Christopher Kline
In a top-heavy Eastern Conference, the Nets always posed Philadelphia’s biggest potential threat outside the top five. On paper, D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris can wreak havoc on a Sixers defense that lacks cohesion.
Even with clear shortcomings, however, the Sixers enter the series as significant favorites. Dare I say the Sixers are favorites even if Embiid misses time. Depth remains an issue, but talent should win out to some degree in the postseason. The Sixers have talent to spare.
If Embiid suits up, the Sixers have a bonafide top-10 player at the helm. If he doesn’t, the Sixers still have four 17+ points per game scorers, three of whom are All-Star caliber talents. The other, J.J. Redick, is among the NBA’s best three-point shooters.
When all five starters play, the Sixers are 8-2 this season. Taking Embiid out would cause some issues, but even so, the firepower should be too much for the Nets to handle. Especially given the lack of collective experience in Brooklyn.
Jimmy Butler has been conserving energy all season. One would expect someone with his pedigree to step up, especially if Embiid is out. Brett Brown has been adamant in propping up Jimmy’s confidence, so it’s bound to shine through at some point. It’s not a bad matchup for Tobias Harris either.
The Nets are a good team who can cause issues for the Sixers, but outside D’Angelo Russell, there’s no real All-Star talent on the roster. Even Russell was a questionable selection by some standards. Brooklyn is on the rise, but isn’t quite on Philadelphia’s level yet.
Prediction: Sixers in 5