by Darnell "The Playmaker" Sallins
The 2023 NBA Playoffs are set. The Western Conference has been crazy throughout the season as the West will run through Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Bucks. Nevertheless, we will focus on the three vs. six matchup in the East. The Brooklyn Nets against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
76ers sweep the season series with the Nets 4-0.
Brooklyn Nets
The post-Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving Nets still managed to make the playoffs as the 6th seed in the East. There's no way around it, the KD/Kyrie Nets era was a disaster, only one playoffs series win in three seasons. Nevertheless, these are the new Brooklyn Nets led by Mikal Bridges, who was traded to the Nets in the Kevin Durant trade along with Cameron Jonhson.
In 27 games with the Nets, Bridges averaged 20.1 points per game along with 4.4 rebounds per game. His teammate from Phoenix in Cameron Johnson is averaging 16.6 points per game in the 25 games he played.
However, Bridges and the Nets have struggled against the 76ers. Bridges is averaging 12.7 points vs. Philadelphia as the main guy in Brooklyn. This series doesn't bode well for Brooklyn.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, a team who has a lot of pressure on them this season especially in these playoffs. Before the trade deadline only the Brooklyn Nets had more pressure on them than the 76ers, but the Nets traded away both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving which leads Philly as that team with the most pressure in most eyes.
There's no secret that the Sixers haven't made a deep playoff run since Allen Iverson took them to NBA Finals back in 2001. During the Joel Embiid era, the Sixers have made it as far as the East Semis three times. First time was in 2019 against the Toronto Raptors where Kawhi Leonard hit the shot heard around the world. The ball hit the rim at least four different times before going in as time expired sending the Raptors the East Finals and a devastated Joel Embiid and Sixers home. The next trip was the surprising lost to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 where the iron of the world fell completely on Ben Simmons that entire offseason. Then, there's last season's trip to the East Semis against the Miami Heat where the Heat took Philly out in six games on the Sixers' court.
Now this season, the pressure is on. Joel Embiid is the favorite to win the NBA Most Valuable Player award after having an incredible season. Leads the league in scoring at 33.1 points per game and eighth in the league in rebounding at 10.2 rebounds per game. Versus the Nets, Embiid displays his dominance, averaging 31.5 points and 11.5 rebounds.
The crazy part about this is that we haven't mention James Harden because should the Sixers dispatch the Nets as many people are thinking, James Harden pressure will then appearance if it's the Boston Celtics standing across the Sixers in the East Semis.
The series begins Saturday, April 15 in Philadelphia
Series Schedule (* If Necessary)
Game 1: Saturday, April 15 in Philadelphia at 1:00PM ESPN
Game 2: Monday, April 17 in Philadelphia at 7:30PM TNT
Game 3: Thursday, April 20 in Brooklyn at 7:30PM
Game 4: Saturday, April 22 in Brooklyn at 1:00PM TNT
*Game 5: Monday, April 24 in Philadelphia
*Game 6: Thursday, April 27 in Brooklyn
*Game 7: Saturday, April 29 in Philadelphia