With great scoring comes great expectations.
Mikal Bridges’ ascension to an elite scorer, averaging 26 points-per-game after his in-season trade to the Nets, made him a focal point of the first-round playoff series.
That also left him to fall on his sword Saturday after the 76ers completed a four-game sweep with a 96-88 victory in Game 4 at Barclays Center.
“I feel like these past games, I’ve been letting my team down,” Bridges said. “I hate not [winning] a game for them. It hurts me as I’m just trying, but it’s part of it, man. I just own up to it and realize all you can do is just get better. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
Bridges (17 points) shot 6-for-18 in the final game of the season and the Nets were minus-13 when he was on the floor in his worst game of a series in which he averaged 23.5 points per game on 42.8 percent shooting.
He also defended James Harden (17 points and 11 assists).
“I love my guys to death and I told them, ‘That’s on me, I’m sorry I couldn’t come through and just win some games,’ ” Bridges said. “I just wanted to make some shots, but I promised them I’ll be better next time.”
When the season began, Bridges was a No. 3 or No. 4 option for the Suns. Then, he was the Nets’ key player return in the Kevin Durant trade.
Bridges led the NBA in total minutes played and miles run on the court, but denied that he was worn down at the end..
“They just played harder than us,” Bridges said. “That’s just one thing. I think you just can’t relax.”
Long Island native Tobias Harris came back to haunt his hometown team.
With Joel Embiid sidelined, Harris — who was born in Islip and starred in high school at Half Hollow Hills West — stepped up with a team-high 25 points on 11-for-19 shooting to go with 12 rebounds.
“One word,” Harris’ father and agent, Torrel, told The Post. “Give the ball to Tobias Harris.
“Great team basketball.”
Nic Claxton signed a two-year, $17.2 million contract last offseason that now looks like a Nets-friendly bargain after he developed into a bona fide starting center with career-highs of 12.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during the regular season.
He scored 15 of his 19 points in Game 4 during the first half and became the first player in franchise history with 200 dunks in a season.
“To see his growth this year really makes me realize why I want to do this,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “To be around a guy that is totally different than when I met him.
“His seriousness, his ability to direct guys, to know how to grow with guys, to be in the right place and learn from it, to be in the wrong place and learn from it, to change his free-throw routine. And to be able to be locked into trying to get better. A lot of growth from him — more to come.”
Vaughn tweaked his rotation again to play Seth Curry (21 minutes) and Patty Mills (5) after neither played in Game 3.
Cam Thomas, who was one of two bench scorers in Game 3, did not play for the second time in the series.
Hero
Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris scored a team-high 25 points and added 12 rebounds. His turnaround jumper completed a third-quarter comeback from an eight-point halftime deficit.
Zero
Mikal Bridges shot 6-for-18 from the floor to get to 17 points, as the NBA’s leader in minutes was fatigued by the end of the series.
Unsung hero
Paul Reed, who averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds over the first three games, stepped up in Joel Embiid’s absence and finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Key stat
24.3 Percentage that the Nets shot from 3-point range (9-for-37).
“Getting swept is trash. It’s not a good feeling.”
— Nic Claxton on the Nets not winning a game for the second straight postseason