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Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers controls the ball in opposition to Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets within the first quarter throughout Sport One of many Jap Convention First Spherical Playoffs on the Wells Fargo Heart on April 15, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Getty Photos by way of AFP)
WASHINGTON – Joel Embiid scored 26 factors and James Harden added 23 to guide the Philadelphia 76ers over the Brooklyn Nets 121-101 in an NBA first-round playoff collection opener on Saturday.
The host Sixers, who led the NBA in 3-point capturing share, sank a membership playoff report 21 3-pointers in 43 makes an attempt to grab a 1-0 lead within the Jap Convention best-of-seven opening collection, which continues Monday in Philadelphia.
“(That) was a very good win for us,” Harden mentioned. “We’ll be watching movie. Sport two goes to be the hardest sport of the collection for us. We’ll be able to go.”
Embiid, the NBA season scoring chief with 33.1 factors a sport, was typically double-teamed defensively by the Nets however successfully introduced teammates into scoring positions.
The Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m) went 7-of-15 from the ground however was 11-of-11 from the free throw line and contributed 5 rebounds, three assists, two blocked photographs and a steal.
NBA season assists chief Harden, who hit 7-of-13 from 3-point vary, made 13 assists. He turned the primary participant in 76ers historical past with 20 factors, 10 assists and 5 3-pointers in a single contest.
He additionally helped eight Sixers in all to make 3-pointers.
“Simply discovering methods to influence the sport possession by possession,” mentioned Harden, a former Nets backcourt star.
“It’s the playoffs. Issues don’t go the best way you need as a lot as you need them to. You’ve acquired to maintain pushing, maintaining preventing, and I’m comfortable we acquired a win.”
Within the instances the Nets stifled Embiid, Harden picked them aside with inside strikes, expert shotmaking and precision passing.
“I’ve been doing it for a really, very very long time on the highest stage so it’s fairly simple,” Harden mentioned. “So long as I get into the paint and create good photographs, I’m doing my job. More often than not my teammates are making the photographs.”
Philadelphia made a membership one-half playoff report of 13 3-pointers on the best way to a 67-58 halftime edge.
Whereas excited on the triumph, Harden tried to maintain a perspective on step one in a two-month playoff chase for the championship.
“Keep even keel,” he mentioned. “There are going to be some good moments, some low moments. You win a sport. You lose a sport. Keep even keel and have a look at the larger image.”
Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges scored a game-high 30 factors, however solely seven within the second half.
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