Sixers vs Nets Game 2 Preview

After a dominating game one victory, the Sixers will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Nets. The Sixers were able to ride multiple different contributors to win in game one, but a different formula may be needed in game two.

The Nets strategy in game one was to double team Embiid as soon as he touched the ball and let the other players on the Sixers beat them. Luckily for the Sixers, they have James Harden and some good shooting role players, so tonight may show different game plan for the Nets. The Sixers offense has somewhat struggled against zone defense this season, and the Nets have the length to be able to play zone, which could give the Sixers some problems.

Another choice they may make is to let Embiid get his shots and attempt to shut down the rest of the Sixers’ offense. This has been the Boston Celtics approach with the Sixers for years, and it has worked well. As we saw in game one, Embiid had a lot of success with handling the double team and finding the open man. While he did not have many assists, he had a lot of “hockey assists”. This is something that Embiid has struggled with in the past but has obviously worked on. As a result, the Sixers made 21 three-pointers in game one. If the Nets decide to let Embiid go, he’ll be productive, but the Sixers’ shooters will be more contested. If the Nets choose that route, other players will need to step up the way they did in game two. While they will not score as many points, their three-point shooting has to be similar.

Game two can be a huge swing game for a series. The Nets mindset is to get one in Philly and come home tied, especially since they’re the underdog. The Sixers need to make another statement tonight and head to Brooklyn with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Tonight’s game tips off at 7:30pm ET and can be viewed on NBC Sports Philadelphia and TNT. Live updates will be available on Philly Sports’ Reports Twitter page.