Philadelphia 76ers roundtable: First round series predictions vs. Brooklyn Nets

Our staff gives predictions for the impending Philadelphia 76ers-Brooklyn Nets series, which will kick off the 2019 NBA Playoffs.

Imagine telling someone a few years ago the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets would be meeting in the NBA Playoffs in 2019. There have been intriguing rebuilds on both sides, with the Sixers nailing high draft picks and the Nets taking a more grassroots approach. It all leads into Saturday afternoon.

At 2:30 PM E.T., the Sixers and Nets will kick off the 2019 NBA Playoffs in the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers enter the series as prohibitive favorites, but still face a formidable challenge in Brooklyn’s guard-centric attack.

The first-round schedule is below, with times for games one through four already in place. It’s the normal 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning the Sixers start — and, if it goes seven games, end — the series in Philadelphia. That could prove important, especially if Joel Embiid misses time.

With the Sixers looking to take another step forward in this year’s postseason, our staff penned analysis (and predictions) for the forthcoming battle. You can also read about the Nets’ strengths and weaknesses or five things to watch for.