Nets’ Mikal Bridges shut down by 76ers after dominant first half
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PHILADELPHIA — After Mikal Bridges’ homecoming obtained off to a very good begin, it ended poorly.
The Nets star had 23 factors Saturday afternoon within the first half of a 121-101 loss to the 76ers at Wells Fargo Middle, however he took simply two pictures within the second half, as Philadelphia pulled away.
Requested about how properly he performed — main the Nets with 30 factors, Bridges brushed apart the query.
“None of that [stuff] issues if you lose,’’ Bridges stated. “It feels good to make some pictures, however I’d quite miss pictures and win.”
Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers stated stopping Bridges was a focus at halftime, when his Sixers nonetheless had only a nine-point lead.
“At halftime, Bridges was destroying us,’’ Rivers stated. “The primary half for us was like being on the seaside. He simply saved curling within the paint, wide-open pictures. Second half, we double-teamed him much more. We obtained the ball out of his palms and I believed that was efficient.’’
Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn stated he thought Bridges was damage by the slower tempo of the sport within the second half.
Bridges, who was drafted tenth general in 2018 by the 76ers earlier than they traded him instantly to the Suns, grew up in Philadelphia, however stated he wasn’t enthusiastic about both a part of his historical past as he performed his first sport because the No. 1 possibility on a playoff group.
“I’m so locked in on being within the playoffs and attempting to win,’’ Bridges stated. “Clearly, it’s good to be dwelling and straightforward for my household to get right here. However the entire Philly commerce factor is form of previously. It’s been 5 years. Life goes on.”
Joel Embiid and Royce O’Neale have been each assessed technical fouls because of some transient shoving with 3:55 left within the third quarter.
“I don’t assume I deserved a technical,’’ O’Neale stated. “We simply obtained tangled. It’s basketball.”
Spencer Dinwiddie misfired on a number of alley-oop makes an attempt, leaving the ball too excessive most occasions, however Vaughn inspired the guard to maintain passing.
“I’ll take the percentages of him finishing these,” Vaughn stated. “I’ve seen him do it earlier than at a excessive degree. I stated throughout one trip, ‘The chances are in your favor.’ The great factor is our bigs have been attending to the rim. It’s out there.”
Vaughn blamed the mistiming on an absence of observe time not too long ago.
Rivers was requested about teaching towards the Nets’ Seth Curry, who’s his son-in-law.
“It’s awkward,’’ Rivers stated earlier than the sport of going through Curry, who’s married to Rivers’ daughter, Callie. “It at all times is.”
After the sport, Curry known as enjoying towards Rivers “a enterprise. You need to compete and play properly towards your outdated group. I at all times take pleasure in enjoying right here and I’ve obtained a job to do. Clearly, Doc desires me to play properly, nevertheless it’s his job to attempt to shut me down.”
Teaching towards Curry, even within the playoffs, seemingly isn’t as awkward for Rivers as when Curry was traded from Philadelphia to Brooklyn within the notorious James Harden-Ben Simmons deal.
This week, nevertheless, Curry stated there was “Nothing awkward in any respect [about the trade]. It’s a part of the enterprise. I perceive the choice and every part that went into it. Nothing out of the unusual.”
Curry stated he hadn’t spoken to Rivers previous to the collection.
“Not a lot actually,’’ Curry stated. “I haven’t actually talked since we performed them final. So not a lot. Simply, like I stated, good competitors and searching ahead to it.”
The Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith, who was battling a proper wrist damage, was positive.
“He hasn’t been restricted in any respect,’’ Vaughn stated.
Hero
The 76ers’ Joel Embiid was a power inside early earlier than the Nets have been capable of double-team him successfully.
However within the second half, Embiid adjusted and teamed with James Harden to dominate.
Zero
Kyrie Irving’s commerce demand led to Kevin Durant’s departure, merely leaving the Nets with no option to keep on with the Sixers.
Their Sport 1 loss was the consequence, regardless that the Nets performed properly with out the pair.
Unsung hero
It wasn’t simply Embiid and Harden who proved to be an excessive amount of for the Nets.
Tobias Harris chipped in 21 factors, hitting all three of his 3-point makes an attempt.
Key stat
14 Offensive rebounds for Philadelphia in comparison with the Nets’ 5.
The discrepancy helped give the Sixers many extra possessions they have been capable of capitalize on.
Quote of the day
“None of that [stuff] issues if you lose. It feels good to make some pictures, however I’d quite miss pictures and win.” Mikal Bridges, who scored a game-high 30 factors for the Nets
— Further reporting by Brian Lewis
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