Brooklyn Nets: 3 favorable factors in 1st-round meeting with 76ers

2. Dinwiddie was the man against Sixers

D’Angelo Russell put up solid numbers — just about in line with his season averages — in four games against the Philadelphia 76ers this season, averaging 21.0 points, 7.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game, while shooting 47.4 percent overall.

He only hit 28.6 percent on 5.3 3-pointers per game, however, going 6-for-21.

But Russell was not the leading scorer for the Brooklyn Nets against the 76ers this season.

No, that honor went to backup point guard Spencer Dinwiddie. The Sixth Man of the Year candidate torched Philadelphia to the tune of 23.8 points, 5.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game, shooting 57.7 percent overall and banging down 11-of-18 from deep (61.1 percent).

Those totals were buoyed by Dinwiddie’s career-high 39 points in Brooklyn’s win at Philadelphia on Dec. 12, but the five-year veteran also scored 31 points in the Nets’ come-from-ahead loss to the 76ers at Barclays Center on Nov. 5 and dished eight assists in Brooklyn’s blowout win on Nov. 4.

The concern with Dinwiddie is how he staggered to the finish line. Over the final 11 games of the season, Dinwiddie averaged 12.8 points — well below his season average of 16.8– 3.1 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game.

He shot just 33.3 percent and was a ghastly 19.4 percent on 5.6 3-point attempts per game.

That finish pulled his final shooting numbers for the season down to 44.2 percent overall and 33.5 percent from long range on 5.4 attempts a night.

But Dinwiddie has lit up the 76ers often this season, in part because the 76ers struggle against the pick-and-roll, something Dinwiddie excels at.

Sixers coach Brett Brown is aware of the problem, per the New York Post.

"“We don’t match up well. [They’re] dangerous. Completely dangerous. They have a bunch of players who can play out of a live ball or a pick-and-roll. And where do I assess where we’re weak? Where do I need the most help? It’s pick-and-roll defense.”"

The Nets lit up Philadelphia for 117.2 points per 100 possessions, the best of any team in the Eastern Conference against the 76ers.

Brooklyn’s ability to get into the paint with Dinwiddie, Russell and Caris LeVert could go a long way toward propelling the Nets toward a first-round upset.