With the regular season officially coming to a close, it is time for the playoffs. The Nets narrowly managed to secure the sixth seed spot and stay in the playoffs, nearly having to play in the play-in tournament had they placed seventh or lower in the standings. The Nets are looking to match up with the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round which brings about an interesting narrative. 76ers All-Star James Harden requested a trade out of Brooklyn last season which landed him in Philadelphia, with Ben Simmons asking the same thing. Both teams came to an agreement and Harden seems to be thriving in Philadelphia while Simmons has not played a minute since the All-Star break due to lingering injuries.
Up next: Round one
Series starts Saturday. pic.twitter.com/9LQaiIiHYb
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 9, 2023
The Nets started out with a 34-24 record prior to the All-Star break, thanks to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. While Durant was out with an injury in mid-January, Irving was able to pick up the offensive load and carry them throughout January and February. From there, Irving left a sour taste in the Nets’ organization when he requested a trade prior to the trade deadline. A new roster was brought in to the Nets to carry them through the rest of the season. The new Nets roster was able to accumulate a 13-15 record to hold that sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
The 76ers have the clear advantage over the Nets, having the highest team 3-point percentage in the league at 38.7% and are the top 10 team on both offense and defense. The Nets have a decent core around them, along with their offensive star in Mikal Bridges who averaged 26.1 points per game since arriving on the Nets, but they don’t have the All-Star power that the 76ers have. In the 2023 regular season, Embiid averaged 33.1 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game, and Harden averaged 21 points per game while shooting 38.5% from the 3-point line and 10.7 assists per game.The 76ers have the clear advantage numbers wise, but the Nets may catch the 76ers off-guard.
The Nets have the ability to rely on the 3-point line on offense, averaging 43.7% from the 3-point line since the trade deadline, compared to 38.5% for the 76ers. While Nicolas Claxton can match up against Embiid based on length and height, Embiid has the clear advantage based on his overall skill and ability to dominate in the post. If Embiid is off the floor, however, the Nets could have a chance to attack on the inside because of the lack of a backup center for the 76ers. If the Nets can take advantage of Embiid off the floor and be able to deny points for Harden, the Nets can give the 76ers an underdog matchup.
It’s very likely that the 76ers are the clear winners in this first round. With the lack of playoff experience as a team for the Nets, and not having an all-star caliber player that can matchup with Harden and Embiid, the Nets are going to have a hard time taking the 76ers to 6 or 7 games in this first round. The Nets could take the 76ers by surprise and take a win, but the 76ers are most likely advancing past the first round and eliminating the Nets from playoff contention.
