NETS EDGED IN WILD ONE
Trail Sixers 3-1 with their season on the line in Game 5
There were a few shoves, two ejections and a thrilling fourth quarter. But after the buzzer sounded Saturday it represented another blown opportunity for the Brooklyn Nets. And now the series is probably over. The lasting image of Philly’s 112-108 victory in Game 4 was Embiid laughing and joking through another press conference, teasing the Warriors after punishing the Nets with 31 points and 16 rebounds.
“It was really important because we wanted to get this one and go home and try to finish it. It feels great to be up 3-1 (in the series),” Embiid said. “We definitely don’t want to be in a situation like the Warriors two years ago.”
It was actually three years ago when the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavs in the NBA Finals, but you get the point — Embiid’s comedy routine has moved on to another team. And with the Nets losing their third straight game in this series, it’s hard to blame Embiid for looking ahead.
Saturday was a great opportunity for Brooklyn to get back into the fight. Caris LeVert, thrust into the starting lineup, played great and finished with 25 points. Philadelphia’s Jimmy Butler was ejected — along with Brooklyn’s Jared Dudley – because of a shoving match following another hard Embiid foul late in the third quarter. The Nets led for the first 22 minutes of the second half, and connected on two clutch go-ahead buckets in the final 90 seconds. But they also committed two turnovers down the stretch, and allowed Philly to grab four offensive rebounds on a critical possession.
After the Sixers’ Mike Scott nailed a corner 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to give his team a two-point advantage, the Nets bungled their final meaningful possession when Jarrett Allen was stripped going to the basket.
That possession became a point of contention after the game, with Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson clearly ticked off that the Sixers weren’t whistled for a foul. Tobias Harris clearly grabbed Allen’s hip to stop him from rolling to the basket, causing the Nets center to catch the ball while off balance and, ultimately, fumble away the ball.
Atkinson was fuming. “There’s a clear wrap by (Sixers forward) Tobias Harris on the roll and I’m just disappointed,” Atkinson said. “That’s a point of emphasis (for the referees) from the beginning of the game and at the end of the game and all season. So how all of a sudden that doesn’t become a foul on the wrap, I don’t understand. I watched the clip 10 times, there’s a clear wrap.”
Atkinson was also agitated before the game regarding Brett Brown’s lineup announcements and Embiid’s status. Apparently, the Sixers had been delaying their announcement until just before tip-off, with Embiid’s availability in question because of his knee pain.
“We’ll let you know later,” Atkinson said of his own adjustments. “We find out their starting lineup with like five minutes to go. I don’t know. We’ve got to figure that one out as a league. Normally I give it 60 at the clock, but I’m not going to do that again. Let’s wait. When they gives theirs, we’ll give ours. You’ll be informed.”
Brown, however, said Atkinson also doesn’t provide his lineup until the last minute and there’s no gamesmanship on his end. Embiid has been ruled doubtful or questionable for every game and only missed Game 3. Brown acknowledged a possible tactical advantage with Embiid’s uncertain status, but claimed it wasn’t intentional and hammered idea that Atkinson also withheld information.
“Maybe there is (an advantage). But it’s certainly not calculated,” Brown said. “There’s not a clandestine motive behind this.
“It is what it is. We’ve been doing this long enough to, I bet most people believe me, that it’s just the way it has played out. From a tactical standpoint I mean what I just said, neither do I (get the starting lineup before five minutes till tipoff ). We can text each other five minutes before and compare notes.”
Of course, Embiid played Saturday and was a force again while scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter.