Credit: Jim O'Connor - US PRESSWIRE

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New Jersey Nets 105-87 to clinch a playoff spot in the final game for the Nets in New Jersey. Like most Sixers games, there was a balanced scoring act, few free throws, and a lack of turnovers. And like nearly every game against a bad team, the Sixers won by double digits.

There really isn’t much to see here, other than injuries. It wasn’t an enthralling game like the Indiana one. Jrue Holiday suffered some sort of laceration and nosebleed resulting from an inadvertent elbow from Sundiata Gaines in the second quarter of the game. And Andre Iguodala suffered a groin injury, of the especially painful variety, and was limping afterward while the Sixers had a 13 point lead with two minutes to play. Why he remained out there, I don’t know exactly. If the Nets made a comeback then put him back in; otherwise I would have yanked him immediately.

Actually, one more thing: Elton Brand had a superb game defending the rim. You would think someone at his age and size wouldn’t be an elite interior defender, but Brand has morphed into one this year. While he was given the luxury of defending the Johan Petro-es and Jordan Williams-es of the world, he took advantage by dissuading anyone from going near him, for fear of getting his shot blocked. Nikola Vucevic was the unfortunate loser in this equation, as he was forced to defend a smaller but faster Kris Humphries to start. Doug pulled him just over 2 minutes into the game, and he never returned. Lavoy Allen even started the second half – he played decently, but not much better than Nik would have.

The Sixers clinched a playoff spot with the victory, having a 3 game lead over Milwaukee with 2 games remaining. The next two games will serve as rest time for Iguodala, Brand, and Lou Williams, who Doug said will all rest on Wednesday and Thursday. Based on the condition of his face, I’d rest Holiday too, but it looks as if he’ll play just because we have so few perimeter options on the roster.

Credit: Joe Camporeale-US PRESSWIRE

1. Effort Level

I can pretty much copy-paste this until the end of the season. Will we try today or not? Fairly simple.

If the Sixers give an effort (not out of the question, given that they may want to avenge the ugly loss earlier this year to the Nets) they can win fairly easily. If not, well, we’ll have another stinker on our hands. Watch the defensive rotations and the responses to adversity – runs by the Nets or a bad foul call. I’m anticipating the players’ responses to these things will help illustrate where their minds are at.

2. New Jersey – a talented bad team

Since acquiring Gerald Wallace (who unfortunately for NJ is now injured – he’ll miss tonight’s game), the Nets have been a decent team, if not a playoff team. But with Deron Williams, Wallace, and Kris Humphries plus an assortment of wing players, New Jersey wasn’t playing bad basketball. If Brook Lopez was healthy and this roster stayed together for the full year, it could easily be a playoff team. I’d posit that they have more talent when healthy than the Sixers do.

We all know how good Williams can be – he carried the Nets in Philly for the first matchup – and with some weapons around him he can be dangerous. Stopping Williams will be the key, because if he gets everyone else involved this can get ugly, quickly. Everyone else can help when he plays well. When he doesn’t, it’s a struggle. Jrue Holiday will have the primary assignment – let’s see how he does, as his defense has been up and down recently.

3. Not the only remaining game – looking forward

The Sixers and Nets have 3 games remaining, including tonight’s. The roster for New Jersey could change drastically, with injuries and not competing for anything and whatnot. But the schemes, defenses, coaching will all remain the same. Getting familiar with what New Jersey’s strengths and weaknesses are – for example, they shoot a crapton of threes (2nd behind Orlando for most attempts) and aren’t much of a defensive team (29th in defensive efficiency) – will be useful for this team if they make a playoff run.

Whether they want to make a playoff run or not, however, is a bigger question than anything.