The 2021-22 regular season is nearing the end, the teams that have determined the playoffs have begun to adjust their state, the 76ers have performed very badly recently, experienced a wave of three consecutive losses, if the loss to last year's champion and runner-up Suns and Bucks is understandable, being reversed by the pistons at the bottom of the East in the fourth quarter is a bit too demoralizing, but they have determined the top four positions, the follow-up game win or loss is not important, and maintaining health is the key.
Due to the play-off format, the competition for 7-10 places is becoming more and more intense, especially the gap between the 8th and 10th places in the East is very weak, the situation between the 8th and 9th and 10th places is completely different, the 8th team may determine the playoff seat through one game, even if it loses 1 game, there is a chance, and the 9th and 10th have to win at least two games, and lose 1 game to eliminate, this uncertainty is too big, April 3 is a very important day for the Hawks, Hornets and Nets, winning that team can rise to eighth.
The opponent of the 76ers is the Hornets, if you want to make the Nets into the playoffs the probability of reducing, losing to the opponent will be the wisest, especially Harden's way of leaving the Nets is not too friendly, you can take this opportunity to "make a game", but the 76ers did not deliberately do it, the whole game the team played very actively, Harden frequently played with Embiid to block and punish the opponent, Harden sent 13 assists to connect the whole team, Embiid scored 29 points in 16 shots and 12, and finally the team scored 7 people to win the opponent by 30 points, Help the Nets get back in the top 8.
In the ensuing game, the Nets and the Hawks talked directly, as long as the Nets won the game can return to the 8th, Durant also knows the importance of this game, the whole game is full of firepower, 28 shots 19 shots bombed 55 points, but the team still lost to the opponent by 7 points, directly fell to the tenth place in the East, and determined to participate in the playoffs to enter the playoffs, although mills and Thomas in the game a total of 14 shots did pull cross, but the two have an annual salary of 6 million, a rookie, It is completely unreasonable to blame the loss on the two, and the downturn of another top salary player, Irving, is the key.
Irving only scored 31 points on 32 shots in the whole game, extremely inefficient, this is not a game problem, since he returned to full time, 4 games averaged 24 points and 3.3 turnovers, shooting only 36.2%, the Nets in these 4 games also achieved only 1 win and 3 losses, and before that, he played in 21 games, averaging 27.7 points per game, shooting a shooting rate of 49.1%, for the Nets, what is even more tragic is that Irving has entered the "Ramadan" since this game. You can't eat or drink until sunset for a month, and your physical fitness will be greatly affected, which really makes Durant miserable.
The nets' hidden dangers are more than this, Durant in recent games is sprained ankles, but also by the knee, but also by the foot, afraid to do their best to enter the playoffs, and then people will fall, Nash for the use of stars is too fierce, Irving recently played badly is also related to the surge in playing time, Irving did not play in the first half of the season, and then also part-time, in the physical has not fully recovered, the last 6 games Irving is in a row, the average time per game reached 40 minutes, Knowing that he only averaged 34 minutes of playing time in his career, Irving's defense was not good, and if the offense could not play at the best level, it would become a burden on the field.
The current situation of the Nets requires the play of Durant and Irving, but what is more needed is the efficient performance of the two, Nash has not woken up until now, the Nets under his leadership, want to impact the championship, it is a little difficult.