The Philadelphia 76ers took a 2-0 sequence lead over the Brooklyn Nets by taking part in a affected person recreation.
By Chris Murray
For the Philadelphia Sunday SUN
Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid in motion throughout Sport 1 within the first spherical of the NBA basketball playoffs towards the Brooklyn Nets in Philadelphia. The Sixers gained 95-84 Monday night time over the Brooklyn Nets in Sport 2. (AP Photograph/Derik Hamilton)
On an evening when the Philadelphia 76ers dedicated 19 turnovers, trailed by as many as 10 factors within the first half and Joel Embiid was held to below 20 factors for the primary three quarters, the group one way or the other managed to take a 2-0 lead over the Brooklyn Nets of their best-of-seven Jap Convention.
The Sixers’ 96-84 win over the Nets on the Wells Fargo Middle Monday was a testomony to the way in which they moved the ball and the endurance of Embiid, who nonetheless managed to attain 20 factors, seven assists and 19 rebounds, regardless of the Nets throwing every thing however the kitchen sink at him.
“We received stops. Our protection within the second half was terrific and we moved the ball and we trusted offensively,” head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers mentioned. “I believed our execution was unbelievable. We received guys to the proper house. Joel was affected person. James was affected person. We moved the ball and received each shot we wished.”
However as a result of Embiid confronted a myriad of double-teams from the Nets, the night time belonged to Tyrese Maxey, who scored a game-high 31 factors, and Tobias Harris, who added 20 factors together with an enormous steal and dunk that energized the Sixers early within the second half and sparked a 20-5 scoring spurt that put the 76ers on high for good after trailing by 5 at halftime.
“We put a man below the basket, they’re going to entice. Let the ball discover the open man,” Rivers mentioned. “Within the second half, it was (Maxey) which we’re good with. Not solely along with his shot however his assaults. I believed (James Harden) superior the basketball within the second half. We received (Maxey) down the ground in transition.”
Embiid, who additionally had three blocked photographs, mentioned he knew his teammates would begin pulling down photographs and finally discover him house to attain within the second half.
“I trusted the blokes and if we maintain making the proper performs, I knew that at some we’re going to knockdown photographs,” Embiid mentioned. “(Harris) was large, clearly (Maxey) was large. I believed (Harden) did job of managing.”
After Rivers known as a trip early within the second half, the steal by Harris and the following coast-to-coast journey that led to a thunderous dunk despatched the Wells Fargo trustworthy right into a frenzy. It additionally made the group sit up and take discover.
“I feel it was two issues. Defensively we have been actually in a position to lock in,” Harris mentioned. “Our physique language from [the] trip that Doc known as actually received us locked into the second of the sport. We actually weren’t taking part in our greatest. … It was a time for us to understand that that is the playoffs. We should be prepared, and we would have liked to select our power up. We would have liked our physique language to get this win.”
For the second straight recreation, Harris scored 20 factors. With Embiid being surrounded from seemingly all sides by a Nets protection decided to not let him have his approach within the paint, the Sixers wanted all of Harris’s 20 factors on this recreation.
“Yeah, [Harris] has been enormous all yr,” Maxey mentioned. “We’ve talked about all of it yr. He’s a professional’s professional. His roles change game-by-game. He’s been in a position to keep regular. He’s performed extraordinarily properly. We’ve requested him to protect guys that he hasn’t needed to guard up to now. However he’s stepped as much as the problem and he’s achieved that. He’s been in a position to shoot the ball properly and he’s been productive there.”
With a win towards the Nets on the Barclay Middle on Thursday night time, the Sixers will transfer on to the Jap Convention semifinals, the place they’ll meet the winner of the Boston Celtics/Atlanta Hawks sequence. To see if that occurs, you possibly can catch the sport on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia, TNT or for those who’re a fan of coloration man Tom McDonald, 97.5 FM The Fanatic.
