The Brooklyn Nets host the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center on Saturday for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. Brooklyn is down 0-3 in the series and is looking to prevent getting swept and extend the series.
In Game 1, it was clear that Brooklyn wanted to make someone other than 76ers center Joel Embiid beat them. The Nets sent double-teams Embiid’s way whenever he touched the ball, but Philadelphia was able to find a way to beat that strategy and find other players to take advantage of the doubling. That led to the 76ers making a franchise playoff-record 21 three-pointers with 76ers guard James Harden making seven of them. Philadelphia won 121-101.
In Game 2, Philadelphia won on Monday 96-84, it was a game that encapsulated a tale of two halves for Brooklyn. The Nets won the first half 49-44 because of how well Cam Johnson was playing (finished the game with 28 points, 22 points in the first half) and how poor Philadelphia was playing on offense. However, the Nets scored just 35 points in the second half and no one other than Mikal Bridges (21 points) has been able to step up in the scoring department to help out.
In Game 3, Philadelphia won on Thursday 102-97, both teams were getting chippy throughout the contest. Nic Claxton and Joel Embiid got into it on multiple occasions, including a controversial kick from Embiid to Claxton that had social media buzzing. Embiid eventually received a flagrant one foul along with being hobbled for most of the game while 76ers teammate James Harden was ejected with a flagrant two foul for where he hit Nets forward Royce O’Neale. Brooklyn took control of the game in the third quarter only to let the game slip away in the fourth quarter thanks to Tyrese Maxey balling out for Philadelphia.
Here’s when and where you can tune in to see the matchup: