The Nets gave away Saturday’s must-have Game 4 to Philadelphia, and might have given away their first-round playoff series hopes with it. Or…
The Nets gave away Saturday’s must-have Game 4 to Philadelphia, and might have given away their first-round playoff series hopes with it.
Or maybe the 76ers just punched them in the face and took it.
Either way, after the Nets’ 112-108 loss to Philadelphia before a sellout crowd of 17,732 at Barclays Center, their postseason hopes are on life support and are going to need an Easter miracle.
Joel Embiid had 31 points and 16 rebounds, and Long Island native Tobias Harris — a likely Net free agent target this summer — added 24 points, eight boards and six assists.
Caris LeVert got a start and poured in a team-high 25 points, six assists and five boards. Jarrett Allen added 21 points and eight rebounds. But Brooklyn blew a 101-94 lead with five minutes left, coughing up an 18-7 run to close the game.
The Nets — who fought hard in a testy affair that saw Jared Dudley and Jimmy Butler ejected after a confrontation, and blew a double-digit cushion — are down 3-1 going to Philadelphia facing elimination in Game 5.
A desperate Nets coach Kenny Atkinson juggled his lineup, benching DeMarre Carroll and Rodions Kurucs for Dudley and LeVert.
