The playoffs are just a series of adjustments from game to game. After each defeat, it’s about correcting what didn’t work, or improving what can be. On the Sixers side, Doc Rivers had asked his players to anticipate the two-man takes on Joel Embiid, and to get moving as soon as this was the case. On the Brooklyn side, the anti-Embiid plan was maintained, but Jacque Vaughn had chosen to change defender to James Harden since it was Mikal Bridges who took care of the best passer in the NBA.
And the plan almost worked… Firstly because Bridges extinguished Harden, limited to 8 points on 3 of 13 on shots and 5 stray bullets. “I just tried to make sure he didn’t score. I just tried to stay in front of him and defend.” simply explains the Nets winger. For his coach, it is a success. “I think clearly it was beneficial. Take a look at Harden’s stats,” he told reporters.
Philadelphia’s Three-Headed Monster
Another change, placing Dorian Finney-Smith on PJ Tucker. Not to stick it closely since the interior is not a danger ball in hand, but to prevent it from going to the offensive rebound. In Game 1, it was Tucker’s activity that was very valuable.
“The other thing is that Dorian was able to stay close to Tucker near the circle, and he didn’t have the same impact.” appreciated the Nets coach. “Now, we can’t stop a run, the transmissions, the single teams, and all that… But we try. Our group did a very good job of adapting. They made us understand that we will have to make even more adjustments, and I think we will still be in a good situation. »
The next adjustment? Make sure that Tyrese Maxey does not plant 33 points! “It’s not the kind of poison we want to choose: Maxey who finds himself alone at 3-point in the corner” regrets Cam Johnson. “We will take a step back, look at what we have done and adapt. Tonight, it was Harden who was upside down. He scores 8 points, and that’s what we want… But Maxey’s 33 points, in a match like that, kills us. »
Respond to the Sixers’ area
In the end, Vaughn sees only one possible adjustment and it’s basic: putting the shots open! “The only adjustment to be made is that we failed to put the ball in the circle. We had open positions, they tried to play in the zone, and we had enough shots, but the ball didn’t go in. Harden and Embiid were well contained. PJ’s Offensive Rebounds [Tucker] have been limited. You have to congratulate Maxey, and that’s the playoffs: someone who raises his level of play, and we always hope that it is someone from our side.
Same analysis at Cam Johnson: “It’s not really a defensive problem, and it’s more in attack… We always play a defense in place. They’re in the zone, and that’s slowing us down a bit. We scored only 14 points in the 3rd quarter. In playoff matches like that, the fact that he can make defensive “stops” gives them energy. It’s about avoidance, and we haven’t been good enough at that. »
