Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction & Match Preview - February 6th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The Brooklyn Nets take on the Philadelphia 76ers for the second time this season in this clash between two championship hopefuls from the Eastern Conference. Both teams had to bear tough losses in the respective previous encounters though.
Match Details
Fixture: Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Saturday, February 6th, 2021 8 PM ET (Sunday, 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Brooklyn Nets Preview
The Brooklyn Nets had a frustrating night on Friday, to say the least. Not only did they bottle the game against Toronto Raptors after making a 23-point turnaround to lead by six, but Kevin Durant was also pulled twice due to COVID protocols. Durant is now highly doubtful for the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Brooklyn Nets unsurprisingly have the best offense in the league and their mantra of somehow outscoring opponents is working thus far. They still lack size but Jeff Green has done a tremendous job as a stretch center in the clutch. Joe Harris has been a significant catch-and-shoot threat too.
Key Player - James Harden
With KD set to sit out, James Harden will be able to take on more of a scoring role against the Philadelphia 76ers. He's leading the league in assists with 11.3 dimes per game but can score much higher than his average of 23.4 points for the Brooklyn Nets. He'll be hoping to take some of the pressure off Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn Nets Predicted Lineup
G Kyrie Irving, G James Harden, F Joe Harris, F Jeff Green, C DeAndre Jordan
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers have claimed the top spot in the East thanks to some brilliant performances this season but continue to struggle in the absence of even one star. They were torched by the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday in the absence of Ben Simmons and have lost every game that Joel Embiid has missed.
Both these stars should be available to play against the Brooklyn Nets who decimated the Philadelphia 76ers in the first outing between these two teams this season. The Sixers have seen several players take a jump since then, including Tobias Harris and Danny Green. Seth Curry will be unavailable with illness though.
Key Player - Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid continues to make a case for MVP even in games that Philadelphia 76ers lose. He had 37 points against Portland which included a 25-point second quarter. Embiid's averaging 29.1 points and 10.8 rebounds this season. He'll get every chance to dominate a Brooklyn Nets' side that lacks size underneath the rim.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G Ben Simmons, G Furkan Korkmaz, F Danny Green, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Nets vs 76ers Match Prediction
Both the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are evenly matched on paper but Kevin Durant's absence does make a difference. Even Philly could miss a few names but as things stand, they have the edge. Doc Rivers' men have enough shooting depth and the size mismatch will also work in their favor. Expect Embiid and co. to win this tie.
Where to watch the Nets vs 76ers?
Local coverage of the game will be available on YES Network and NBC Sports Philadelphia. You can also live stream the same via the NBA League Pass.
Also read: Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction - Combined starting 5 featuring James Harden and Joel Embiid