With the NBA in an indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19, we continue our day-by-day look back at the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. We continue down our path into Sixers history every day as we look to fill the void left by the absence of basketball.
This one takes us back just a year as the Sixers hosted the Brooklyn Nets in Game 5 of their playoff series. After dropping Game 1 at home, the Sixers were in complete control as they led the series 3-1 and it appeared that the Nets were defeated. Joel Embiid and the rest of the team smelled blood and they wanted to take care of business in this one to get the job done quickly.
April 23, 2019
The Nets were certainly defeated early. The Sixers jumped and pounced on them early as they built a large 24-point lead and Brooklyn just did not have the will to fight anymore. Embiid was bullying in the post, he was knocking down shots from deep, and he and the Sixers ran away with this one 122-100.
Embiid finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, Ben Simmons had 13 points, six assists, and five rebounds, Tobias Harris had 12 points and eight rebounds, JJ Redick and James Ennis III had 11 points each, and Jonathon Simmons had 10. The Sixers got a big effort out of the entire team and it helped them get to the semifinals.
Afterward, Embiid was feeling confident as he told reporters:
We think we can win it all.
Even though the Sixers took Game 5 easily to move on to the next round, this series was closer than expected. The Nets shocked everybody by winning Game 1 on the road and they had a chance to win Game 4 at home before Mike Scott made a clutch triple late. It was an impressive response by Philadelphia to get this one done. [lawrence-related id=29886,29864,29858]