The Philadelphia 76ers are in the thick of the playoff race, any and every win will help them in an attempt to secure a higher seed. Next stop on the playoff express is a quick stop in New York to face off against the Brooklyn Nets. It is only the second time these teams will have faced off against each other this season, the Nets taking the first meeting at the end of January, 116-108.
With the Sixers coming off of a tough loss against the Miami Heat it will be interesting to see how the team comes out early against a team out of the playoff race in the Nets. No team can be thought of as a layup, that’s what makes for a trap game, as exemplified by the last time these two played.
One of the biggest things to look out for in this game is how Joel Embiid looks as the game progresses. Lately he has seemed to be slowing down, he is still producing at a high level, but he looks a step behind. It could be because of the amount of games he has been playing in lately, the wear and tear of a long season, or maybe a combination of both, but he hasn’t looked right. The Sixers would be wise to cut down on his minutes or just sit him out for a game or two so he can get his legs back under him, but when the team is pushing for a high playoff seed, there is no rest for the weary.
At the moment the Sixers are the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, a game and a half out of the 5th seed and two games out of the increasingly possible 4th seed, something many Sixer fans hoped for at the All-Star Break. With the addition of Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova the Sixers are proving to be one of the more well rounded teams in the NBA. The bench is starting to produce and with an added offensive punch the team could continue to climb in the standings.
The Nets won’t just move aside because the Sixers are on their way to the playoffs, the duo of Spencer Dinwiddie and D’Angelo Russell are sure to fill up the stat sheet and will prove to be a tough defensive matchup against whoever Brett Brown chooses to guard them. In Brooklyn, it is a winnable game for the Sixers, one that they need to learn how to win on the road if they plan on making any noise down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Starting Lineups:
Philadelphia 76ers:
PG: Ben Simmons
SG: J.J. Redick
SF: Robert Covington
PF: Dario Saric
C: Joel Embiid
Brooklyn Nets
PG: Spencer Dinwiddie
SG: D’Angelo Russell
SF: DeMarre Carroll
PF: Allen Crabbe
C: Jarrett Allen
Game Info
Game Time: 7:30 pm EST
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 the Fanatic