76ers vs. Nets: Game Odds, Players to Watch for Game 2

On Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Brooklyn Nets for the second game of the opening round of the NBA playoffs.

On Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Brooklyn Nets, looking to extend their series lead to two wins following their win on Saturday.

In Game 1, the Sixers came out strong, scoring 30 points in the opening quarter, as their starting lineup evenly distributed the ball, with three of the five starters ending the first quarter with five points.

However, it would be James Harden's offensive theatrics in the second quarter that helped grow Philadelphia's lead, dropping 12 points while dishing out five assists to his teammates.

The Beard's playmaking ability would continue throughout the second half, dishing out seven assists, which would help Joel Embiid put up a 16-point performance in the closing quarters, helping give his team the advantage going into Game 2.

For the Nets, Mikal Bridges put up a strong performance, dropping 30 points on 67 percent shooting against his hometown team, with Cameron Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie trailing behind with 18 and 14 points, respectively.

Both teams will enter Monday night's match with no new injuries to report.

Game Odds

Spread: Sixers -9.5

Moneyline: PHI -500, BKN +375

Total O/U: 212.5

*All Odds are Provided by SI Sportsbook

Players To Watch:

Sixers: James Harden

Fans should keep an eye on The Beard during Game 2 due to his stellar performance on Saturday afternoon, which included seven shots from downtown.

In the two games against Brooklyn in the regular season, Harden averaged 26 points, six assists, and four rebounds, which almost directly mirrored his stats during Game 1, so it would be expected that Monday night could go similarly for the previous MVP.

Nets: Mikal Bridges

With Bridges being Jacque Vaughn's go-to scoring option, it would be expected for him to be having big games throughout the series, with Saturday being no different.

With a 30-point performance to open the series, it would be assumed that the Sixers have worked on something to hamper Bridges' scoring ability, including his 18 attempts made in Game 1.

Declan Harris contributes to All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @DecIanH.

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