The Nets control their own destiny; who should Brooklyn expect to play in round one?
By John Canady
With the Brooklyn Nets one win away from clinching a playoff berth, it’s good to get an idea of who the team may play. As the first round of playoffs quickly approaches, Brooklyn is fortunate enough to control their own destiny.
After the Nets victory on Wednesday night over the Pistons, Brooklyn’s magic number to clinch the sixth seed in the East is down to one. If the Nets manage to clinch the sixth seed, the team’s fate is already decided past that point.
Who will the Nets play if they clinch the No. 6 seed?
The Philadelphia 76ers have already clinched the No. 3 seed in the East, and with that, if the Nets manage to grab the No. 6 seed, they will arguably have one of the most difficult first-round opponents of any other team.
Reminder: The 76ers are locked into the 3-seed ahead of their matchup with Miami tonight.
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) April 6, 2023
The Nets control their own destiny with one more win, but Philly has an opportunity to lock Brooklyn in as their first-round opponent, if that's their preference, with a win tonight.
Philly has found a successful recipe behind their duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden. Outside of those two playmakers, President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey and General Manager Elton Brand have done a great job of providing a supporting cast to surround them. The addition of Jalen McDaniels at the trade deadline was one of the more underrated in-season acquisitions.
This 76ers team has championship aspirations and will do all they can to make a run to the NBA Finals. With the Sixers eyes on the prize, Nets fans should expect a tough series if their team manages to clinch the No. 6 seed with two games left in the regular season.
Fortunately for Brooklyn, their young squad has shown a willingness to play up to the competition. In the Nets last battle with the 76ers, Mikal Bridges and company took Philly down to the wire before ultimately losing a tough matchup 101-98.
Ironically, the Nets final game of the season is a home game against the 76ers. If the Sixers elect to not sit their starters, Brooklyn will have an opportunity to see how they measure up against their potential first-round opponent.
However, Brooklyn still has to win one more game for this first-round showdown to happen. As the team looks to clinch a playoff berth in their final two games, it’s time to prepare for what could be a tough postseason run.