The Brooklyn Nets remain a team in the playoff mix but fans and pundits have to wonder what to expect out of them. They do not have a bad lineup, even if they are lacking a superstar following the trade deadline. The Nets hosted the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday in one of the earlier games in the association.
The 76ers, behind a strong performance from Joel Embiid, won the game in a contest that was close at the final buzzer. They put up a single-possession spread, winning by 3 points thanks to a strong fourth quarter. The final score was Philadelphia 101, and Brooklyn 98 in a game where Ben Simmons came off the bench.
76ers @ Nets Saturday: Joel Embiid scores 37
With the loss, the Nets are now 33-23 overall on the season. Their starting lineup looked like this:
- Dorian Finney-Smith
- Cam Johnson
- Mikal Bridges
- Nic Claxton
- Spencer Dinwiddie
Cam Thomas, Royce O'Neal, and Ben Simmons all came off the bench. It's debatable as to whether or not the roster worked for the Nets. They lost the game but only by three points against the team that most would have in the top five for NBA power rankings. You have to think that the Nets' lineup would have worked against a lot of lesser teams. Brooklyn still has two games before the All-Star break, one against New York and another against Miami.
Brooklyn Nets: #6 Ranked Team at a Glance
- Overall record: 33-23
- Home record: 17-11
- Away record: 16-12
- Winning/losing streak: L1
- Last ten games: 4-6
The 76ers improved to 36-19 with the 3-point victory. The top scorer in the game was Joel Embiid. He had an impressive 37 points in the contest and 13 rebounds. Meanwhile, James Harden had 29 points and the 76ers appear to be in solid working condition. Tyrese Maxey is coming off of the bench these days and he had a game-high for point differential of +17.
The 76ers continue to cruise in the NBA. They've now played .774 basketball since December 8th as they continue to try and compete for a high seed in their conference.
Philadelphia 76ers: Recent Form Alert
- Philadelphia 76ers were 12-12 (December 8th, 2022)
- Following Saturday's game, they are 36-19
- Philadelphia is 24-7 in their last 31 games
Further reading: NBA Power Rankings
