round exit. The Hawks have a talented roster, but there’s no way the Sixers should be blowing double digit leads in consecutive games.

At this point, the Sixers need to adopt a one-game-at-a-time mentality. That game of focus will be game 6, which will be played in Atlanta Friday, at 7:30 PM. The Sixers know they will get a steady performance out of Embiid, but will Simmons and Harris show up in desperation mode as well?


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Hawks Overcome Halftime Deficit, Defeat Sixers in Game 4
David Zahn Posted On June 15, 2021

Hawks Overcome Halftime Deficit, Defeat Sixers in Game 4

Philadelphia was all smiles as they entered halftime of their game 4 matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. After all, they outscored the Hawks in each of the first two quarters in order to build a 13 point lead. Their defense was doing a great job containing the explosive scorers on the Hawks roster. Ben Simmons was flirting with another triple double. Simply put, the Sixers could smell blood in the water and hoped to close the game out strongly and bring a commanding 3-1 lead back to their homecourt.

Alas, the Sixers were unable to hold their lead and the Atlanta Hawks clawed their way back into the game with a dominant third quarter. They cut Philadelphia’s edge to a mere two points by the fourth quarter, eventually sealing the deal after point blank misses from both Embiid and Simmons late in the contest. The missed shot by Embiid was the cherry on top of what may very well be remembered as his worst shooting half of all time. He set the wrong kind of record by going 0-12 from the field in the second half, which is the most attempts without a make in a playoff game of the last 25 years.

For the first time all series, the meniscus injury that Embiid suffered in the Sixers first round series against the Washington Wizards, appeared to significantly alter his play. He quite clearly didn’t have the lift on many of his post possessions, most notably his failed conversion with 8.8 seconds left in the game. He did manage an impressive 21 rebounds in this outing, but his shooting woes (4-20 from the field) sunk Philadelphia’s chances down the stretch.

Hawks even series 2-2
Hawks even series 2-2

Ben Simmons ended the game an assist shy of a triple double (11 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists), but expended the bulk of his energy on the defensive end of the floor guarding Trae Young. At this job, both he and teammate Matisse Thybulle were serviceable, holding Atlanta’s young star to less than 33% on field goal attempts (8-26). However, Young still had a massive impact on the game with 18 assists. His running mate, John Collins, helped swing the momentum of this game with three powerful dunks in the third quarter that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The Hawks leaned hard on their starters, with all five playing at least 35 minutes. They have clearly found the rotation they’re comfortable with as only two of their bench players, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams managed double-digit minutes. Doc Rivers still went ten deep on his bench but may need to tighten the rotation to close out this series successfully.

The series will swing back to Philadelphia for a pivotal game 5 on Wednesday, June 16th with a 7:30 PM tip off.




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Arts & Culture  / Shareworthy  / Sports
Tierra Whack Releases Encouraging Ode to Philadelphia 76ers
David Zahn Posted On June 14, 2021

Tierra Whack Releases Encouraging Ode to Philadelphia 76ers

Last week, local MC Tierra Whack dropped a short song and accompanying video in support of the Philadelphia 76ers, who currently hold the edge in their second round playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks. The cut is simply called “76” and establishes the rapper as one of the many faithful fans of this year’s championship hopeful team.

The energetic pump-up track name-drops several key members of the Sixers with rhymes such as “Been winning just ask Ben Simmons” and “Embiid did stop a stampede”. But star players aren’t the only ones provided mention as Coach Doc Rivers, Tobias Harris, Danny Green, and even members of the bench like Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton are given lyrical references.

The video was released on the 76ers official YouTube page and features various highlights of game footage as a visual backdrop to the brief song. A pounding drum beat is practically all the instrumentation there is as Whack asserts the prowess of her hometown squad. The meaning of the title is realized to be twofold as Whack incorporates a bridge of “Do 100 on 76”, citing the highway in close proximity to the City of Brotherly Love.

Tierra Whack 76ers Support Video
Tierra Whack 76ers Support Video

“Championship we coming” croons Tierra Whack toward the end of the song. To get that far, the Sixers will first need to dispose of the Atlanta Hawks. Game 4 of that series takes place in Atlanta today at 7:30 PM (The Sixers currently hold a 2-1 lead).


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Sixers Even Series Behind Embiid’s 40 Points
David Zahn Posted On June 9, 2021

Sixers Even Series Behind Embiid’s 40 Points

After dropping the first game on their homecourt, the Philadelphia 76ers responded in a huge way, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 118-102 to knot the series even at one game a piece after two contests.

