Lower the broom! 76ers lean on reserves to sweep Nets

Reed's 15 rebounds were the most he'd grabbed in any NBA game, regular season or playoffs. But it was the Sixers defense that won it for them, even without Embiid, who was eighth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. They held Brooklyn to 15 points in the third quarter, holding the Nets scoreless for over six minutes in one stretch.

The sweep is huge for Philadelphia's title chances. With the Hawks-Celtics series lasting until at least Tuesday, the 76ers are guaranteed four days off before the second round at a minimum. Likely, they'll get a whole week. That's huge with Embiid's knee making him questionable to return even by then.

Atlanta could really help the 76ers by winning another game or two against the Celtics to push the series even further, but the Sixers are maximizing their rest as much as they can control.

But the encouraging news is that the team can succeed without Embiid on the floor, something that's been in doubt the last few playoffs. In 2019, the 76ers lost a tight seven-game series with the Raptors on the final shot. Philadelphia was +90 with Embiid on the court, and -109 (in only 99 minutes) when Embiid sat.

Now they've got Reed, who was +11 for the series, playing all his minutes with Embiid sitting. The Sixers really just needed a backup center who wouldn't get crushed with Embiid out. With Reed, they've got a backup who's actually kind of good!

The same goes for Melton, who can play in place of or alongside of Harden, who has had some injuries and struggles in the past playoffs. This Sixers team still ultimately needs its stars to play well, but they're no longer doomed if they don't.