1st Round : #3 Sixers - #6 Nets

[SunsRback4Good]

Let's be realistic. It's our 76ers - we don't sweep teams. In my 22 years of following this team, off the top of my head I don't recall us sweeping anybody once.

Just get passed this first round injury-free, hopefully in 5-6 games max. Save your energy for Boston next round.

I had to go back and check the last time 76ers swept a team and it happened in 90-91 season, 76ers swept the Bucks.

[eyeatoma]

Who is gonna do the game thread. Hope we get a proper thread, that would be nice. Go Sixers, I'll be asleep at midnight when the game plays here but I'll watch it on delay. More than Embiid it all rests on Harden. For both of them it's their health. If they are healthy we have a great shot of winning the chip. Simple as that.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Let's be realistic. It's our 76ers - we don't sweep teams. In my 22 years of following this team, off the top of my head I don't recall us sweeping anybody once.

Just get passed this first round injury-free, hopefully in 5-6 games max. Save your energy for Boston next round.

I had to go back and check the last time 76ers swept a team and it happened in 90-91 season, 76ers swept the Bucks.

I remember that year. My mom hooked up the TV in my bedroom so I could watch the games. Rick Mahorn, Hawkins, and Ron Anderson were major contributors in that series for Philly. It was also back when the first round was best of five as opposed to seven games.

[Arsenal]

Who is gonna do the game thread. Hope we get a proper thread, that would be nice. Go Sixers, I'll be asleep at midnight when the game plays here but I'll watch it on delay. More than Embiid it all rests on Harden. For both of them it's their health. If they are healthy we have a great shot of winning the chip. Simple as that.

Just posted a thread for Game 1.

[Jailblazers7]

Does Brooklyn have any intentionally reckless and dirty players in the Siakam mold?

Anyone have Dorian Finney-Smith on their bingo card?

[Stanford]

Does Brooklyn have any intentionally reckless and dirty players in the Siakam mold?

Anyone have Dorian Finney-Smith on their bingo card?

[Kova]

1 down, 15 to go.

[76ciology]

Nets just didnt have any options.

After watching G1 and post game, it just seems that Sixers knew Nets will double team heavy. That the Sixers even spent the entire week practicing making accurate passes to the shooters (doc rivers strike/ball baseball analogy postgame).

Jacque Vaughn, who’s great in these press con, also sounds satisfied in doubling Jojo. I thought when Sixers were knocking those 3s, he should have stopped sending double teams. But it sounds like he doesn’t mind them, and he said its not those 3s off double teams that killed his team but its the 3s off second chance points. Where if Nets were to take away those 3s off second chance points and take away those off the dribble 3s from Tobi and Harden, his team could have won.

Im not a fan, but I like how Jacque Vaughn was subtle in criticizing the refs with allegations of traveling and 3 sec calls against Biid while Sixers grabbing Mikal not allowing freedom of movement in 2nd half. He’s a good communicator

A lot of people around social media say Nets should have not thrown double team, but people ask whats the alternative? Leave Jojo open at the elbow?

Going forward to game 2 and beyond. I think Nets will still double Biid a lot. But the biggest changes I see is they will try to cut down and limit second chance opportunities.

I dont they can do that with their wing heavy team. Their wings shall continue to struggle dribble and finish in traffic, while their wings and bigs aren’t as physical compared to PJ or biid that both guys can outrebound them

[Jhawk03]

Embiid is getting the respect he deserves from opponents, which requires a double team. The problem is this

Maxey
Harden
Melton
Niang
Tobi
hell PJ Tucker

You're betting on 4+ of those players shooting poorly. It's a gamble but truth is teams are probably better off leaving Embiid on the wing and hoping Doc fumbles the lineups and or Embiid has a bad game.

[M2J]

You know until this game when the announcers said it, I had no idea McDaniels had raised his 3pt% to 40% with the Sixers. Good sh*t

The limitations of Bridges in the 2nd half is essentially what I expected in the first half. Much improved player for sure, but he gets his shots off the move a lot, which is great for a 3rd option. Maybe title contending 2nd if you're a. Great shooter. His first half offensive game is how Maxey should play more, who is a great shooter.

Tobias played well. Many have complained about a couple of his shots, and I too cringed, but I'm glad to see him trying aggressively find a rhythm for himself. I would prefer he did more of it as a screen and roll ball handler. That is actually the ability that Doc utilized to pump his value, trade him for assets as a Clipper. Then ultimately convince 76ers to max him, even though he didn't play close to that level after the trade.

