NBA Playoffs 2019: Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets series preview

The field is set for the 2019 NBA Playoffs which begin on Sunday.

NBA.com is your destination for complete coverage of every series from now through the end of the NBA Finals.

Series Schedule

Here is the schedule for the series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets which begins on Sunday.

Recapping the season series

Result: They split the season series 2-2

Best game: November 25, 76ers 127 def Nets 125

The Sixers fought their way back from a 102-89 deficit heading into the fourth quarter, outscoring the Nets 38-23 in the final period to snatch the W on the road. 

It took a Jimmy Butler game-winning three to give the Sixers a 127-125 victory, capping off a huge night for Butler, who recorded 34 points on 11-of-20 shooting and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. He added 12 rebounds, four steals and two assists on a night where D'Angelo Russell scored 38 points and Spencer Dinwiddie 31 for the Nets.

Best performance: Joel Embiid - 39 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals on March 29.

Shoutout to Dinwiddie and Russell who both enjoyed big scoring nights against the Sixers this season, but Joel Embiid's 39-point performance in the final game of the regular season stands out the most. 

Embiid is a matchup nightmare for most teams and while Jarrett Allen has proven he can match it with the best bigs at the rim, when Embiid gets going like this, attacking the paint and getting to the free throw line, good luck slowing him down. 

The All-Star big man holds the keys to this series, after dominating the Nets in all four games this season, recording a double-double in each game as he averaged 30 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. 

Per NBA.com, with Embiid off the floor during their four regular season games, the Nets outscored the Sixers by 40 points in 58 minutes!

Key storyline: Have Philly developed enough chemistry?

The Sixers have had plenty of roster turnover this season, adapting on the fly and still managing to win 51 games.

Chemistry has always been the big question mark, integrating two big pieces in Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris into their new-look starting five and although Harris' game fits seamlessly into the Sixers lineup, he has had his struggles of late shooting the ball. 

While Harris has played 27 games for the Sixers, the starting unit of Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid has only appeared in 10 games together. 

The good news is, they were 8-2 in those games, including wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics.

With the rotations shorter in the post-season, the Sixers will rely on this starting unit more than ever. At their best they have the potential to be one of the best 5-man units in the post-season, but have they had enough time to get on the same page ahead of the business end of the season?

3 Players to Watch

D'Angelo Russell: Russell has enjoyed a breakout year, leading the Nets in scoring and assists, but will he be able to maintain that level of play in the post-season? The Nets are a deep team and have plenty of options to turn to, but Russell's ability to create shots for himself and his teammates will be their key to victory.

Tobias Harris: Harris could emerge as the real x-factor for the Sixers if he can get his swagger back from beyond the arc. Over his last 11 games of the regular season, he shot just 22.9 percent from the three-point line, way down from his 39.7 percent average for the season. Prior to arriving in Philly, Harris was connecting on 43.4 percent of his threes with the Clippers. 

Ben Simmons: The Aussie has developed into one of the best defenders at his position and given the strong play of D'Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie this season, they will need him at his best, fighting through screens and disrupting their offence. Simmons' size presents an instant mismatch and if he can keep the Nets guards quiet, life will be much easier for Philly.

Fast Facts

- The Sixers fate lies in the health of Joel Embiid. In the 18 games he missed this season, they went 8-10, with their defence struggling in his absence.

- This will be the first time the Nets and Sixers have met in the playoffs since 1984 and just the third time ever.

-  Spencer Dinwiddie gave the Sixers the most problems this season, averaging 23.8 points, 5.5 assists and 2 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game. He shot the ball at a ridiculous 57.7 percent from the field and  61.1 percent from deep (11-of-18).