 and from a PR perspective after he criticized fans for booing during a game the Sixers were never really in. He backtracked the next day at practice and never gave another 20,591 fans a chance to do anything but roar in approval in Game 2. Simmons flashed the All-Star form that helped lead the Sixers to 51 wins, and was aggressive from tipoff. He used his size and speed to attack the lane and scored 16 points in the half - and then put the game away in the third.The Sixers busted the game open with a 14-0 run to start the second half and then stretched the lead to 20 on a Simmons steal and fastbreak basket. With a packed house standing, Simmons got a massive ovation when he cupped his hand to his right ear just like Iverson did in his prime.Iverson and former Sixers teammate Dikembe Mutombo attended the game and tossed T-shirts into the crowd.Had Mutombo played in this one, the Nets surely would have received one of his signature finger wags.The Nets collapsed in the second half, outplayed and overmatched much as expected by pundits and bookmakers (they were 7.5-point Game 2 underdogs).''We expect a haymaker,'' Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game. ''We know it's coming. They're too good, too talented. too well coached. It's coming. It's going to be how we react.'' Not well.Joel Embiid shook off another game-time decision to play through tendinitis in his left knee and delivered after a sluggish Game 1. Embiid scored 13 points in the third as the Sixers raced to a 29-point lead.On a minutes restriction, Embiid had some unexpected help from popular backup Boban Marjanovic. He scored 14 points in the first half (only Simmons had more with 16) and let the Sixers find a comfort level on offense with Embiid out for long stretches.''This is just the path we're on with Joel,'' coach Brett Brown said. ''There is zero doubt he is our crown jewel.'' Embiid was whistled for a flagrant foul for throwing an elbow late in the half and the Sixers nursing a 65-64 lead. The Nets made 10 of 23 3s to stay in the game and keep a second straight upset in sight.He had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Marjanovic scored 16.Embiid played ball boy and had the crowd laughing when he hopped off the bench to wipe off a basketball.The Sixers mopped the floor with the Nets.The Nets head home for Games 3 and 4 certainly grateful for a split and at least a half of good basketball before the Sixers picked them apart. Spencer Dinwiddie led the Nets with 19 points and D'Angelo Russell had 16.TIP-INSNets: C Jared Dudley sat out with tightness in his right calf.76ers: Mutombo, who helped lead the Sixers to the 2001 finals, rang the ceremonial bell. Iverson moved from his courtside seat to a suite to sit with actor Jamie Foxx.UP NEXTThe series shifts to Barclays Center for Game 3 Thursday night and Game 4 Saturday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Apr 14, 2019Back in the postseason for the first time since 2015, the Brooklyn Nets defended well, produced plenty of offense and flustered the Philadelphia 76ers at times in Game 1.On Monday night in Philadelphia, the sixth-seeded Nets look to follow up a strong performance while the third-seeded Sixers hope to bounce back and level the Eastern Conference first-round series.A Nets win would mark the first time they went up 2-0 in a series since sweeping the New York Knicks in the opening round of the 2004 postseason.The 76ers are trying to avoid falling behind 2-0 in a first-round series when they are the higher seed for the second time in team history.Both teams are in this position after what unfolded in Brooklyn's 111-102 win on Saturday afternoon.D'Angelo Russell started slowly by missing 12 of his first 15 shots but led the Nets with 26 points. Caris LeVert helped the Nets outscore Philadelphia's reserves by a 59-26 margin by adding 23 points."We weren't rattled," said Nets coach Kenny Atkinson. "You're afraid with this crowd, and the team they have, that they're going to knock you out of the box quick. I thought that we kind of took a couple of punches from them, took a couple of runs and still kept our composure. That's big progress for us. Like I said before, earlier in the season, we just wouldn't have the composure to close a game like that out." While Philadelphia got 36 points from Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid scored a quiet 22 by missing 10 of 15 shots. Not helping matters for Philadelphia was its other three starters -- Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick -- were non-factors, combining for 18 points on 8 of 23 shooting.Embiid's health is a key storyline for the Sixers.Because of the lingering left knee tendinitis that kept Embiid out of 14 of the final 24 regular-season games, it was unknown if he would play before the opening tip-off. Then when the Nets used Jared Dudley at center, Embiid became frustrated at the physicality and picked up a technical foul in the first quarter."We've got to -- I think, we've got to be extremely physical," Embiid said. "Hopefully, I'll feel better and gain a couple more of my athletic abilities so I can be down on the block, but that's got to start just be physical starting with me. Jimmy did a great job today attacking. We couldn't back him up so Monday we've got to do a better job." Depth turned out to be a significant difference in Game 1.Four Brooklyn reserves played at least 20 minutes, which helped when starting center Jarrett Allen picked up two early fouls and was limited to 9 1/2 minutes. The 76ers played one reserve for more than 20 minutes."We're trying to find participants outside of Joel, who we really weren't sure was going to play. It didn't happen tonight," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. "We have to get better and find a way to change some things to win." --Field Level Media
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