The Philadelphia 76ers rode an impressive shooting display in Game 1 of their series with the Brooklyn Nets to take a 1-0 lead, entering Game 2 as a top 10 scorer.
Not many people expected the Nets to win this series, but the team struggled to compete with the Sixers in the second half of Game 1, turning the ball over 19 times in the game.
In the 121-101 victory over Philly, the Sixers shot 21-for-43 from outside the arc, making 3 better shots in the game than they did from 2-point range.
The Nets tried to double Joel Embiid on every catch, but he still caught 26 points while the No. 1 3-point offense around him rained down on open look after open look.
Jacque Vaughn and the Nets need to figure out a new strategy, especially if their offense is going to suffer from personnel fluctuations.
Let’s dive into the Game 2 odds, and I’ll share my best bet for this matchup:
Networks vs. Sixers Odds, Spread and Overall
Nets vs Sixers prediction and selection
Game 1 ended with a combined 222 points, and there are a lot of things that tell me we might be in for another higher-scoring relationship in Game 2.
Sure, Philly would never hit 21 three-pointers again (prove me wrong!), but the team was also shooting terribly from inside the arc.
The Nets, on the other hand, shot the ball at an impressive clip (55.7 percent from the field, 44.8 percent from 3) despite looking disjointed on offense for most of the second half.
There are two keys to this game beyond the total in game 2, and they both have to happen on the side of things from grids.
First, the team needs to keep Michal Bridges involved in the game. Bridges dominated the first half, shooting 10-for-16 in Game 1, but only took two shots after the break with the Sixers trying to deny him any easy appearance.
If the Nets want to win, they have to get creative with opening it.
One way to do this? Stop turning the ball!
Brooklyn wasted a lot of possessions with turnovers, and the team can definitely see some positive slope there to get others, Bridges included, on offense.
While I wouldn’t expect both teams to light things up from 3 again, it’s not entirely uncharacteristic. Philly and Brooklyn both finished in the top 5 in the league in 3-point percentage this season.
Putting up double-digit points in a playoff game isn’t something I’m looking forward to doing, especially since I expect Brooklyn to make some adjustments. So, let’s get started with another offensive show and over Monday night.
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The game odds are updated periodically and are subject to change.