Previewing the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets Series in the 2023 NBA Playoffs
The stage is set for the first-round playoff series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets in the 2023 NBA playoffs. The Sixers, who finished the regular season with a record of 54-28, added veterans De’Anthony Melton, P.J. Tucker, and Danuel House to reinforce their wing position during the offseason. On the other hand, the Nets began the season with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons, but they were swept from the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
The Sixers swept their regular-season series with the Nets, 4-0. However, their success in the playoffs will depend on whether they can meet playoff expectations. Joel Embiid has been an absolute force on both ends of the floor and is currently the odd-on MVP favorite. If he dominates, as he has for the last five months, the Nets really have no shot.
James Harden returned to form as an All-NBA caliber offensive maestro this season, averaging 21 points and a league-leading 10.7 assists per game. The Nets have a plethora of wings and shooters to surround primary option Mikal Bridges on a roster that is readymade for a superstar to elevate it into contention.
The Sixers have enough defensive options to patch the problem of featuring Harden and Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt. The series schedule includes seven games, with the first game on Saturday, April 15. BetMGM series odds favor the Sixers (9/1) over the Nets (6/1). Prediction: Sixers in six.
Daily Picks for NBA Postseason Games Provided by CBS Sports
CBS Sports will provide daily picks for all games during the NBA postseason. Sam Quinn will pick at least one game for each day until the NBA Finals.
The article provides picks for the Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics, New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, and Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings games.
In the first game between the Nets and Sixers, the article predicts a low-scoring game. Although the Nets have a plethora of wings and shooters, they ranked 26th in post-All-Star points per game, while the Sixers had a more efficient offense but played at a slow pace.
The article predicts the Boston Celtics to win against the Atlanta Hawks due to their ability to consistently switch defensively and the matchup problems they present for the Hawks.
The New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game is predicted to be unfavorable for the Knicks due to Julius Randle’s recent postseason history and the strong rim-protecting duo of Cavs’ Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors is predicted to struggle in Game 1 against the Sacramento Kings due to his minutes limit and a raucous crowd.
Schedule and Matchups for the 2023 NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoffs start on Saturday, April 15. All playoff series are best of seven, and higher seed holds homecourt advantage.
Winners of 1-8 and 4-5 matchups face off in the second round, along with the winners of the 2-7 and 3-6 matchups. The first-round matchups are as follows:
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks
No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers
No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors
No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
The schedules for each first-round series are provided, with dates, times (all times Central), and TV coverage.
As the excitement builds for the start of the NBA playoffs, fans can look forward to daily picks from CBS Sports and intriguing first-round matchups featuring top teams and players.
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