Following a 121-101 victory over the sixth-seeded Brooklyn Nets in Game 1, the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers (-10.5) look to take a 2-0 series lead on Monday night (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT). In their 20-point series-opening win on Saturday afternoon, the 76ers were lethal from behind the arc, connecting on 21-of-43 three-point attempts (48.8 percent), with guard James Harden splashing in a game-high seven threes. The Nets also shot the three-ball at an efficient clip (44.8 percent), but their perimeter defense couldn't quite contain the 76ers' elite cast of floor spacers.
Speaking of Harden, the ex-Net was in his bag from deep, draining seven-of-13 three-point attempts. Relative to his usual self, MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid didn't have a huge game, but he still added 26 points on seven-of-15 shooting from the floor. Brooklyn sent a heavy dose of double teams his way, but Embiid was content with finding the open man while forcing the Nets' defense to rotate soundly, something they struggled to do.
Brooklyn never held a lead and committed 20 turnovers, resulting in 31 points for Philadelphia. After falling down 1-0, the Nets series price shifted from +600 at opening to a +900 price after Game 1. The betting market's not expecting the Nets to make adjustments in Game 2, pricing them as +10.5-point underdogs.
The lone bright spot for Brooklyn outside their efficient three-point shooting output was the play of wing Mikal Bridges, who scored a game-high 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting. Even though Bridges did his part and carried the Nets' offense, they still couldn't keep it close, which points to a four-or-five-game first-round series win for the 76ers.
Can the Nets put together a two-way effort en route to an upset road win, or will the 76ers cruise to a 2-0 series lead? Below, we'll break down Monday night's 76ers-Nets matchup, giving our prediction and best bets for the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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76ers vs. Nets odds, picks, predictions
- Spread: 76ers -10.5 (-105); Nets +10.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: OVER 212.5 (-115); UNDER 212.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: 76ers -500; Nets +375
Philadelphia's once again priced as multi-possession favorites in Game 2, as the betting market wasn't impressed with the Nets' defensive effort in Game 1. Even though Brooklyn ended Game 1 with a higher overall field goal percentage (55.7 percent), it's an uphill battle to win games in today's NBA when your opponent makes 20-plus threes.
Sure, chances are James Harden won't shoot 54 percent from deep on 13-plus attempts tonight, but a 76ers bunch that finished the regular season third in offensive rating (117) has plenty of other ways to put pressure on the Nets' defense. Harden's backcourt mate, Tyrese Maxey, attempted just eight shots on Saturday and is almost a shoo-in to hoist 10-plus shots in Game 2. Maxey's averaged over 15 field goal attempts per game this season, and if the Nets attempt to show Harden different looks on the perimeter, it could lead to Maxey being the 76ers leading scorer this time around.
On the defensive end, Philadelphia's ability to switch one through five will make it tough for Brooklyn to generate consistent offense, as it's unlikely the Nets shoot 55 percent from the field for a second consecutive game. Philadelphia was also fairly sound in its defensive rotations, but Cam Johnson (seven-of-11 FG), Spencer Dinwiddie (five-of-12 FG), and Mikal Bridges managed to consistently hit tough shots.
We're not sure Jacque Vaughn's bunch is capable of making the necessary adjustments —or will even make adjustments — to give the Sixers a run for their money tonight. We do think Philadelphia's eighth-rated defense finds a way to hold the Nets to a poor shooting output, though, resulting in another comfortable win for the Sixers.
Prediction: 76ers 113, Nets 102. The 76ers (-10.5) cover the spread, with the game going OVER the total (212.5)
Best player prop bet for 76ers vs. Nets: Joel Embiid OVER 3.5 assists (+105)
With the Nets likely to double Embiid at a high clip, we think the big man dishes out four-plus assists tonight. Embiid has a reliable cast of shotmakers alongside him, which we're hoping results in a high-assist game for the soon-to-be MVP. He also recorded three assists in Game 1, but the ball wasn't in his hands as much with Harden feeling it. Given Harden sees some shooting regression come his way tonight, less iso-ball from the 76ers' guard should lend itself to Embiid seeing more touches. At +105 (implied probability: 48.78 percent), we think there's closer to a 55-percent chance Embiid records four assists, giving us a slight edge here.
