Shorthanded Nets Overwhelmed by 76ers' Depth, Fall to 1-2 in Preseason

Brooklyn couldn't build off of Monday's blowout victory.

Oct 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) drives for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers guard Reggie Jackson (00) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sans Nic Claxton (hamstring) and Ben Simmons (rest), the Brooklyn Nets were unable to steal a preseason victory from the banged-up Philadelphia 76ers. The 117-95 romp provided an uninspiring performance after fans were given a glimpse at what the Nets' potential could be following Monday's electric victory.

Brooklyn dug itself into an 11-point hole in the first quarter, largely due to offensive carelessness. Philadlphia's suffocating defense forced eight Nets turnovers in the opening stretch, one more than they committed in the entirety of Monday's win over the Washington Wizards. The 76ers capitalized on the errors, generating 10 points off of the miscues. Inconsistency from beyond the arc also plagued Brooklyn, who had hit only one of its last 10 three-point attempts until Jalen Wilson broke the dry spell late in the quarter.

After the inefficient showing, the Nets' ability from deep became the only aspect that kept them within reach. Wilson, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith led the charge to cut Philadlephia's lead to as low as four while forcing the 76ers into a four-minute scoring drought. The 31-attempt first-half three-point barrage resulted in a 62-56 deficit for Brooklyn at the break.

Both offenses contributed to a stagnant third quarter. Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse opted to rest the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., whose nights were effectively over at halftime, to evaluate the younger members of his roster, but the Nets couldn't take advantage despite having an experience edge. Despite its best efforts to continue the first-half-heat-up, Brooklyn couldn't overcome the 76ers' young depth and fell behind by eight heading into the final quarter.

The Nets completely unraveled in the fourth, getting continuously gashed by Third-year guard Jeff Dowtin Jr.'s shifty driving ability while struggling from the free-throw line. At the final buzzer, Philadelphia had outscored Brooklyn 30-15 in the final 12 minutes, boasted 14 players who scored at least once and closed the door on any comeback hopes.

In a quick turnaround, the Nets travel back home to take on the Toronto Raptors in their final preseason contest on Oct. 18 at 7:30 PM EST.

To access the final box score from the Brooklyn Nets' loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, click here.

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