Nets takeaways from Saturday's Game 4 loss to 76ers, as Philly sweeps Brooklyn in first round
The Nets' season is over after a 96-88 loss in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Here are the takeaways….
- The first quarter saw the Nets jump out to a 14-4 lead in the first four-plus minutes. Spencer Dinwiddie got off to a hot start as he knocked down three three-pointers and scored 11 points, including a buzzer-beating trifecta to close the opening period, giving the Nets a 29-22 lead.
- The 76ers went to a zone defense at the start of the second quarter, and the Nets struggled, scoring just once in the first four minutes on a transition three from Dorian Finney-Smith. With star Joel Embiid out due to injury, Nicolas Claxton was able to dominate the paint, finishing several plays at the rim. He led all players with 15 points in the first half and had four blocks, too. Brooklyn held a 48-40 advantage at halftime.
- Philadelphia’s defense picked up at the start of the second half. After two field goals from Finney-Smith early in the third quarter gave the Nets a 53-42 lead, Brooklyn went six minutes and 13 seconds before scoring again. In that time, the 76ers went on a 14-0 run to take a 56-53 advantage. Philadelphia outscored Brooklyn 26-15 and carried a 66-63 lead going into the final quarter.
- Trailing 70-65 early in the fourth quarter, Brooklyn went on a 7-0 run to take a 72-70 lead. Mikal Bridges was more aggressive offensively, scoring two buckets early in the fourth quarter, but missed two free throws that would’ve given the Nets a lead. Tobias Harris converted a three-point play on the other end completing an 8-0 Sixers run. Philadelphia went on a 26-16 to close out the win. 76ers reserve De'Anthony Melton hit three threes and scored 15 points in the fourth quarter.
- Bridges shot just 5-of-17, recording 14 points. After going for 30 points on an efficient 12-for-18 (66.7 percent from the field) in Game 1, Bridges shot 20-for-58 (34.4 percent) in the final three games of the series.
- The Nets regularly sent double teams at Embiid throughout the first three games. Not having to consistently scramble off bringing extra help to shut down the 76ers’ open three-point looks. Philadelphia shot 8-of-22 from beyond the arc.
- Brooklyn’s bench was nonexistent, scoring just eight points total. After benching Seth Curry and giving Cam Thomas minutes in the previous game, coach Jacque Vaughn went with Curry over the second-year player. Curry had six points in 16 minutes.
- Continuing a trend, Joe Harris failed to replicate his regular season marksmanship. Harris missed several open threes, scoring just two points on 1-for-5 shooting in 13 minutes.
- The possession game continued to be a significant factor. Philadelphia had 10 more offensive rebounds than the Nets and took 13 more shots. Embiid’s replacement, Paul Reed, dominated the paint with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Harris had 25 points and 12 rebounds.
- Brooklyn scored just 37 points in the second half. Dinwiddie finished with 20 points while Claxton had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
What's next
The Nets were eliminated from the playoffs and will prepare for the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
