After a slow start, the Philadelphia 76ers roared back in the second half to beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-84 and take a commanding 2-0 lead in their first round playoff series.
Nets raise their game blowout Game 1 win.
The Sixers remained set on Mikal Bridges seeing a crowd of defenders and bringing Embiid out to the perimeter on pick-and-rolls involving the Villanova product. Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith each sunk two threes in the first quarter. That duo combined to post 18 of Brooklyn’s 25 points in the period. Still, despite their improved effort from Game 1, the Nets were even with the Sixers after the first. Defensively, the Sixers’ second unit had a nice start.
The Nets left some points on the table in the second quarter, including two consecutive missed free throws by Bridges with 23 seconds to go. They still held a deserved halftime lead, and it felt fortunate for the Sixers that the team only trailed by five points. Vaughn removed backup center Day’Ron Sharpe from his rotation, trimming Brooklyn’s bench to three players. Royce O’Neale and Finney-Smith gave laudable efforts against Embiid.
An aggressive Harris, zone defense, and greater determination about finding Embiid in the middle of the floor and capitalizing on the double teams he drew all featured in a 20-5 Sixers run that lifted the team to a 64-56 lead. The Sixers’ pace and energy surged, too. Tucker created six second-chance points on his own during the run and the Sixers finished with another massive advantage in that category -- 18-0.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mikal Bridges’ expanded offensive game with Brooklyn Nets on display in Game 1The Philly native who starred at Villanova had 30 points in the Nets' Game 1 loss, an example of how he has thrived in a bigger role since Brooklyn acquired him in the Kevin Durant blockbuster trade.
Read more »
Sixers-Nets Game 1 takeaways: Playoff P.J., B-Balling Paul Reed, Brooklyn’s defensive woesTucker showed why the Sixers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey were so eager to sign him in the offseason.
Read more »
Tobias Harris emerges as a spark plug for the Sixers in Game 1 vs. Brooklyn NetsDaily News | Tobias Harris emerges as a spark plug for the Sixers in Game 1 vs. Brooklyn Nets
Read more »
Sixers look to correct minor mistakes in Game 2 against Brooklyn NetsThe Sixers know Brooklyn is capable of stealing a victory if Philadelphia's players become overconfident and stop paying attention to detail.
Read more »
76ers vs. Nets Game 2 odds, prediction, pick: Can Brooklyn keep it close?In a matchup that most expect to be one-sided, the 76ers took care of business in a blowout win over the Nets on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the series. And oddsmakers are expecting more of the …
Read more »
Philadelphia 76ers take 2-0 lead in NBA playoffs, defeat Nets 96-84 on Monday nightThe Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 96-84 on Monday night in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Read more »