FILE–Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers controls the ball towards Spencer Dinwiddie #26 of the Brooklyn Nets. Mitchell Leff/Getty Photographs/AFP
The Brooklyn Nets threw all the pieces they may at Joel Embiid, and when the middle encountered a number of defenders, he typically discovered different teammates to make performs.
By with the ability to present assist for Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers head to Brooklyn, N.Y., in search of a 3-0 lead when the Japanese Convention first-round sequence continues Thursday evening.
The 76ers eye a 3-0 opening-round lead for the third straight yr and a seventh straight postseason win over the Nets. If Philadelphia can win Sport 3, it could actually shut out the sequence Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn.
Embiid averaged 24.8 factors in 4 video games throughout the 2019 first-round sequence towards Brooklyn, and thru two video games on this sequence, he has averaged 23 factors.
He scored 26 when the Sixers opened the sequence by by no means trailing in a 121-101 victory Saturday, after which completed with 20 on Monday when Philadelphia pulled away down the stretch for a 96-84 win.
“I consider in enjoying the precise means, which is getting your teammates concerned,” Embiid mentioned. “(Taking part in towards) double- and triple-teams, ensuring everybody touches the ball and sees the ball. That’s what I consider in.”
Embiid additionally helped the Sixers get a commanding 56-33 rebounding edge by grabbing 19 boards, matching his second-highest whole in a playoff sport and the seventh time in a postseason sport he snatched not less than 15 boards.
Embiid additionally completed with seven assists, matching his second-most in a playoff sport and it led to the Sixers getting contributions from Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. Maxey scored 18 of his 33 factors within the second half and Harris completed with 13 of his 20 after halftime. The duo made a mixed 21 of 37 field-goal makes an attempt and 7 of Philadelphia’s 3-pointers.
“Only for him to have the ability to be affected person,” Harris mentioned. “Particularly within the second half, he did a extremely good job of selecting aside their protection by seeing the place the double-team was coming from and making the early cross immediately. And we had been simply in a position to enable them to play catch-up from there.”
Cameron Johnson #2 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots the ball towards Joel Embiid #21, James Harden #1, and Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers within the fourth quarter throughout Sport Two of the Japanese Convention First Spherical Playoffs on the Wells Fargo Middle on April 17, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Nets 96-84. NOTE TO USER: Consumer expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or utilizing this {photograph}, Consumer is consenting to the phrases and situations of the Getty Photographs License Settlement. Mitchell Leff/Getty Photographs/AFP (Photograph by Mitchell Leff / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Photographs by way of AFP)
The Nets’ principal downside Monday was the lack to get constant offense going as they hope to cease an eight-game postseason shedding streak. The Nets scored 35 factors within the second half and shot 37.5 % total, their second-lowest subject objective proportion all season.
Cameron Johnson scored 28 factors, together with a giant dunk on Embiid within the first half when the Nets took a five-point halftime lead. He scored solely six factors after halftime, and Mikal Bridges was held to 21 whole on 6-of-15 capturing after opening the sequence with 30 factors.
“The one adjustment made was the ball didn’t go within the gap for us,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn mentioned. “We obtained open appears, they tried to go zone, we had sufficient capturing on the market. The ball simply didn’t go in.”
Amongst those that didn’t see the photographs fall was Spencer Dinwiddie. He’s 10-for-26 within the sequence and 13-for-47 over his previous 4 video games, a span the place he has missed 16 of 18 3-point tries.
“Do we want another folks to step up at residence? I’ll take all of them,” Vaughn mentioned. “Anybody you wish to enroll, put them on a listing, I’ll verify that factor off. We’d like everyone to indicate up and be able to play.”
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