![]() The Nets scored just 15 points on 23 fourth-quarter possessions, with the most damaging trip being the one following that Maxey 3. But Maxey took advantage by stepping into a pull-up 3, and Bridges was just a little too slow to react: And with Nets coach Jacque Vaughn basically trusting only six guys in his rotation, it requires a ton of energy with a high minutes load.Īfter the Nets took a five-point lead with a little more than two minutes left, Embiid set a dummy-ish screen for Maxey, and Bridges seemed to be waiting for Maxey to get the ball to Embiid in the high post. In addition to requiring precision and trust, the Nets’ defensive game plan requires a ton of energy. On the very next possession, O’Neale bit for an Embiid pass fake and couldn’t get back to Georges Niang before he drained an open corner 3. When Embiid swung the ball to De’Anthony Melton, Royce O’Neale rotated behind Johnson, but Johnson didn’t commit to Melton, who had an open lane to the rim: On the Sixers’ first possession of the game-deciding fourth quarter, Mikal Bridges was ready with the double-team before Embiid even caught the ball, leaving Cam Johnson alone with two Sixers on the left side of the floor. But you have to be sharp with your rotations, and every defender has to trust the guy behind him. So, while they don’t have an individual who can make things tough on Embiid, they’re built about as well as any team to scramble out of double-teams. In trading Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the Nets assembled an ensemble of long and mobile defenders. Harden will often stop the ball and allow the defense to recover and reset:īut Maxey usually goes quick, making it difficult for a defender to contain him after making a rotation: And while the James Harden-Embiid pick-and-roll has been a terrific weapon for the Sixers over the last 14 months, Tyrese Maxey may be the best complement for Embiid in these situations. There were occasions when Embiid still looked for his own shot, but for the most part, he passed out of the double-team, forcing the Nets to scramble. As was the case in Games 1 and 2, the Nets double-teamed the big man almost every time he touched the ball, even if he was 25 feet from the basket: Really, the Nets also put pressure on themselves with their game plan against Embiid. Here’s a look at how Embiid’s presence on the floor made things difficult on the Nets’ defense. And that pressure is a big reason why the Sixers came away with a 102-97 victory on Thursday to take a 3-0 series lead. ![]() He got to the line for just five free throw attempts after totaling 19 through the first two games, and he had three more turnovers (5) than assists (2).īut even when he wasn’t scoring, Embiid was putting tremendous pressure on the Brooklyn defense. On the surface, Game 3 of the first round series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets was not a good offensive game for Kia MVP finalist Joel Embiid, who scored just 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting. ![]() Joel Embiid managed to pressure the Nets throughout Game 3 despite an off shooting night in Brooklyn.
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