Sixers-Nets Game 1 takeaways: Playoff P.J., B-Balling Paul Reed, Brooklyn’s defensive woes

P.J. Tucker is a postseason problem for the Brooklyn Nets.

The moment isn’t too big for 76ers reserve center Paul Reed. And the Nets are in a world of hurt when it comes to defending Joel Embiid.

These three things stood out in the Sixers’ 121-101 Game 1 first-round victory over the Nets Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers talked all season about the impact Tucker would make in the postseason. And the sellout crowd of 20,913 witnessed why Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was elated to sign him this offseason.

Tucker definitely elevated his play in the postseason opener, finishing with a game-high five steals, a team-high seven rebounds (five offensive), and made two three-pointers to score six points in 25 minutes. He averaged 3.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.5 steals in the regular season.

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“The playoffs is what it’s all about,” Tucker said. “It’s what the whole season is for. To get it on and really be able to chase the chip, you do all the stuff all year to build up to this point.

“But the energy, atmosphere, everything’s different when it is on the line.”

The Sixers outrebounded the Nets, 38-35, but had a commanding 14-5 advantage on the offensive glass. Tucker said dominating the offensive board was something he concentrated on accomplishing heading into the game.

“If they’re going to double [team Joel Embiid], the glass is open,” he said. “You’ve got to be aggressive.That’s one of the faults of doubling, not being able to rebound out of it. But a lot of times, I have guys on me that can’t stop me from getting rebounds.

“So getting extra possessions, there’s going to be games where we’re going to need them. When we are not scoring, it’s good to get extra shots at the basket. It changes the game.”

Like Tucker, the Nets were unable to stop Reed from making an impact. He finished with a playoff career-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting along with four rebounds (two offensive), and two steals in 12:53.

“A couple dunks, a couple of steals, a couple of rebounds,” Reed said. “That’s what Paul Reed do.”

His teammates will agree.

“He was great,” Embiid said. “Like I said, him and P.J. with the extra possessions. I thought he did great screening, rolling, and playing out of that dunker spot getting easy passes and finishing. He made a great move behind the back that we probably don’t want to see again. I’m just kidding.

“He can do whatever he wants. Whatever works. I guess he’s got to keep doing it. He was great.”

The third-year veteran took advantage of the attention the Nets were paying to James Harden. That led to his two offensive rebounds.

Embiid made the Nets pay for double-teaming him, especially after intermission. However, Brooklyn had few other options.

The MVP finalist would destroy the Nets if they guarded him man-to-man. So their best option is to continue what they do while taking a chance that other Sixers will miss shots. It’s hard to imagine that they’ll continue to make 21 three-pointers, however.

But Nets coach Jacque Vaughn thinks it’s just a matter of playing with discipline and consistency for four quarters.

“So for us, we were able to be on time with some of our traps at the beginning of the game,” Vaughn said. “We’ve still gotta be on time in the third and fourth quarter. What he did do is re-establish himself, whether it was in a repost or establishing himself at the top of the key once he gave it up.

“Those are the ones we need to take away from him and make it tougher for him to catch. So everything needs to be a challenge for him. There’s nothing we want to allow to be easy, especially for those two guys on the other team.”

But the Sixers also put Embiid in the middle of the floor after intermission. That made it easier for him to move the ball around to teammates.

“Honestly, some of the stuff they did tonight, we were willing to live with,” former Sixer Seth Curry said. “So we got to adjust for Game 2 and that’s why it’s a series.”

Best performance: This goes to James Harden. The Sixers point guard finished with 23 points while making 7 of 13 three-pointers to go with a game-high 13 assists.

Worst performance: This is a tough one, but I have to give it Spencer Dinwiddie on a day he finished with a team-high seven assists. The Nets point guard finished with 14 points, but made just 1 of 5 three-pointers. He also committed four turnovers with three coming in the second half.

Best defensive : This goes to Tucker.

Worst statistic: This goes to Brooklyn’s 19 turnovers.

Best statistic: I have to give this to the Sixers’ playoff franchise-record 21 three-pointers.