The Brooklyn Nets trailed the Philadelphia 76ers by 17 points at halftime, with a score of 47-64. Let's take a look at the scoring situation for both teams at halftime.
For the Nets, Zha Wei scored 11 points, Claxton had 8 points and 4 rebounds, Johnson contributed 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, Russell added 5 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals, Sharp had 3 points, Ovom had 3 points, and T. Martin scored 8 points.
On the 76ers side, Caleb Martin had 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, Embiid scored 17 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists, George contributed 14 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, Maxey had 6 points and 5 assists, and Drummond added 6 points and 4 rebounds.
In terms of overall strength, the 76ers are clearly the stronger team. They are aiming for a championship, despite their current poor record. The three superstars are still in the process of building chemistry, and it is expected that they will go on a winning streak to improve their standings.
The Nets, on the other hand, have taken a different approach. They have traded away all their capable players. This is because the Nets had an excellent start to the season, which did not align with the team's long-term interests. Therefore, they successively traded away Schroder and others.
Facing the 76ers in this game, the Nets surprisingly started with an 11-0 run, excelling on both offense and defense. However, this was not sustainable.
Subsequently, the Nets experienced a scoring drought, only managing to score 19 points in the entire first quarter. Meanwhile, the 76ers found their rhythm and began to play smoothly.
In fact, the 76ers are inherently a very strong team. Once they started to exert themselves, it was normal for the Nets to struggle to respond, as it was not intentional on the part of the players.
At the end of the first quarter, the Nets were down by ten points, with a score of 19-29.
In the second quarter, the Nets showed some improvement on offense, but it was only slightly better. In the last two or three minutes of this quarter, the Nets made four consecutive turnovers, mostly low-level mistakes like passes that were easily intercepted by the opposition.
Such turnovers can be very demoralizing.
Russell, the Nets' new addition, started today. He played well in his previous two games, but today he didn't attempt many shots and made numerous turnovers. It seemed like he was experiencing some discomfort in his legs. During the first quarter break, Russell received treatment on the sidelines. It is hoped that there is no serious issue, otherwise, he should not rush back into action and should prioritize resolving any potential problems.
At the start of the third quarter, the 76ers launched a 12-5 run, expanding their lead to over 20 points. This victory seems secure, right?
Of course, for the Nets, the outcome of this game is completely acceptable.
The Nets' offense was inconsistent and lacked continuity.
The 76ers, however, were not going to hold back. Embiid had a good game today, wearing an uncomfortable mask but demonstrating remarkable ability to draw fouls and not shying away from physical contact.
George and Maxey also performed well. With such a substantial lead, they didn't need to exert themselves fully, conserving energy for upcoming games.
At the end of the third quarter, the 76ers led the Nets by 25 points, with a score of 91-66. Embiid had already accumulated 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists in the first three quarters.
It is worth noting that Russell did not play in the second half, with the official announcement being that Russell had withdrawn due to injury.
It must be said again that everyone on the Nets now has the opportunity to play. The starters are frequently sidelined due to injuries, and even the players at the end of the bench are getting playing time. If Xiao Cui hadn't suffered an injury, he might have been able to occasionally get on the court to find his form. What a pity!
In the fourth quarter, Embiid and George rested on the sidelines while Maxey took charge of the team, engaging with the Nets.
After playing for half a quarter, the 76ers replaced Maxey, leaving only substitute players on the court.
The game was no longer in doubt. The Nets let loose, actually reducing the point difference to within 20 points at one stage.
However, it was just a fleeting moment. The Nets fell into another scoring drought, failing to score for two consecutive minutes.
The 76ers responded with a scoring spree, widening the gap once again.
Ultimately, the 76ers comfortably defeated the Nets with a score of 123-94.
For the entire game, the 76ers' players scored as follows: Caleb Martin with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists; Yabusele with 3 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals; Embiid with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists; George with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals; Maxey with 18 points and 7 assists; Lowry with 5 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals; Edwards with 11 points and 5 rebounds; Reggie with 8 points; Concel with 4 points and 4 rebounds; Drummond with 6 points and 4 rebounds; and Bona with 6 points and 3 rebounds.
The Nets' players scored as follows: Zha Wei with 19 points and 3 rebounds; Wilson with 11 points and 4 rebounds; Claxton with 10 points and 5 rebounds; Johnson with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists; Russell with 5 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals; T. Martin with 16 points and 5 rebounds; and Sharp with 5 points and 5 rebounds.
After the game ended, Maxey remained friendly, heading towards the Nets' bench to embrace and greet the opposing players, chatting and laughing.
Embiid, however, would not come over. After all, there is Simmons on the Nets' bench, and their brotherly relationship has long since broken down. There would be no embraces or greetings between them.