76ers-Nets Preview
The Brooklyn Nets are one of two Eastern Conference teams beaten by the Philadelphia 76ers this season, and the only such club to fall to them twice.
Those two victories are the 76ers' only ones over their last 20 games.
Looking to avoid a ninth straight road defeat, the 76ers can take the season series from the Nets for the first time in five years Tuesday night.
Philadelphia (9-57) snapped a 13-game losing streak with Friday's 95-89 win over Brooklyn. The 76ers' previous victory was 103-98 over the Nets (18-48) on Feb. 6.
After shooting 39.1 percent in a 100-91 loss at Brooklyn on Dec. 10, the Sixers hit 46.1 percent to win the next two meetings at home. Philadelphia held the Nets to 37.9 percent shooting and led by 19 on Friday.
"I think the reflection of how we try to play most nights was exemplified (Friday)," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "It thought there was grit. I thought there was fight."
The 76ers are 3-38 against the East with the other victory being their most recent road win, against Orlando on Jan. 20. They last took a season series from the Nets with a sweep in 2010-11.
To do it again, Philadelphia must bounce back after allowing Detroit to shoot 53.8 percent in Saturday's 125-111 loss. Isaiah Canaan scored 22 and Carl Landry added 18 but the 76ers were outscored 35-24 in the fourth quarter.
Landry has totaled 34 points on 14-of-22 shooting in two games after being held to fewer than 10 in three of the previous four.
Philadelphia forward Robert Covington is expected to miss a second straight contest after he was taken off the court on a stretcher following an accidental kick to the face by teammate Jerami Grant on Friday.
"It definitely scared me more than anything," Covington said. "But I'm glad to be alright, and I let everyone else know that I'm OK, and I'll be back soon."
Grant was put through the NBA's concussion protocol and could be available for this contest.
Ex-Sixer Thaddeus Young has averaged 20.3 points and 10.0 rebounds in the three games against his former team this season. He had 21 while Brook Lopez led all scorers with 24 points as Brooklyn concluded a 3-6 road stretch Friday.
Being back home didn't help the Nets avoid a fourth loss in a row, 109-100 to Milwaukee on Sunday. Lopez recorded his sixth straight game with at least 20 points and Young had 17 and 10 rebounds as Brooklyn shot 55.7 percent for its second-best effort of 2015-16. However, the Bucks hit 50.6 percent, held a 66-42 point advantage in the paint and scored 33 points off 20 turnovers.
"We didn't take care of the ball," Lopez told the Nets' official website. "We have to be stronger with the ball and more confident and focused in our decision making."
Lopez has averaged 24.5 points and shot 58.5 percent in the past six.
It's uncertain if teammate Wayne Ellington will miss a second consecutive contest because of an upper respiratory infection.