NBA

WATCH: Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson posterized Joel Embiid before the end of the first half last night with a vicious one-handed tomahawk

Cam Johnson over Embiid pic

A 96-84 loss to the 76ers puts the Brooklyn Nets down o-2 as they head back home for Game 3 on Thursday. Offensive struggles in the second half last night held the Nets back as a team and they are looking to avoid being swept in back-to-back years in the first round. Cam Johnson led Brooklyn with 28 points last night and a big-time dunk that sent social media going crazy. He posterized Joel Embiid right before the half with a vicious one-handed tomahawk slam. 

Johnson came over to the Nets in the blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant and has quickly become a fan favorite. He’s a versatile two-way player and the Nets absolutely need his scoring production each night to be successful. Mikal Bridges has become the first scoring option for the Nets, but Johnson can take over those duties with his light’s out three-point shooting.

Johnson’s dunk over Embiid was fun for fans to watch, but the SF is “more concerned about wins than dunks”. The Nets are currently (+162) to win Game 3 at home on Thursday according to New York Sports Betting sites.

Cam Johnson elevated for the one-handed tomahawk slam over Joel Embiid last night

While both teams failed to hit 100 points last night, the Nets struggled more on the offensive end. They scored only 14 points in the third quarter and that just cannot happen in a playoff game if you want to win. Much like Game 1, Brooklyn kept the first half competitive in Game 2 but then had the second half slip away.

The Nets shot only 35 percent from the field in the second half and it’s almost impossible to win when your offense goes that cold, especially in the playoffs. Only two other Nets cracked double-digit points last night, Mikal Bridges had 21 and Royce O’Neale had 12 off the bench.

One player who has stuck out like a sore thumb in this series is Nic Claxton. Fans love his intensity on the defensive end and the effort he gives, but he’s not a match for Joel Embiid physically. In Game 1 he played 30 minutes and had five points and 10 rebounds. Last night he played just 21 minutes and finished with zero points, six rebounds, and two assists.