Sixers vs. Nets Round 1 series preview: X-factors, matchups, prediction
The regular season is over and the Philadelphia 76ers enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. They turn their attention to the sixth-seeded Brooklyn Nets in first round of the playoffs. The series will feature a ton of star power on Philadelphia’s side and Brooklyn’s quickness, length and versatility.
Before the series begins with Game 1 on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center, we preview the series and break down the matchups and the X-factors as well as give a prediction for this series.
Joel Embiid vs. Brooklyn's switching defense
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Embiid played two games against the Nets during the season and he averaged 31.5 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 50% from the floor. The first game was against the original iteration of the Nets. The second game was against the current version.
That second game is the important one. On Feb. 11, Embiid scored 37 points on 12-for-18 shooting and he was 12-for-13 from the line. Throughout the contest, Brooklyn switched every pick-and-roll with him and James Harden. The Nets had Dorian Finney-Smith, Mikal Bridges and others switch on to him, and he would use his size and power to get easy buckets.
The Nets have a solid big man, Nic Claxton, who will battle Embiid, but, overall, Brooklyn doesn’t have a real option to defend the big fella. This should be a dominant series for Embiid.
Defending Brooklyn's gaurds
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The Sixers don’t have great perimeter defenders. It has been a weakness for Philadelphia throughout the season. Harden and Tyrese Maxey are not defensive stoppers. Maxey has been better pressuring the ball in the backcourt. In the halfcourt, the Sixers have relied on Tobias Harris and De’Anthony Melton on the perimeter.
They will have their hands full in this series with Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Joe Harris, Seth Curry and Cameron Johnson. Bridges, especially, has taken his game to another level. He averaged 26.1 points for the Nets after the trade, and he scored at least 30 points in 11 games, including three games of 40-plus points.
Dinwiddie has historically given the Sixers trouble. Harris and Curry are elite 3-point shooters, and Johnson is a very good 3-and-D player for Brooklyn. The Sixers will have to game plan for those guys on the perimeter.
Stopping the Nets in transition
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Per TeamRankings, the Nets are tied with the Sixers in fast break points per game, but Philadelphia is ranked 28th in fast break points given up. Transition defense has been a bugaboo for the Sixers all season. Considering the athletes the Nets possess, that will be a factor in this series.
The Sixers will have to be careful in terms of taking care of the ball and getting back in transition before the Nets can. If Philadelphia can slow the Nets and make them play in the half court, then they will be in a much better position to stop them. The Sixers are a terrific half-court defensive team due to their length, and because Embiid is an elite rim protector.
X-factor: Jalen McDaniels
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The Sixers made the big move at the deadline to send Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers in a four-team deal that saw them acquire Jalen McDaniels. The idea is McDaniels will be a much better option in the playoffs due to his ability to play both ends of the floor.
McDaniels had a terrific end to the season. He shot 56.3% from deep on 2.0 attempts per game over the final eight games of the season. That type of shooting in this series will be needed to advance, and it would be a great sign for later rounds.
Series prediction
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Sixers should win this series rather quickly. None of these games figure to be easy due to Brooklyn’s strengths (perimeter scoring) being Philadelphia’s weaknesses, but the Sixers have the best player in this series, Embiid. Philadelphia will continue to lean on the big fella and feed him because the Nets really don’t have anybody to defend him. This should be a quick series overall
Prediction: Sixers in 5
