3 things the Philadelphia 76ers can learn from loss to Brooklyn Nets
It’s fair to write that heading the March 10, 2022 matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets was the most important regular season game for the Sixers. There are so many layers to that statement.
It was a return of Ben Simmons after the trade despite him not suiting up. It was also the return of Seth Curry and Andre Drummond. The Nets could be a potential playoff matchup. It was also a battle of star duos with James Harden and Joel Embiid for Philly and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for Brooklyn.
Yet despite all those factors, the Sixers dropped the ball and lost in spectacular fashion. The Nets routed the 76ers 129-100. The Nets had control of this matchup pretty early in this game and never let go of it.
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This game’s outcome was certainly was disappointing, but there are at least three lessons that can be learned from this matchup as well.
3 things the Philadelphia 76ers can learn from loss to Nets: They don’t have enough defense
Let’s be frank, the Sixers don’t have the perimeter defenders to even slow down the Nets. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had their way with the 76ers. Sadly, Philly could offer little resistance to slow them down.
“It’s true that the Philadelphia 76ers have an All-Defensive in Matisse Thybulle, but he couldn’t even slow down the dynamic duo of stars on the Nets.”
Durant had 25 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists, while shooting 10-17 from the field and 3-6 from deep. Irving finished with 22 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while converting 8-17 shots from the floor and 5-11 of his 3-pointers.
It’s true that the Philadelphia 76ers have an All-Defensive player in Matisse Thybulle, but he couldn’t even slow down the dynamic duo of stars on the Nets. However, he was switched back and forth between the two stars too often which clearly didn’t work.
The good news is that the Sixers were without Danny Green and Tyrese Maxey has shown some skill on that end so they should help. Sadly, this seems to be the group of players that the 76ers have going into the postseason which means long nights if they match up against Brooklyn.