Following the Brooklyn Nets 96-84 loss to Philadelphia on Monday night, the team now trails 2-0 in the series. Heading back home to Brooklyn, it will be tough for Jacque Vaughn’s squad to climb their way back into the series, but it has been done before.
Brooklyn falls to 0-2 in the series
Although the final score doesn’t show it, the Nets put up a much better fight against the No. 3 seeded 76ers. Brooklyn caught Philly by surprise in the first half with a mixture of defensive schemes. The Nets entered halftime with the lead and looked poised to potentially steal a game on the road.
Nevertheless, the Doc Rivers-led Sixers adjusted in the second half and found ways to get Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey going. Philadelphia outscored Brooklyn 52-35 in the second half as the Nets offense once again stalled.
The Nets managed to force 19 Philly turnovers compared to their nine, but the Sixers dominance rebounding the basketball gave the 76ers plenty of second-chance efforts. The No. 3 seed outrebounded Brooklyn 56-33 along with 13 offensive rebounds. A tough task to overcome for the Nets if they continue to allow multiple opportunities to a high-powered offense.
In the loss, Brooklyn’s offense struggled outside of Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges. Johnson led the team with 28 points on 11/19 shooting, including five three-pointers and a monster poster dunk. Bridges put together an all-around game with 21 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. If the team hopes to fight their way back into the series, they’ll need more contributions from their supporting cast.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 18, 2023
Now as the Nets head home to Brooklyn, the team will be faced with adversity to get themselves back in the series. Fortunately, adversity is nothing new for the organization. Although only 7.2% of teams have recovered after falling behind 0-2 in a playoff series, the Nets look to defy the odds. Brooklyn’s young squad is not one to give up, and they look to prove that despite the uphill climb.