After a weekend full of basketball, the 2023 NBA Playoffs are up and running. From blowouts and upsets to close games, the postseason has already brought some big moments. With the Philadelphia 76ers set to host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday for the first round, it means it is time for some Sixers Game 2 bold predictions.
Philadelphia finished the regular season with a 54-28 record, a three-win improvement from the previous season, and secured the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. This was also the franchise's best regular-season campaign since its 56-win season in 2001 with Allen Iverson.
On the other side of the matchup, the Nets had one of the most interesting seasons across the league. They ended up trading away both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in February despite having one of the best records in the NBA. Still, Brooklyn managed to end 45-37 and secure the No. 6 seed and the final direct playoff spot in the East.
In Game 1, the 76ers opened the series with a 121-101 victory at home. This marked the fifth time (regular season and playoffs) that Philadelphia got a victory over Brooklyn in 2022-23, remaining undefeated against the Nets this year.
While the Sixers had a dominant win in Game 1, the playoffs can always bring some surprises.
With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Philadelphia 76ers for their Game 2 of the first round versus the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
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3. Philadelphia holds Mikal Bridges to 50% from the field or worse
Despite the loss, the Nets had some positive takeaways from Game 1. Most notably, Mikal Bridges had perhaps the best individual playoff game of his career. Acquired in the Durant trade with the Phoenix Suns, the Philadelphia native, and Villanova product had a big performance in his return home.
Bridges scored 30 points and grabbed five rebounds. He went 12-for-18 from the field, including two triples. He ended up leading the game in both points and field goals made.
In 27 regular-season games since joining the Nets in February, Bridges had an efficient campaign. He averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 boards, and 2.7 assists plus a steal a night. He shot 47.5% from the field, 37.6% from beyond the arc, and 89.4% from the free-throw line. The forward accomplished these numbers even though he played in fewer minutes than he did in Phoenix this season.
To avoid any potential comeback from the Nets, the Sixers must contain Bridges. The bold prediction is that Philadelphia will hold him to 50% from the field or worse. After going 66.7% from the field, keeping him under 50% could be enough to leave the Nets in a tough spot.
2. Joel Embiid goes off with a 30-point double-double
As for the Sixers, Joel Embiid had a solid performance. The big man had 26 points, five rebounds and three assists with two blocks and a steal. He was 7-for-15 from the field, 1-for-4 from the 3-point line, and a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.
While he did lead the team in points, Embiid's efficiency from the field was not as good as it was in the regular season when he shot 54.8%. Additionally, his scoring and rebounding were down from 33.1 and 10.2, respectively. Notably, he was the league's scoring champion for the second year in a row.
The bold prediction is that Embiid will have a more efficient game from the field, which could help his individual numbers. Expect him to finish with a double-double with at least 30 points. Should that happen, the Sixers will be in a good position to take Game 2.
1. Nets keep things close for the most part, but Sixers still take the win
At the end of the day, it is difficult to ignore how dominant the Sixers were in Game 1. Even with Bridges going off and Embiid not having such an efficient day, Philadelphia still managed to take a 20-point victory.
James Harden's 23-point, 13-assist double-double contributed to the final result, and so did Brooklyn's 19 turnovers.
According to FanDuel, the 76ers are the favorites to win this matchup. Currently, the spread is -10, which is the second-largest among all Game 2's of the first round.
It is worth noting that the Sixers finished the regular season 29-12 at the Wells Fargo Center. On the other hand, the Nets are 6-8 on the road since they traded Irving and Durant away.
The bold prediction is that the Nets will keep the game close for the most part. Unfortunately for them, Philadelphia's experience with Embiid and Harden will prevail and the Sixers will win Game 2. If that is the case, they will have a 2-0 lead in the series and will be in a great position to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
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