Philadelphia 76ers: 5 keys to series vs. Nets
By Derek Hryn
5. Avoid losses in Games 1 and 2
The first round of the NBA Playoffs could be reputed as the most fun and most entertaining games for a multitude of reasons: The scoring, the defense, the fights, the scraps, the energy, the atmosphere … we could go on for days, but you get the picture.
Last year, in a similar (3-6) series against the Miami Heat, the Sixers put the kibosh on them in five games. But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds.
After the first two games, you could admit it was anybody’s series.
Mainly because Joel Embiid missed those affairs. And it looks like he will at least miss Game 1, and possibly Game 2, against the Nets.
Without the big man, newly added frontcourt member Greg Monroe could see some valuable minutes — but that will be contingent on whether Brett Brown wants to circumvent it with a small-ball approach, against a team whose tallest player is 6-foot-11.
Jonah Bolden‘s availability will also be something to watch.
The best thing the Sixers could do to make life just a tad easier on themselves: Win this series in as minimal time possible.
The worst, allow it to extend to a Game 7 at Wells Fargo Center.
Though extra basketball is fun, it is also less than ideal considering the juggernauts and lingering problems that lie ahead in the later rounds of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
It’s crucial for momentum’s sake, but not for these Sixers who are already bogged down in finding a pure identity.