How To Watch NBA Playoffs First-Round: Nets at 76ers Game 1
The 2022-23 NBA regular season has come to an end and with the Play-In Tournament coming to an end, it is officially time for the playoffs to begin!
On Saturday afternoon, the first-round series between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers will begin, as the two teams will meet in Philadelphia for Game 1.
Two division rivals meeting in the first-round this season, the 76ers and Nets truly have no love lost between one another. Although the rivalry may have settled down slightly with Kevin Durant being in Phoenix and Kyrie Irving being in Dallas, the one thing we do know is that the Philadelphia faithful will be bringing the heat all series long!
The Sixers enter this series after finishing the regular season 54-28, the third-best record in the entire NBA. Joel Embiid could very well be named the league’s MVP in a matter of weeks and James Harden continues to be a headache for opposing defenses given the fact that led the league in assists per game.
Having everyone healthy, the 76ers are a very formidable team that has high title aspirations.
Entering the year, the Nets were the same way, but they have taken a step back with Durant and Irving gone. Mikal Bridges has stepped up and is budding into a young star for the Nets out on the wing though and Spencer Dinwiddie continues to contribute in his role as a true floor general.
Just because they do not have the starpower the Sixers do does not mean the Nets are not capable of pulling off a big upset in the postseason! This is a team with a lot of options to turn to offensively and on defense, they can really suffocate their opponents.
Can Brooklyn pull off a shocking Game 1 victory on Saturday or will the 76ers hold strong in front of their fans?
Here's how to watch Saturday’s game, with game time and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.
How to watch Nets vs. 76ers
WHO: Brooklyn Nets (0-0) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (0-0)
WHAT: 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs: First-Round, Game 1
WHEN: 1:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 15
WHERE: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
TV: ESPN
Key Stats & Facts For Nets vs. 76ers
- The Nets and 76ers faced off four times during the regular season with the 76ers winning all four games, outscoring the Nets by 45 points.
- The 76ers finished the regular season ranking 4th in offensive rating and 8th in defensive rating, while the Nets finished the regular season ranking 17th in offensive rating and 13th in defensive rating.
- Philadelphia is 29-12 at home this season and Brooklyn is 22-19 on the road.
Last Matchup:
April 9, 2023 - 76ers 134, Nets 105
The Nets and 76ers both rested all of their starters in the final game of the regular season, so not much from this game really matters. However, the 76ers did win by 29 points thanks to Shake Milton going for 20 points and 8 assists. Milton could end up being a key bench player to watch for in this playoff series. For Brooklyn, Cam Thomas exploded for 46 points on 16-29 shooting. At any time, Thomas can get going offensively and if his number is called in this series, the Sixers must find a way to keep him contained.
Latest Injury News:
Nets Injuries: Ben Simmons (back) - Out
76ers Injuries: NONE
Projected Starters:
PROJECTED NETS STARTERS:
- G Spencer Dinwiddie, 6-5 guard: 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 9.1 assists (2022-23 season stats)
- G Mikal Bridges, 6-6 guard: 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds
- F Cameron Johnson, 6-8 forward: 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds
- F Dorian Finney-Smith, 6-7 forward: 7.2 points, 4.9 rebounds
- C Nic Claxton, 6-11 center: 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds
PROJECTED SIXERS STARTERS:
- G James Harden, 6-5 guard: 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists
- G Tyrese Maxey, 6-2 guard: 20.3 points, 3.5 assists
- F Tobias Harris, 6-8 forward, 6-7 forward: 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds
- F P.J. Tucker, 6-5 forward: 3.5 points, 3.9 rebounds
- C Joel Embiid, 7-0 center: 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists
Betting Odds:
- The 76ers are currently 8.5-point favorites over the Nets as of Saturday morning, according to SI Sportsbook.
- The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 214.5 total points.
What to watch for:
- The Philadelphia 76ers have made the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, but they have not advanced past the Eastern Conference Semifinals since 2001.
- The Brooklyn Nets have made the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, but they have advanced past the first-round just once in this span.
- Philadelphia is 45-10 this season when they score at least 110 points. Brooklyn is 36-15 this season when they score at least 110 points.
- The 76ers and Nets have played a total of 12 playoff games and three playoff series all-time. Philadelphia is 8-4 against Brooklyn in the postseason and they are 2-1 against the Nets in playoff series.
Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!
Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episodes every Friday.
