Dave D. reports that Yi is still the best option at power forward. Meanwhile, prospective owner Mikhail Prokhorov is sending emissaries to watch the team.
Speaking of Yi – on his own blog at Sina.com, the PF talks about feeling more comfortable this season. NetsDaily does the good work of providing the google translation.
NBA.com talks basketball in Mexico, including Eduardo Najera, only the second Mexican-born player in the NBA.
HoopsWorld talks about how the Nets will communicate on defense this season.
Ryan Anderson is really opening eyes in Orlando, being dubbed the “new Pat Garrity” and possibly the starting four on opening night.
For Lawrence Frank, game five of the preseason was about “experimentation” with the rotation due to the injuries that had left him without Devin Harris, Jarvis Hayes and Keyon Dooling. We saw things in last night’s game like Bobby Simmons at the four (yuck), Will Blalock getting time at the point (eh), and a Sean Williams sighting in the third quarter – who was surprisingly more productive and active on defense than he was in the preseason opener when he looked like he had about 20 other places he wanted to be instead of the basketball court.
But to me, the night belonged to two players who are likely going to be key parts of the Nets rotation without any experimentation – well maybe some tinkering with one of these players because of his versatility (which I notably assailed on this site only a few days ago). Yes, last night was another loss, and the Nets are now 0-5 in this preseason and have often looked about as bad of a basketball team as many preseason analysts have predicted them to be. But I left Madison Square Garden last night with a good feeling about Yi Jianlian (21 points, 7-14 from the field, and 11 rebounds) and Terrence Williams (21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists). Yi especially showed me things last night that I don’t think I ever saw from him last season. Aggressive basketball. Driving to the hoop and moving towards the ball on offensive sets. As a whole, smart field goal attempts. This is where the word “potential” is always attached to his name like his uniform number.
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