NBA Picks 4/14 – Brooklyn Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Picks 4/14 – Brooklyn Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The NBA’s regular season concludes with the Brooklyn Nets (32-49, 11th in the Eastern Conference) visiting the Philadelphia 76ers (46-35, 7th in the Eastern Conference) this afternoon at Wells Fargo Center. This is a must-win game for Philadelphia as they need a win to finish in the top six and avoid the Play-In Tournament. Philadelphia can finish as high as fifth in the Eastern Conference with a win and losses by Orlando and Indiana. They’ll end up in sixth place with a win combined with an Indiana win and an Orlando loss. If Indiana and Orlando both win, Philadelphia would finish seventh and host the Miami Heat in the opening round of Play-In Tournament. Philadelphia is a 15-point favorite and the total is 213.5. 

The teams are facing each other for the fourth time this season. Brooklyn won the last two against Philadelphia after dropping a 121-99 decision to them on Nov. 19. Brooklyn had lost nine in a row against Philadelphia prior to the two wins this season. Included among those losses was a four-game sweep in the first round of the playoffs last season. 

Brooklyn is coming off a 111-107 loss at New York on Friday night. Cam Thomas scored a game-high 41 points in the defeat. A Brooklyn loss today will give them their first 50-loss season since 2017-18. Philadelphia enters this afternoon’s contest on a seven-game winning streak after a 125-113 victory against Orlando on Friday night. Joel Embiid finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. 

GAME STORYLINES: BROOKLYN

In February 2023, the Brooklyn Nets decided to pull the plug on the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving experiment after nearly four years of disappointing results. Kevin Durant was traded to Phoenix and Kyrie Irving was shipped to Dallas. In exchange, Brooklyn received 7 draft picks and five players – Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson and T.J. Warren – for Durant and Irving. 

Of the five players Brooklyn got back in the trade deadline deals, Mikal Bridges ended up being the breakout star of the bunch. After being a durable and versatile complimentary player in Phoenix for the first 4 and a half years of his NBA career, the then 26-year-old Bridges emerged as a superstar in Brooklyn. Bridges averaged 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1 steal on 47.5 percent shooting from the floor in 26 games with the Nets. Bridges raised his points per game average by nearly 9 points as a Net, he was averaging 17.2 ppg in 56 games with Phoenix prior to the trade. Last season, Bridges pulled off the rare feat of playing in more than 82 games in a season, when he played in a total of 83 games between Phoenix and Brooklyn.

The Nets were 32-22 at the time Bridges joined the team and won just enough games to qualify for the playoffs as the No. 6 seed at 45-37. Bridges was outstanding in playoffs against Philadelphia, averaging 23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4 assists as Brooklyn lost to the 76ers in a 4-game sweep. Bridges scoring numbers are down this season from 26.1 ppg in 26 games with the Nets last year to 19.7 in 81 games this year. The dip in scoring is due to his shooting efficiency numbers dropping and other players establishing themselves as viable scoring options on the team. 

Shooting guard Cam Thomas has emerged as Brooklyn’s breakout star and leading scorer in a similar fashion to Mikal Bridges last year. The prolific scoring guard is averaging a team-leading 22.6 points, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 threes over 31.5 minutes across 65 games. The 22-year-old, third year guard has raised his points per game average by nearly 12 points this season. Thomas is coming off a 41-point game at New York on Friday night, it was his fourth time scoring at least 40 in a game. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists since the All-Star break. 

Forward Cameron Johnson (13.4 pts, 4.3 rebs, 2.4 threes), center Nik Claxton (11.9 pts, 10 rebs, 2.1 blks, 63% from 2) and trade acquisition Dennis Schroder (14.6 pts, 6 asts, 3.5 rebs, 2.1 threes, 41.2% from 3 in 29 games with BKN) are good complimentary pieces alongside Bridges and Johnson. Schroder has been excellent for Brooklyn since arriving from Toronto, and will force Brooklyn to make a somewhat tough decision of keeping Schroder long term or retaining the oft-injured Ben Simmons. Since trading for Simmons in February 2022, Simmons has played a total of 57 games. Simmons monstrous contract expires after next season and he could be inspired to play his best ball to secure another big contract. 

GAME STORYLINES: PHILADELPHIA

Everything was going smoothly for the Philadelphia 76ers through the first 42 games of the season, they had one of the best records in the NBA at 29-13 and reigning MVP Joel Embiid was playing the best basketball of his career. Embiid scored an astounding 70 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 133-123 win against San Antonio on Jan. 22. Unfortunately for the 76ers, things took a turn for the worse soon after Embiid’s exceptional performance against San Antonio. Embiid suffered an injury to the meniscus in his left knee at Golden State on Jan. 30. 

Joel Embiid’s knee injury kept him out for 29 games. Philadelphia went 11-18 without him and dropped down the Eastern Conference standings. The 76ers went from being among the top three teams in the East to fighting to stay out of the NBA’s Play-In tournament. Embiid returned on Apr. 2 against Oklahoma City and Philadelphia has not lost a game since. They’ve won all six games with Embiid back and seven in a row overall. Embiid has recorded three straight 30-point double-doubles and is averaging 30.4 ppg in his 5 games back from injury. He looks to be in MVP mode as the playoffs are right around the corner. 

Incandescent guard Tyrese Maxey has been tremendous this season in year four. The 23-year-old All-Star is averaging career-highs of 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 3 threes and 1 steal across 69 games on the season. Maxey has increased his averages each year he’s been in the NBA. He scored a career-high 52 points in a 133-126 double overtime win at San Antonio on Apr. 7. It was the second time Maxey has scored 50+ in a game this season. Maxey has done an admirable job carrying a bigger scoring load this year with Embiid missing 42 games. 

Forward Tobias Harris (17.1 pts, 6.4 rebs, 3.1 asts, 1 stl, 48.6% from 2), swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. (15.5 pts, 5 rebs, 1.1 stls) and sharpshooter Buddy Hield (11.9 pts, 3.2 rebs, 2.5 threes) have been very good in supporting roles alongside Embiid and Maxey. Oubre has really stepped up his game of late with Embiid out and Maxey missing games occasionally. He’s averaging 20.7 pts, 6.5 rebs, 1.2 stls, 1.2 blks and 2.2 threes on 48.9 percent from the floor since March 1. The veteran Hield was acquired at the February trade deadline from Indiana, and his shooting could become valuable come playoff time as defenses double and triple team Embiid.

THE PICK: 76ERS (-15)

This one is easy, Philadelphia has won 7 straight and is in a must-win game while Brooklyn appeared to phone in the season a couple weeks ago. Lay the big number and take 76ers!