Tobias Harris, Sixers Snag Game 1 vs. Washington Wizards in 2021 NBA Playoffs

The Philadelphia 76ers took the court on Sunday afternoon for the first time in over a week. Ever since wrapping up the regular season as the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers have been patiently waiting to find out who their first-round opponent would be in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Following an intense Play-In Tournament on Thursday, the Sixers found out they would face the Washington Wizards in a seven-game series to begin the postseason. During the regular season, the Sixers defeated the Wizards in all three matchups against each other.

However, Wizards star Bradley Beal acknowledged that two out of those three matchups in the regular season could've gone their way. Therefore, Washington embraced Sunday's matchup intending to get revenge.

The Wells Fargo Center packed in fans at 50-percent capacity for the first time this year. Although the hostile environment seemed to have affected the Wizards a bit early on, Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal wouldn't allow their team to roll over against the Eastern Conference's top team.

Following a tight first quarter, the Wizards had the upper hand on the Sixers with a one-point lead. After the lead changed seven times throughout the first half, Washington held its own against the Sixers as they were up 62-61 through the first two quarters.

When the third quarter rolled around, the Sixers started to pull away a bit. Tobias Harris' monster first half allowed Philly to stay in the game. The combination of Joel Embiid and Seth Curry helped them gain some steam with a six-point lead going into the final quarter.

Another slugfest broke out in the fourth quarter as the Wizards and the Sixers were neck and neck throughout the final 12 minutes. However, the Sixers' strong effort in the third held up and allowed them to outscore the Wizards by eight points in the second half, resulting in a 125-118 victory for Philly. 

The Sixers' strong offensive effort was led by Tobias Harris, who scored 37 points in 37 minutes, and Joel Embiid, who dropped 30 points in 29 minutes. With that victory, the Sixers take the first game of the series and head into Wednesday night's rematch at home 1-0 over Washington.