76ers vs. Nets: Sixers’ Winning Odds Increase After Game 1

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For the first time since 2019, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets met in the NBA Playoffs. Going into the seven-game first-round series, the Sixers were favored over their opponent as they were the No. 3 seed facing the No. 6 seed.
According to BetOnline, the Sixers’ odds to win the series gave them a 92.3 percent chance of advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
In Game 1, the Sixers took care of business. Although Brooklyn’s most notable star Mikal Bridges scored a game-high of 30 points in his playoff debut with the Nets, the Sixers’ defensive attack caused him to cool down in the second half.
On the offensive end, the Sixers found success through their top two stars. Joel Embiid scored a team-high 26 points in 33 minutes. James Harden picked the Nets apart with 13 assists while adding 23 points of his own. Meanwhile, Tobias Harris was an unsung hero with 21 points in 29 minutes.
Coming out on top with a 121-101 win, the Sixers took a 1-0 lead in the series. Considering how they took care of business in South Philly on Saturday afternoon, BetOnline increased the Sixers’ odds of making it past the first round to 96.2 percent (-2500).
The Sixers and the Nets will meet for Game 2 on Monday night. The series is set to resume at 7:30 PM ET.
Eastern Conference Bracket
1. Bucks vs. 8. Heat — Heat Lead 1-0
2. Celtics vs. 7. Hawks — Celtics Lead 1-0
3. Sixers vs. 6. Nets — Sixers Lead 1-0
4. Cavaliers vs. 5. Knicks — Knicks Lead 1-0
SIXERS VS. NETS NEWS
Loving the Attention: Going into the series against the Brooklyn Nets, Joel Embiid anticipated taking on several defenders at once on the offensive end of the floor. In Game 1, Embiid embraced the extra attention, and put his skills to the test as the Sixers found success. READ MORE
Praising Paul: Behind Joel Embiid, the Sixers received a quality performance from the backup center, Paul Reed. After the game, Embiid sent praise Reed’s way as the former second-round pick had the best outing of his playoff career. READ MORE
Re-Live Game 1 vs. Nets: As the Nets and the Sixers battled it out on Saturday afternoon, FanNation’s All76ers live-blogged through the matchup. Re-live the Sixers’ Game 1 win over the Nets by checking out the blog. READ MORE
Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia
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