Sixers-Nets would have been such a hype playoff matchup just a few months ago. But then the Nets traded Kyrie and Kevin Durant, leaving them with a serviceable team and lots of draft capital. They finished as the six-seed, while the Sixers finished third behind the Bucks and Celtics.
Instead, we got an incredibly one-sided matchup between a team with the MVP frontrunner and the Brooklyn Nets. Unlike the Western Conference's Grizzlies-Lakers series, this wasn't a team hampered by injury. The Sixers won the first two games by double digits. While game three was closer, as Joel Embiid left with an injury, the Sixers still took a five-point win. However, how would the team fare without Embiid on the court? Could the Nets find some way, any way, back into the series?
Sixers Don't Need Embiid As Nets Are Swept
Tobias Harris was the star of the Sixers in Game 4, dropping 25 points and 12 rebounds in an 8-point win for Philadelphia. Also contributing in a big way was De'Anthony Melton, who had 15 points off the bench. That proved crucial as Melton alone outscored the entire Nets bench combined and two Nets starters. Paul Reed also popped off for a double-double, putting up 10 points and 15 rebounds. James Harden completed a trio of Sixers double-doubles with 17 points and 11 assists. It wasn't the prettiest or flashiest performance, but it got the job. More importantly, it was a top-to-bottom team effort without Embiid leading the way.
In the end, it was the bench points that mattered most. Spencer Dinwiddie and Nic Claxton combined for 39 points, with Claxton also adding 12 rebounds. However, the Nets got just 11 points out of power forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale. Furthermore, the Nets' four-man bench put up just 13 points in total. It was a sad and disappointing end to a mediocre season for the Nets. However, they hold two late-first-round picks in June's draft, giving them plenty of versatility. As for the Sixers, they will face the winner of the Celtics-Hawks series. The Celtics currently lead that series 2-1, having dropped Game 3 to Atlanta on Friday.
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