No miracles for net. Despite a remarkable effort of resilience for three and a half quarters, Jacque Vaughn’s men actually cracked in the second half of the last act, in a frankly not good match in attack, under the late but decisive assaults of Tyrese Maxey And Joel Embiid.
Trench warfare between two formations far from their best evening in attack (19 bullet losses for 21 assists for Philadelphia, barely 38% on shots for Brooklyn), this Game 2 was thus much more disputed than the first, but the teammates of a solid Cam Johnson ended up paying cash, in the fourth quarter, for their very low offensive production in the second half (only 35 points).
While at the same time, without floating, the locals increased their defensive intensity by several notches, and found the resources necessary to make the difference in attack, in the “money-time”.
Cruel for Brooklyn, and the break is therefore made for the troupe of Doc Rivers, who has the opportunity to kill the series, or almost, in the next game, the first in Brooklyn.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The Nets collapse after the break. In the first half: 49 points scored. In second ? Only 35 points, 35% on shots … The game as a whole was not a display of attack, but the second period was particularly painful for the Nets, caught by a weak address while at the same time, the Sixers rose seriously the tone in defense. At times, this team simply lacks the offensive talent to hope to get out of it, especially in the playoffs, outside, in the face of such adversity.
– The rebounds offense and paint, X factors for the Sixers. As in Game 1, the Nets systematically doubled in defense on Joel Embiid, and for that favored a five “small-ball”, with in particular Royce O’Neal in position 5 of a night, for more speed, to the detriment size and verticality. A choice that defends itself but which was a bitter failure during this Game 2, because the Brooklyn troop has (logically) taken dearly under the panels: +8 for the 76ers for offensive rebounds (13 to 5), and especially +24 for points in the racket (46 to 22). Philly’s MVP candidate offering himself a mammoth double-double: 20 points and 19 rebounds!
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ Tyrese Maxey. While James Harden generally missed out on his match, the Sixers “dragster” responded in support of Joel Embiid: 33 points (12/23), including 10 points in the last quarter alone, to brilliantly help his team to definitively distance the adversary. Add 3 rebounds and a counter without the slightest loss of ball and you get the best +/- of his team (+17). A fine score from the product of Kentucky.
✅ Joel Embiid. Nothing to report here, with a new XXL performance from the local boss. Quite discreet in the first half, like his team finally, the pivot potentially elected MVP soon raised his voice after the break. In all respects since in addition to his double-double (20 & 19), he added 7 assists and 3 blocks. In the last quarter, he notably scored 8 of his 20 points.
✅ Paul Reed. The entries of the young substitute pivot were indeed very good, the boy flaunting, in just 11 minutes, his energy not always controlled but on the other hand unlimited. Enough to compile 6 points and 3 rebounds and, to secure a place in the rotation at least for the rest of this series, against an opponent who represents a good “matchup”, by his lack of size inside, for His profile.
✅⛔️ Cam Johnson. It was off to a good start for the evening, failing to end in a victory for the Nets, to be the scene of an epic heat stroke from the former North Carolina, who at halftime was already at 22. points. Unfortunately, like his entire team, he cooled down terribly when he returned from the locker room, and finally only added 5 points to his personal counter in the second half. His performance remains solid as he finished second in the game with 28 points (11/19), not to mention 4 rebounds and 2 steals (and a huge poster on Joel Embiid).
THE FOLLOWING
– Game 3: Thursday night to Friday (1:30 a.m.), in Brooklyn.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
