Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers 10/22/21: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream
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Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Matchup Preview (10/22/21)
After a disappointing season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Brooklyn Nets will travel to Philadelphia to face the Sixers. Both teams will be without one of their best players due to drama. The Nets will be without starting point guard Kyrie Irving once again for this matchup after he has refused to take the vaccine or admit whether or not he has received it. Luckily for Brooklyn, Harden can take over the primary ball-handling and offensive facilitating fairly seamlessly. Meanwhile, there is no real indication if Ben Simmons will be available to suit up or if he will even play regardless. This chaos surrounding Simmons did not negatively affect the Sixers so far in their first game as they won by 20 in a 117-97 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.
For Brooklyn to win, it will need to have a much better start than it did against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the first quarter and never really looked back. Brooklyn competed for the rest of the game and played them evenly. The Nets shot it well and will need to continue to do that on a tough Sixers defense.
If Philadelphia wants to secure the win, it will need to defend the perimeter very well. The Sixers have some great perimeter defenders, but the Nets have better perimeter shooters in Durant and Harden. They will also want to take advantage of Embiid’s size down low. Either Nic Claxton, LaMarcus Aldridge, or Blake Griffin will likely be primarily guarding Embiid, and none of those guys can really stop him. Once Embiid establishes a scoring presence, he should pass to Green, Curry, or Harris for open looks behind the arc.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Betting Odds
Brooklyn is currently a favorite (-3) on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks. When writing this article, Brooklyn’s Moneyline is at -146, while the Bucks Moneyline is +124. The point total rests at 230 with -110 odds on the over and the under.
Philadelphia was only a home underdog in five games last season, and rightfully so, as it finished with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. In those five games, the Sixers were 4-0-1 against the spread. Additionally, Philadelphia was one of the best teams at home last season, with a 33-10 record at Wells Fargo Center. Meanwhile, Brooklyn was 21-20 on the road, but only 13-14 as a road favorite against the spread.
While you can’t copy and paste stats from last season and hold them with the same regard, they do at least make you think. If this spread gets any wider in favor of Brooklyn, then I would hammer the Philly spread. Right now, I would only conservatively lean towards the Sixers.
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TV Schedule
Date: 10/22/21
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
Channel: ESPN
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Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup
PG: James Harden
SG: Joe Harris
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Blake Griffin
C: Nicolas Claxton
Brooklyn Nets Analysis
Brooklyn did not have an ideal start to its season; however, that does not mean that James Harden and Kevin Durant won’t turn it on in a hurry. The Nets have plenty of capable players in their lineup, including Harden, Durant, Joe Harris, Blake Griffin, and Nicolas Claxton. Their bench has several players who can contribute, including Patty Mills, who was unconscious from three in their first game. They should be one of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA for the second consecutive season and play at a fast pace. It was interesting to see Brooklyn take most of the shot clock at times against Milwaukee, though. The Nets are at their best when they force the opposing team to outscore them.
Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: Seth Curry
SF: Danny Green
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers Analysis
Philadelphia is better off parting ways with Ben Simmons at this point, but Daryl Morey is being a bit stubborn and riding it out, despite the dismay from many fans. This is not going to help the Sixers long-term. Regardless, Joel Embiid and the company have done a spectacular job of taking care of business despite the internal chaos in the organization. Philadelphia scored 117 points on 51.8% from the field and 52% from behind the arc in their first game. While these shooting percentages are not sustainable long-term, it is very promising to see the Sixers only allowing 97 points to a capable New Orleans Pelicans team. The Sixers will need to repeat that defensive effort against the Brooklyn Nets to ensure a home win.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers Daily Fantasy Picks
By his standards, Joel Embiid had a below-average game against the Pelicans in the Sixers’ first regular-season action of the year. Embiid had 22 points and six rebounds, which was well below his averages last season. However, he should rebound in a big way against the Brooklyn Nets, who don’t have all that much depth at center. His ability to post up, stretch the floor, shoot the ball, and put it on the deck going to the rim makes him a tough guard for an older LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, or Nic Claxton. Embiid could have 35-40 points against the Nets in this matchup.
Kevin Durant started slowly in the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks but hit a couple of shots and found his groove on his way to a 32-point outing. Durant is the most talented scorer in the history of the NBA as he can score on all three levels at 6-foot-11. Durant led Team USA to a gold medal this off-season despite having an underwhelming amount of help and chemistry. He should have another 30+ point performance against the Sixers, and with Claxton, Aldridge, and Griffin occupied on boxing out Embiid, he could get around ten boards as well.