Previewing the Sixers-Nets Series

The 76ers and Nets are set to face off for the first game of the NBA playoffs. Though the Sixers are the consensus favorites here, there is evidently much more to unpack.

The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are set to face off in the first round of the eastern conference playoff bracket, with the latter having home court advantage. With both of these teams having avoided the Play-In tournament, and having rested their players in the last parts of the regular season, we are surely set for a high-energy, high-intensity, opening playoff series.

Though the Sixers are not entering this year’s playoffs as red-hot as they have been known to get throughout the regular season, they are still coming in with some momentum in their name. Since the all-star break, they have gone 16-9, notching the tied-for-third highest offensive rating league-wide. That said, it has been their defense that has caused some questions regarding their postseason contendership, as seen in their 17th ranked defensive rating over the same stretch.

The Nets, inversely, have found more success on the defensive end than on the offensive, though the heights of the two categories do not reach that of the Sixers. Since the total reshaping of the roster and subsequent all-star break, the Nets rank 24th and 13th in offense and defense respectively. Going 11-13 to close out the year, the consensus between media and bookies seems to be that the new-look nets will not be able to compete at the level their record suggests.

If their regular season matchups is an indicator of the games to come, Sixers fans can rest easy knowing that Philly has come out on top among 4 out of the 5 times they have played - 2 of 2 since the Nets’ blockbuster trades.

As far as notable matchups go, it seems like most of each teams’ firepower is located at differing areas of the court; the offensive focal point for the Nets seems to lie in the likes of Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas - who occupy the 3 & 2 spot - whereas the Sixers have built their name on the 1-2 punch of 5-man Joel Embiid and 1-guard James Harden. That said, Nets center Nicolas Claxton has proved to be one of the league’s most valuable defenders in this breakout season of his. Despite averaging 7 rebounds and 3 blocks against the Sixers this season, questions still remain about Claxton’s ability to keep up with Embiid’s isolation scoring & two-man game with Harden.

All things considered, the Sixers are the favored to win for good reason: Joel Embiid’s MVP caliber play seems to mesh well with the team he has around him. That said, the Nets will have to keep a cool head on offense, while maintaining a hard-nosed, joint effort on defense if they look to make it out of the first round.