Ben Simmons and crew showed up as Philly scored 51 points in the third.
Philadelphia was the desperate team, Ben Simmons included. But Simmons’ aggressiveness was the difference in Game 2. He drove the ball, and the Nets had no answers.
Simmons controlled the game. Harris and Reddick did their jobs, and the Nets got blitzed.
In the third, Brooklyn was outscored 51-23. It was back to earth for the New York team, outscored 80-59 in the second half, as the 76ers rolled to a 145-123 win.
Philly had a great night shooting the ball (56.1%), and Simmons notched a triple-double–18 points, ten boards, and 12 assists. Harris scored 19, Reddick dropped in 17, and Embiid added 23 points with ten boards.
The game plan for the Nets was to play off of Ben Simmons on the defensive side of the ball. But Ben quickly realized that he could use strength to his advantage.
I expect Brooklyn to learn from Game 2 and play a lot better in tonight’s Game 3. Perhaps the most significant thing in its favor will be the home crowd. There’s pent-up energy after waiting so long for a game like this. Expect fans to be loud and exuberant as can be.
On the court, watch to see if Nets’ guards can bounce back from the adversity they experienced in Game 2. For Philly, Embiid’s health is an issue. He has been wearing a knee brace, and that’s not a good sign–for the playoffs or his career.
I see the Sixers winning, 120-116.