Harden... Looked great shooting and decision making. Hope his ability to finish around the basket returns to what it was prior to his recent rut.

[phillynative]

Maxey played well defensively he used his quickness and was all over the place, Melton too

[mjkvol]

Nets just didnt have any options.

After watching G1 and post game, it just seems that Sixers knew Nets will double team heavy. That the Sixers even spent the entire week practicing making accurate passes to the shooters (doc rivers strike/ball baseball analogy postgame).

Jacque Vaughn, who’s great in these press con, also sounds satisfied in doubling Jojo. I thought when Sixers were knocking those 3s, he should have stopped sending double teams. But it sounds like he doesn’t mind them, and he said its not those 3s off double teams that killed his team but its the 3s off second chance points. Where if Nets were to take away those 3s off second chance points and take away those off the dribble 3s from Tobi and Harden, his team could have won.

If I'm Vaughn, I'm going down with that plan and just saying "if they can continue to hit 3's like that, so be it". He's picking his poison, and the likelihood of the Sixers getting cold from 3 is far higher than stopping the P&R, especially with his personnel. His point about 2nd chance 3's is a good one.

[mjkvol]

The limitations of Bridges in the 2nd half is essentially what I expected in the first half. Much improved player for sure, but he gets his shots off the move a lot, which is great for a 3rd option. Maybe title contending 2nd if you're a. Great shooter. His first half offensive game is how Maxey should play more, who is a great shooter.

Maxey will have trouble playing like Bridges because he doesn't have the length to shoot over perimeter defenders the way Bridges can, which also applies when taking it to the rim. Maxey has to play the angles and look for space much more than Bridges, which limits his options for attacking.

Watching Bridges yesterday, I could easily see him as a #2 on a contender as long as the other primary option is a playmaker with gravity who can get his own shot. Bridges has a far more complete game than I even thought as a fan of his since Villanova.

[Kobblehead]

Mikal Bridges got tired in the 2nd half. Because he's an overextended roleplayer masquerading as a scorer. He doesn't have the stamina to carry an offensive load an entire game.

[Kobblehead]

Bridges had 18 FGA and 1 assist. That's the stuff Cam Thomas would do at LSU.

[mjkvol]

Mikal Bridges got tired in the 2nd half. Because he's an overextended roleplayer masquerading as a scorer. He doesn't have the stamina to carry an offensive load an entire game.

Maybe so, but add an alpha scorer/creator to that group and he's much more in his wheelhouse as a second option benefiting from some gravity. I generally agree with your viewpoints, but I think you're a bit harsh and off-base on Bridges, a rock solid 2-way player in a league begging for them.

[Negrodamus]

Watching more of Bridges yesterday than I have in some time, I do think there's more to his game than he showed in Phoenix. I don't think he'll be a superstar by any means, but he has added some tools to his game where he's able to create offense for himself. Kind of a Tobias offensive player.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Watching more of Bridges yesterday than I have in some time, I do think there's more to his game than he showed in Phoenix. I don't think he'll be a superstar by any means, but he has added some tools to his game where he's able to create offense for himself. Kind of a Tobias offensive player.

That's a good comparison.

[Sixerscan]

He’s a step of head of tobias offensively now I think. He’s not quite the creator DeRozan was at his peak but he’s much better from distance.

Putting a negative spin on where his game is at right now is some weird goal post moving.

[Kobblehead]

Mikal Bridges got tired in the 2nd half. Because he's an overextended roleplayer masquerading as a scorer. He doesn't have the stamina to carry an offensive load an entire game.

Maybe so, but add an alpha scorer/creator to that group and he's much more in his wheelhouse as a second option benefiting from some gravity. I generally agree with your viewpoints, but I think you're a bit harsh and off-base on Bridges, a rock solid 2-way player in a league begging for them.

I don't see the two-way game, anymore, though. His defense numbers have gotten worse as his offensive load has gotten bigger and bigger. And that's the biggest tell that he's overextended in the role he's performing in now. Also, a leading scorer with a sub 15% assist percentage is atrocious. Which is what Bridges has been since getting traded to the Nets. 1 assist and 18 FGA in game 1 is difficult to explain to coaches and teammates. Just not seeing the Mikal Bridges crush that the majority of fans are. Him sacrificing his potentially elite defensive ability to sell out on offense where he shoots a bunch of shots and doesn't pass is not appealing to me.