Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers Predictions, Best Bets

Injury Report

Brooklyn Nets Game Notes: Win the Battle on the Boards

The Brooklyn Nets want to continue their winning form against an injured Philadelphia 76ers team. As they did in their win over the Grizzlies in their last game, the Nets need to win the battle on the glass.

Not usually a strong rebounding team, the Brooklyn Nets rank 19th in the league in total rebounds (40.7) while also allowing the 22nd most rebounds per game (44.6). However, in their 127-115 win over the Grizzlies, the Nets held strong against one of the league's best rebounding teams 45-44.

The Sixers are one of the league's poorer rebounding teams, 29th overall (39.1 per game). If the Nets can establish strength on the glass and in the paint, they'll be in an excellent position to defeat the Sixers.

Nets Key Player: (G) Ben Simmons

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off of a positive performance in their last game, a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Key to their victory was how engaged Ben Simmons was on both ends of the court.

In his last performance, Ben Simmons showed an offensive aggression that Nets fans have seen too infrequently. He posted 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in 34 minutes of play on 11 of 13 shooting from the field.

Against the Sixers, Simmons' former team and one of the poorer rim-protecting teams in the NBA, the Nets guard's ability to get to the rim could be crucial to their success. A solid three-point shooting team, the more Simmons attacks the paint, the more opportunities they'll find from deep.

Philadelphia 76ers Game Notes: The Sixers Need to Find Bench Production

The Philadelphia 76ers enter this game at a distinct disadvantage due to their injuries. While they own one of the league's most talented individual players, their bench fails to inspire thoughts of making up for their absences.

The Sixers are expected to have up to five players missing due to injury in this game, and their bench accounts for just 22.6% of their scoring offense. They've made up for it at times with their third-ranked scoring defense (106.6), but with an average of just 24.2 points off the bench, the Sixers need more to make up the difference.

The Nets are also a top-heavy scoring team, so it may well come down to the star men of each team. But with more than 55 points of their 108.6 scoring average missing due to injury, the Sixers need bench production to keep up with the offensive potential of the Nets.

Sixers Key Player: (G) Shake Milton

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off of a loss in their last game, a 109-112 performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With so many key players unavailable, Shake Milton stepped up to show he can fill the gap left by their injuries.

In the loss, Milton posted 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists on 10 of 15 shooting from the field and 3 of 5 shooting from three. On the season he's averaging just 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, but on a very solid 38.3% from three-point range.

Milton's production will be key for Philadelphia, who need their team to support Joel Embiid's individual efforts in this matchup. If he can prove a capable relief scorer, the Sixers aren't as far out of this game as many would think.