Getty Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers
On an appearance on FanDuel TV, Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie said that stopping superstar Joel Embiid will be the key to stopping the Philadelphia 76ers in their upcoming playoff matchup.
“Embiid is the likely MVP, so obviously, we’re going to have to give it everything we got in terms of stopping him,” Dinwiddie told Fanduel TV. “But to be honest, out of the major seeds, we probably match up with them the best if we can limit him and not foul him.”
Dinwiddie also called out the Sixers’ one flaw that he believes the Nets can exploit.
“We feel like defensively, there’s ways we can attack them as well. Mikal (Bridges) is playing at a high level. We know they don’t exactly get back in transition. We want to play fast, we’re young. We understand there’s no expectations. We like our chances to be honest.”
.@ChandlerParsons says the #Nets don’t have a shot against the #76ers 👀
@SDinwiddie_25: “You hate to see it from a good friend 😂… Out of the major seeds we probably match up with them the best if we can limit [Embiid] and not foul him”
Among all 30 NBA teams, the Sixers had the league’s eighth-lowest defensive rating, allowing 112.7 points per 100 possessions. Since retooling their team midseason and playing their new players, the Nets have the 23rd-highest offensive rating, averaging 113.1 points per 100 possesions.
Spencer Dinwiddie Name-Drops Joel Embiid in Rivalry Talk
Since it was set in stone that the Sixers and Nets would meet up in the first round, Dinwiddie has mentioned Embiid more than once over the past week.
Before talking about how the Nets match up with the Sixers and Embiid on FanDuel TV, Dinwiddie name-dropped Embiid when talking about the prospect of a possible rivalry with Brian Lewis of The New York Post on April 8.
“Definitely,” Dinwiddie said about the prospect of a rivalry. “I think we need a little more long-standing success as a rivalry to call Philly a true rival, but we have had some iconic meetings when I was there. They had a little beef; Nic [Claxton] and Embiid got into it, and Embiid had elbowed Jarrett, stuff like that. I’d say it’s too early.”
Dinwiddie was referring to an incident that happened when the Sixers faced off against the Nets during the 2019 NBA Playoffs in which Embiid was called for Flagrant 1 for elbowing Allen in the face, which happened during Dinwiddie’s first tenure with the Nets.
Dinwiddie was also referring to another incident earlier this season in which Embiid and Claxton got into argument during a game between the Sixers and Nets that led to double technicals.
Jacque Vaughn Singles Out Joel Embiid
Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn spoke with Lewis to discuss the challenge ahead for the Nets going up against Embiid.
“Embiid proposes such a challenge for us,” Vaughn said. “Nic will have his hands full to start the game. Obviously, it won’t just be Nic trying to take that challenge. The best thing about this group is you try to keep them locked-in and ready for when their number is called.”
Vaughn said that the Nets’ key to stopping him is making the MVP candidate have to work for his points.
“The biggest part is making him earn baskets,” Vaughn said. “So, free-throw attempts where no one is guarding you at the free-throw line — how many times can we defend possessions without fouling — will be a huge key to the series. How it is officiated, the physicality piece of it, that piece is going to be very, very interesting to the series for sure with him.”