Despite Turmoil Vaughn Gets Nets To The Playoffs
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Richard Jean
Embiid Had A MVP Season For Philly
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
The Brooklyn Nets (45-37) began the season with head coach Steve Nash being fired after a 2-5 start and superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Iriving requesting trades prior to the All-Star break. All were replaced with head coach Jacque Vaughn, players Spencer Dinwiddie, Doriann Finney-Smith, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and six future first-round draft picks.
Following the All-Star break, Brooklyn finished the regular season with a 12-14 record to secure their fifth consecutive postseason appearance, this year as the 6th seed, and will battle the 3rd seeded Philadelphia 76ers (54-28), a team that swept them in the regular season series 4-0, in the first round of the NBA playoffs with game one this Saturday, April 15, in Philly at 1pm EST.
This is the second time in five seasons and fourth overall (1979,1984, 2019) the two franchises are facing off in the first-round of the postseason with the 76ers, led by MVP-favorite Joel Embiid and superstar James Harden, having an 8-4 advantage through 12 games. In 2019, Brooklyn won game one in Philly before getting swept, losing the series in five games. Expect this year’s series to be a defensive affair.
New York Prediction: Philadelphia 76ers in six.
