Nets vs. 76ers preview: Atlantic Division holiday bout

SB Nation

Do not get me wrong, I want Brooklyn to get a top three draft pick as much as the next person. But instinctively, as a fan, you have to be happy for what the Nets have been doing lately. After many complaints

from Jordi Fernandez about how the team gave very little effort on the defensive end, they have turned into (get ready for it), one of the best defensive teams in the league. You heard that right.

It certainly showed up in the last contest as they defeated the Toronto Raptors 96-81, which is the fewest points they have allowed all season and part of a trend that has stretched to the beginning of December.

This staggering change will need to be on display again Tuesday as they will take on the high octane Philadelphia 76ers for the third time this season. Brooklyn has an 0-2 record against Philly so far. Hopefully the game being in Philly — where the Nets have won big games in the past – will keep things rolling.

Where to Watch

Check out the action at 7:00 p.m. ET on the YES Network and NBA League Pass, as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App.

Injury Report

Cam Thomas (left hamstring), Drake Powell (ankle), and Haywood Highsmith will all be out. Ben Saraf could wind up with minutes after his 40-point effort Monday in the G League Showcase earned him a call-up from Long Island.

For the 76ers, our good old friend Trendon Watford (thigh) and Kelly Oubre will be out. Joel Embiid (illness), Dominick Barlow (illness), and Quentin Grimes (illness) are all questionable.

The Game

Just like the last contest, Philadelphia’s backcourt scares the hell out of me, and it all starts with the tremendous rookie they drafted from Baylor back in June. In the last four games, V.J. Edgecombe has had 22, 26, 23, and 26. Edgecombe is also second among rookies in total plus/minus with a +94 rating. When he is on the floor, good things happen. With how athletic he is, those good things look LOUD if you let him get loose.

Tyrese Maxey has been on his own tear as well averaging 29.1 PPG in his last 10 games, proving why he deserves the keys to the 76ers franchise. Out of the many talented backcourts, these two rank as one of the best. Sitting currently as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, the 76ers will have to utilize their guards once again to pull off a victory, with two of their big men being questionable to play.

This is an interesting matchup for the Nets. With how much their defense has picked up, it will be interesting to see how they game plan on pick-and-rolls against these Philadelphia guards. Will their blitzes be enough to rattle them, maybe not. But if Brooklyn can cause at least same mistakes and capitalize off of them, it could keep them in the game.

Offensively, expect Michael Porter Jr. to do Michael Porter Jr. things of course. Maybe eleven another double-double, who knows, but he remains on a roll. We could see four of the Flatbush 5 make an appearance with Saraf join Nolan Traore, who gave the Nets a solid 8 points in his 22 minutes of action vs. Toronto. Injuries have kept the five for making their first appearance together.

Player To Watch: Andre Drummond

With multiple big men as a question mark for Philly, Drummond may have taken responsibility for a good portion of the game. If he plays at least 20 minutes, it is guaranteed he will control the boards. So it is important for the Nets to get on the glass on both ends. But Drummond has found a new talent late in his career. After hitting a mere 12.9% from deep prior this year, he’s turned deep shooting into a surprising assest, as The Sixer Sense’s Max Garnarra wrote Tuesday morning.

Drummond’s development–and fearlessness–from beyond the arc may be reminiscent of Hollywood mythology, but it is very real. A little over a quarter of the way through the season, he has taken 36 threes, with fifteen of those shots finding the bottom of the net. Connecting on 41.7% of his threes, he is statistically the best long-range shotmaker on the Sixers among players taking at least one a game.

Looks like a new wrinkle for Jordi Fernandez to plan for.

The Vault

For those who don’t know, as a 23 year old I have an old soul when it comes to music, especially in hip hop. With that being said, I can’t let this classic go to waste since the team is traveling to Philly. This is the anthem, of course.