The Brooklyn Nets were the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, and the higher ranking was due to Kevin Durant's and Kyrie Irving's excellent performances. After both guys were shipped out, their team built a big cushion to face off with the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs. With a completely new roster, the Nets have been subpar since the All-Star break, and it continued to show in the first three games of this series.
Game 3 was there for the taking, but questionable decision-making by Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O'Neal, in the end, cost them their season. The Nets are down 0-3, and Joel Embiid has had a below-average series for his standards. Embiid will miss Game 4, which will be the best opportunity for Brooklyn to steal one from the 76ers. With that, here are a couple of predictions for the Saturday afternoon tilt.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Huge Spencer Dinwiddie game
Spencer Dinwiddie has been struggling in this series. The numbers could be better, but one can argue that he is contributing at that level because head coach Jacque Vaugh isn't inserting him for many minutes. With Embiid missing Game 4, the interior defense of Philly will not be excellent.
Dinwiddie can attack the rim with reckless abandon, with individuals like Paul Reed, P.J. Tucker, or Montrezl Harrell handling the paint. He will score over 30 in this game, as he will attempt more than 15 shots from the field, along with a couple of threes to chip into his stat line. The ball-handling duties are mainly his responsibility so that he will explode for a magnificent Game 4.
Nets go small and covert at least 15 3's
Teams like the Boston Celtics or Phoenix Suns are a difficult matchup for Philadelphia because these squads will force Tyrese Maxey and James Harden to guard one of their key cogs on the perimeter. The Nets have yet to experiment by spacing the floor and making their subpar perimeter defenders defend ultra-talented shooters like Seth Curry, Cam Thomas, and Joe Harris.
It might be their last game of the season, so why not experiment with a lineup composed of Dinwiddie-Curry-Cam Johnson-Mikal Bridges-Dorian Finney-Smith? This will force Harden to chase around a shooter, which can also affect his stamina on the offensive side. Furthermore, it may force head coach Doc Rivers to play Tucker at the 5, meaning they will be undersized and have minimal rim protection.
The Nets lose a close one and wrap up their 2022-23 campaign
Unfortunately, Game 4 will be the final contest of the Brooklyn Nets for the season at Barclays Center. Joel Embiid's absence will give them a more substantial chance to score an upset, but Tyrese Maxey will have another elite performance, which cements him as the best player of this series. Tobias Harris and De'Anthony Melton will step up without Embiid and immensely impact both ends.
James Harden will supplement Maxey's impeccable numbers, and the 76ers will prevail. During clutch situations, the Nets do not have anyone close to the caliber of Durant and Irving to create a shot when defenses are locked in. Thus, it will be the same case in Game 4 because Spencer Dinwiddie or Mikal Bridges are their best options, and they have yet to prove to be a superb scorer in the last couple minutes of a postseason contest to this point.
Follow Us
Subscribe