NBA Playoffs 2021: What to watch for in Monday's two Game 4s

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The final set of Game 4s are scheduled for Monday night. 

While the Washington Wizards will look to avoid elimination and force a Game 5, the Utah Jazz will look to take a dominant 3-1 series lead with a Game 4 win in Memphis.

With so much on the line in these pivotal games, NBA.com gets you set with what to look for:

Game 4: Washington Wizards vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Can Wizards make it competitive on both ends?

After the close contest in Game 1, this series has been anything but, as the Philadelphia 76ers won Games 2 and 3 by a combined margin of 54 points. 

Against the East's best team in the regular season, the Wizards have struggled to make an impact on both ends of the floor, especially in the previous two games. 

Wizards stats
  Regular season Games 2 and 3
Points per game 116.6 (third best) 99.0
Points allowed per game 118.5 (league worst) 126.0

Through the first three games, Bradley Beal is averaging a series-high 30.3 points on 48.1 percent shooting from the field and Russell Westbrook is posting 17.3 points and 11.7 assists for the Wizards but they've not received the support required to make the games consistently competitive against a deep Philly squad.

So far, each game of the series has been decided by a huge game from one of the 76ers' stars.

In Game 1, Tobias Harris scored a playoff career-high 37 points and in Game 2, Ben Simmons powered the team with an all-around performance. In Game 3, Joel Embiid dominated as he finished with a playoff career-high 36 points. 

In order to stay alive and force the series back to Philadelphia for Game 5, the Washington franchise will have to fire on all cylinders while hoping for a collective off-game from the 76ers.

Can they do it? 

Advancing to the next round would mean the third Conference Semifinals appearance in the last four years for the 76ers but given their talent and depth, Philadelphia will be hoping to reach at least the Conference Finals, which would be the first time since 2001.

Game 4: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz

Can the Jazz continue to build momentum?

After suffering an upset loss in Game 1 without All-Star Donovan Mitchell, Utah has taken Memphis' best punch and taken care of business in Games 2 and 3. 

Mitchell's 27.0 points per game average in the last two games has been a huge difference from Game 1, but the Jazz, owners of the league's best record during the regular season have also improved upon their other flaws from Game 1, specifically their 3-point shooting.

Utah Jazz 3-point shooting
  3PM 3P%
Game 1 12 25.5
Averages since 19.0 46.3

While the Jazz have had no answer for Ja Morant, who leads the series with an average of 33.7 points, they've been able to win games decisively. Credit for that must go to the team's depth and playoff experience, an area the young Grizzlies are lacking.

Utah has seven players averaging nine points or more with each having at least a couple of years of playoff experience to fall back on, whereas, for a majority of the Grizzlies roster, this is their first postseason. 

Despite making their fifth straight playoff appearance, the Jazz haven't advanced past the first round since 2018 and will be looking to wrap this series up as soon as possible.

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