Joel Embiid may have lost the MVP race to Denver’s Nikola Jokic, but his level of play in this 76ers win showed why he was more than worthy of being a finalist for the award. He contributed 40 points (13-25 FG), 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block across 35 minutes of action. What’s more, he got to the free throw line at will, where he connected on 12 of his 16 attempts. Even though the Hawks have the defensive bodies to throw at him with Clint Capela and John Collins, neither has demonstrated that they can slow Embiid in the slightest.

While Embiid was clearly the Sixers offensive fulcrum down the stretch, it was Tobias Harris who carried the offensive load in the early going. Of his 22 total points, 16 came in the first quarter. As a result of Harris’s hot start and a return to form on defense, the Sixers built a 13 points lead going into the second quarter. This was exactly the start they needed after surrendering 42 points to the Hawks in the first quarter of game 1 and never making up that ground.

Philadelphia’s first quarter dominance wouldn’t last as the Hawks battled back and nearly tied the score by halftime. However, Embiid absolutely took over the third quarter with 17 points and the Hawks were unable to keep up from there, particularly as both Seth Curry and Shake Milton were deadly from three point land (5-6 3PT and 4-5 3PT respectively).

76ers vs Hawks Game 2 - Shake Milton
76ers vs Hawks Game 2 – Shake Milton

The most encouraging takeaway from this victory was the stifling defense played by the Sixers. Trae Young was particularly bothered as he shot just 6-16 from the field and 1-7 from behind the arc. He was definitely a focus for the Sixers who routinely placed either Simmons or Thybulle on the young guard. Doc Rivers is quickly learning to cut off the head, which is Trae Young, from the Hawks and dare anyone else from their roster to step up.

Game 3 of this series will take place at 7:30 PM this Friday, June 11th. This contest will see the Sixers travelling to Atlanta for the first time in the series in a very important tie-breaking matchup. I expect to see adjustments from the Hawks, but it’s mighty tough to gameplan for the sheer dominance of a Joel Embiid who doesn’t appear hindered by a meniscus tear.


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Sixers Defeat Wizards; Will Take on Hawks in Round 2
David Zahn Posted On June 3, 2021

Sixers Defeat Wizards; Will Take on Hawks in Round 2

Despite being without the injured Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers won game 5, 129-112 and closed out their first round series with the Washington Wizards. As expected, the series could hardly be called competitive. Find a recap of the game below, as well as an update on Embiid’s injury status and a look ahead to what the next round brings for the Sixers.

Game Recap

The starting lineup that Coach Doc Rivers settled on consisted of Seth Curry, Danny Green, Matisse Thybulle, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris. The insertion of Thybulle for Embiid gave the Sixers a really interesting small-ball lineup that was particularly effective at switching screens against wing players. Obviously, a disadvantage of this lineup was its lack of size. Later in the contest, rookie Tyrese Maxey was given an opportunity to run with the starters, flashing spurts of energy on both ends of the floor.

The game remained close throughout the entire first half and much of the third quarter. It was during the late third quarter the Sixers began building their lead through a combination of stifling defense and a Simmons-led offensive attack. Dwight Howard in particular came through with multiple blocks that simultaneously discouraged Washington’s future drives to the basket and invigorated his teammates. A flurry of baskets down the stretch from both Tobias Harris (28 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) and Seth Curry (30 points, 3-6 from three point range) kept the game out of reach for the Wizards, despite Beal and Westbrook fighting to the bitter end with a combined 78 minutes.

A triple double from Ben Simmons (19 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds) steadied the Sixers throughout the contest as much of their offense was centered around his dribble penetration and subsequent kick-outs. Also encouraging was his clip from the charity stripe as he hit a respectable 5-8 in the game. It is almost a certainty that a future team will employ the hack-a-Simmons strategy so he has to continue to demonstrate he can hit free throws.

Embiid Injury Status

Joel Embiid Injury Status
Joel Embiid Injury Status

Joel Embiid wasn’t needed to close out the Wizards, but you can bet his presence will be necessary for the Sixers soon. The official announcement from Philadelphia on Wednesday was that Embiid had suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee as a result of his fall in game 4 against the Wizards. Surgery would put a complete end to Embiid’s season so the team has opted to treat the injury with an intensive physical therapy and treatment program. His status is considered day-to-day at this point but I wouldn’t expect to see him in the Hawks series unless the Sixers really have their backs against the wall.

A Look Ahead

Round 2 - Atlanta Hawks
Round 2 – Atlanta Hawks

Wednesday evening also saw the Atlanta Hawks advance to the second round as they defeated the New York Knicks 103-89 in a game 5 of their own. As everyone knows, third year guard Trae Young is the soul of the Hawks team and their clear focal point on offense. However, his supporting cast is superbly deep with a full seven other capable offensive weapons on their team. The Sixers will host the Hawks in the first game of round 2 this Sunday, June 6th.


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