Philadelphia 76ers: 5 keys to series vs. Brooklyn Nets

Philadelphia 76ers: 5 keys to series vs. Nets

By Derek Hryn | Apr 13, 2019

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 25: Spencer Dinwiddie #8 of the Brooklyn Nets in action during an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers on November 25, 2018 at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Philadelphia won 127-125. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Perimeter defense

For the most part, the Sixers’ grades for defending the perimeter this season have been passable.

Both the Sixers and Nets are in the NBA’s top five at defending the 3. If Brett Brown’s squad can hold up that end of the bargain, then the odds should remain in their favor.

But there’s a drastic change of pace once the regular season closes, especially for deep shooting teams. Players move with more gusto off ball screens and take higher percentage shots. The Sixers learned the hard way last year against the Boston Celtics in Round 2.

The Nets shoot 35.3 percent from behind the arc, which is middling in a league that’s jam-packed with shooters.

Joe Harris leads the NBA in 3-point percentage with 47.4 percent, which essentially means that Kenny Atkinson’s crew will do everything in their power to expose flaws in the Sixers defense by finding him open looks.

It appears that defending Brooklyn’s best scorers one-on-one will also be essential.

And if the Sixers are without their best rim protector in Joel Embiid, then stopping penetration in the paint becomes a more arduous task against a backcourt that features D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert.