Quick Recap: Orlando Magic 95, New Jersey Nets 85
Oct 30, 2009 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Magic, Quick Recap
The Orlando Magic (2-0) defeated the Nets (0-2) 95-85 at the Izod Center in New Jersey tonight.
- In his return to Jersey, Vince Carter scored the first two points of the game and scored 16 points in 15 minutes, but left the game late in the second quarter with what was described as an ankle sprain. He did not return for the Magic, nor was he necessarily needed.
- Dwight Howard put up 20 points and 20 rebounds, adding 4 blocks to boot.
- Overall, the Nets struggled from the field, shooting 38.3 percent from the field, with an offensive efficiency of 92.4.
- Brook Lopez battled foul trouble throughout the game and finished with 11 points and 5 rebounds.
- Yi Jianlian had another decent night with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
- Devin Harris continues to struggle, finishing with 16 points on 6-18 shooting. He did chip in with 7 assists.
- Rafer Alston came off the bench with 10 points, shooting 2-4 from beyond the arc.
Game 2 Preview vs. Orlando Magic
Oct 30, 2009 2009-2010 Open Thread, 2009-2010 Regular Season, Game Preview, Nets vs. Magic
Last time was fun, so lets do it again! Tonight the Nets are taking on the Orlando Magic and a former Net…I can’t remember his name though…before we talk about the game, I rewatched the Nets game from Wed. last night, and there are two things I wanted to note from Wed.
This was off a missed foul shot by Yi. Notice anything wrong? The ball is ahead of all five Nets. How does that happen? Off a foul shot? This was the kind of stuff I noticed when I rewatched the game. Yes the Nets were playing well, but they were also making a ton of mental mistakes, and once they stopped making all of their shots (and Minnesota started hitting theirs), the lead evaporated. We might have to get used to this though, the Nets are a young team…
Also, another thing I noticed was how successful the Nets were when they gave Brook the ball on the high post in the first 3 quarters and how unsuccessful it was in the 4th. In the first three quarters, everyone was cutting, allowing Brook to find open players and if his defender slouched off him, he hit the jumper. In the fourth, Brook was still getting the ball on the elbow, but there was no movement, no cutting, and that is why the offense fell off in my opinion.
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Alright, now lets turn our attention to tonight’s game. Yes, Vince Carter is returning, and yes he does deserve a standing ovation. He showed that he was a true professional last year with the way he acted both on and of the court. After the standing ovation though, at least in my mind, he is an opponent, and we can’t take the trade back, so I am not going to think, “man I wish Vince was here” or anything like that.
Nets Starting Lineup
- PG – Devin Harris
- SG – Courtney Lee
- SF – Chris Douglas-Roberts
- PF – Yi Jianlian
- C – Brook Lopez
Timberwolves Starting Lineup
- PG – Jameer Nelson
- SG – Vince Carter
- SF - Mickael Pietrus
- PF – Ryan Anderson
- C – Dwight Howard
Their Mismatches
Vince Carter vs. Courtney Lee - Courtney is coming off a tough shooting game which means he might be a little hessitant on the offensive end. That isn’t good, since he is going up against a poor defender in Vince. Also, when you attack him on defense, his offense will slip a bit. So if Courtney continues to struggle offensively, look for Vince to have a big night.
Our Mismatches
Chris Douglas-Roberts vs. Mickael Pietrus – For the second night in a row, CDR has got a favorable matchup against an opposing 3, Pietrus only has 15 pounds on CDR, and he doesn’t really attack the glass too much. Last game CDR got into foul trouble early against Minny and couldn’t get into a flow. Hopefully he can get into one tonight.
Matchup Of The Night
Brook Lopez vs. Dwight Howard - This is going to be an awesome matchup for years to come, and tonight we get to see why it will be so fun. Brook has got the polished offensive game and Dwight has the power and athleticism. Let’s see what comes out on top…
Keys To Victory
Defend The Three – This one is easy. The Magic are the best three point team in the league, and we are one of the worst defending the three. Hopefully we can get up for the challenge and close out hard on their shooters.
Get Dwight In Foul Trouble – Dwight Howard is so important for what the Magic do both offensively and defensively. On the offensive end, you always got to know where he is, and that allows the other Magic players to get open looks. On the defensive end, Howard erases a lot of mistakes. If he isn’t on the court, we got a chance.
Box Out - I mentioned it earlier, but three point shots usually come of the rim funny and lend themselves to long bounces. If the Nets don’t box out, they will give this dangerous 3 point shooting team more shots at the basket.
Prediction
Current Prediction Record: 0-1
You know how Vince Carter played good against the Raptors because their fans hated him? Maybe because most Nets fans love him and he will get a standing O, he will play poorly? Don’t believe that? Yeah me either. Magic win this one big.
Join Me Over At ESPN For The Daily Dime Chat
Oct 30, 2009 Tooting My Horn
If you didn’t know already, ESPN has a Cover-it-Love chat over at the Daily Dime 6 nights a week, and the chatters include respected bloggers and ESPN.com NBA writers. You should probably be checking this out every night, but especially tonight, because I will be over there chatting it up. Check it out and don’t be afraid to comment! Chatting starts at 7:
Bloggers Talk: Orlando Magic
Oct 30, 2009 Bloggers Talk, Nets vs. Magic
In the next installment of, what we hope will be an ongoing series this season, NAS is reaching out to other NBA bloggers so Nets fans can understand a little bit more about their upcoming opponent. Today, we chat with Andrew Melnick from the Orlando Magic blog, Howard the Dunk:
NAS: I get a sense from some Magic bloggers out there that they feel a bit disrespected by the pundits headed into this season. Where’s the love for the defending Eastern Conference champions?
Melnick: Good question. After Orlando’s unbeaten preseason, a couple of the “experts” changed their tune. For example, Bill Simmons put Orlando in the championship after the team’s last preseason game, but for the most part, Orlando has been disrespected – again. ESPN recently posted a pool asking who would win the championship this season and Orlando wasn’t an option. When the experts pass on picking the Magic, they usually point to the loss of Hedo Turkoglu and the addition of Vince Carter as the reason. They say that Carter isn’t as good of a playmaker and won’t be as much of a 3-point threat. Carter actually has a higher assist ratio for his career and was statistically a better 3-point shooter than Turk last year. The Magic also should have the best second unit in all of basketball, so I really don’t know why the experts and pundits have no love for the Magic.
NAS: How do you expect the NJ crowd to welcome Vince Carter tonight?
Melnick: From what I’ve heard, many New Jersey fans were unhappy with Carter but after last season, I think he won some fans over. Carter played in 80 games, played 36.8 minutes per game and still put up All-Star types numbers in the middle of a very down year for the Nets. I’m hoping that fans remember him for this and give him the ovation he deserves.
NAS: Do you have any concerns about VCs overall game and how it affects the Magic?
Melnick: What’s funny is that one of the biggest problems Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy had with Carter earlier on in practice during training camp is that he wasn’t shooting enough. He was deferring to other players in what must have been an attempt to endear himself to his new teammates. I’m a little worried about Carter’s defense and he was called out by Stan Van Gundy on day one of training camp, but he really seemed to respond. He was hustling on defense even taking charges during the pre-season.
NAS: Why should Nets fans get excited about Courtney Lee?
Melnick: Courtney Lee is going to be a very good player in this league. First of all, he is a very good person off of the court and loves to interact with the fans. He is best known for his defense and rightfully so, but Lee was a dominating offensive player in college. He’ll never be a dominating scorer in the NBA, but he should be a very good third or fourth option. He is a good shooter who has 3-point range, but his shot was streaky last season. I really like his pull-up jumper. He also has a very quick so he can blossom into a very good catch-and-shoot player. He can obviously finish around the basket. Just ask LeBron James.
NAS: Ryan Anderson is another member of that Magic-Nets trade who has gotten a lot of positive press during the off-season. How do you see him fitting in once you get into the thick of the season?
Melnick: I think (Magic General Manager) Otis Smith did a great job of getting Ryan Anderson back in this trade. As of right now, Ryan Anderson is the starter. Of course, after Rashard Lewis comes back from his 10-game suspension, Anderson will be back on the bench. Anderson has a game that is very similar to Lewis’ so the Magic don’t have to change their offense at all with Anderson at Power Forward, which is a nice luxury. The Magic do also have a bruiser at PF – Brandon Bass and he may make it difficult for Ryan to see a lot of minutes when Lewis returns, but anyone who can shoot the ball as well as Ryan should fit in very well with this offense.
Game 2 Scouting Report
Oct 30, 2009 Nets vs. Magic, Opponent Scouting Reports
Game 2 @ Orlando (1-0)
Projected Starting Lineup
1. Jameer Nelson | 6′0″ | 183 lbs | 21.0 MPG | 7.0 PPG | 6.0 APG | 50% FG | 50% 3 | 0% FT
With Jameer Nelson getting hurt right before the all-star break, everyone seems to forget about him. Not the best shooter, but he is a terrific point guard. Great at getting the ball in shooter’s hands and setting them up. Great running the pick and roll. The Nets must crowd him and not let him see the court. Usually you wouldn’t crowd a poor shooting PG, but he isn’t the quickest guy either, so he won’t blow by you (hopefully. I am looking at you Devin!)
2. Vince Carter | 6′6″ | 198 lbs. | 26.0 MPG | 15.0 PPG | 3.0 APG | 41.7% FG | 60% 3 | 100% FT
This guy looks familiar huh? When he gets it going, he is one of the toughest guys to defend in the league. Loves the pull up jumper, and will take it more often that driving. Another guy you need to crowd and force to drive, because he is less comfortable doing that. Must attack him offensively also. Force him to play D, tire him out, and hopefully his shots will fall short.
3. Mickael Pietrus | 6′6″ | 198 lbs. | 30 MPG | 13 PPG | 4 RPG | 45.5% FG | 50% 3 | 100% FT
Team’s 6th man last year, now starting. Not a knockdown three point shooter, but he can hit the wide open ones, so you need to close out on him. Will attack the basket more than he shoots, so be careful when closing out. His best attribute is on the defensive end though. He is a great on the ball defender and can force anyone he plays against into a bad shot.
4. Ryan Anderson | 6′10″ | 240 lbs. | 25 MPG | 16 PPG | 5 RPG | 50% FG | 57.1% 3 | 100% FT
Another Net castoff. A terrific 3 point shooter who if open will make it. He uses his height to get shots over smaller defenders. You must close out HARD on Ryan. Force him to put the ball on the floor, that is where he is most uncomfortable, and you can force him into turnovers. Defensively, you need to take advantage of him on the post.
5. Dwight Howard | 6′11″ | 265 lbs. | 29 MPG | 21 PPG | 15 RPG | 81.8% FG | 0% 3 | 50% FT
Dwight Howard is on his way to being the most dominant big man in the NBA. Doesn’t have a polished post game, but that doesn’t matter, he can out muscle and out-athletic just about any big man in the league. On the defensive end, he has great help instincts and can block a lot of shots. Poor free-throw shooter, foul him instead of allowing an easy dunk.
Bench
G. Jason Williams | 6′1″ | 180 lbs. | 23 MPG | 15 PPG | 5 APG | 80% FG | 75% 3 | 100% FT
Experienced backup point who can do just about everything out there. He can get in the lane and create for others and he can knock down the three. Age has slowed him down a bit, and you need to attack him when he is on the defensive end. Force the coaching staff to take him out because of his lack of offense.
F. Brandon Bass | 6′8″ | 250 lbs. | 23 MPG | 8 PPG | 4 RPG | 57.1% FG | 0% 3 | 0% FT
Physical banger inside. High-motor guy who despite being a little undersized can attack the glass. Great offensively in the post, and will outwork you there.
G. J.J. Redick | 6′4″ | 190 lbs. | 22 MPG | 10 PPG | 4 APG | 66.7% FG | 50% 3 | 0% FT
Knock down shooter. Can’t leave him open, like Ryan Anderson, you need to close out hard on him and make him dribble.
C. Marcin Gortat | 19 MPG | 8 PPG | 5 RPG | 42.9% FG | o% 3 | 100% FT
Dwight Howard’s main backup. A solid player who can start for a number of teams, but he is backing up Dwight. He is a guy who can log serviceable minutes backing up Dwight.
G. Matt Barnes | 6′7″ | 226 lbs. | 18 MPG | 7 PPG | 2 RPG | 50% | 33.3 % FG | 0 % FT
Aggressive guy who can play defense with the best of them. Little surprised by his lack of minutes in game one. He can hit the three too.
F/C. Anthony Johnson | 6′3″ | 195 lbs. | 4 MPG | 0 PPG | 1 APG | 0% FG | 0% 3 | 0% FT
Journeyman backup point. With Jayson Williams now in Orlando, he won’t be getting too many minutes.
G. Linton Johnson IIIt | 6′8″ | 205 lbs. | No Regular Season Stats
On the roster until Foyle gets back from injury.
F. Rashard Lewis | 6′10″ | 230 lbs. | No Regular Season Stats
Serving second of his 10 game suspension.
C. Adonal Foyle | 6′10″ | 270 lbs. | No Regular Season Stats
Out. Injured.
Offensive Tendencies:
This team loves shooting the 3 ball and they make a ton too, last game they shot 29 of them, hitting on more than 50%. Don’t be surprised if this team takes a three on a 3 on 1 fast break. If an open three isn’t there, the second option is getting the ball down low to Dwight Howard. The ball usually gets to him on the low post, and if no double comes, he makes his move to the basket. If the double comes, he is unselfish enough to kick it out and they are one of the best at moving the ball around to get the open three.
Defensive Tendencies:
With shot-eraser Dwight Howard playing behind them, the other Magic players love playing up on the basketball. They go for steals in the passing lane and try to take the ball from the ballhandler. They like to funnel guys attacking the basketball to Dwight and let him block the shot.
Keys To Victory:
Getting Dwight Howard in foul trouble. If he is off the court, it is one less thing to be worried about stopping. Also, close out on the three point shooters. This is a great 3 point shooting team, and if they are open, they will make them. We need to secure the rebounds too, 3 point shots are tough to read off the rim, and if we don’t box-out we will give the Magic numerous three-point shots, and that isn’t something we want.
Nets on the Net: 10/30/09 Edition
Oct 30, 2009 Brook Lopez, Courtney Lee, Develop Don't Destroy, Devin Harris, Jarvis Hayes, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rafer Alston, Sean Williams, Tony Battie, Vince Carter, Yi
In Al Iannazzone’s report, Jarvis Hayes is expected to miss the next 2-3 weeks with a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, as expected, the Nets picked up the options for Brook Lopez, Courtney Lee and Yi Jianlian while declining on Sean Williams.
Courtney Lee talks with the Orlando Sentinel about his time with his former team, and why he still has love for Orlando.
But Lee tells Ben Couch that he’s going to approach them like any other team.
Some bullet-points on Lee, Tony Battie and Rafer Alston’s time in Orlando.
Devin Harris jokes about getting a chance to foul Vince Carter “one good time” tonight.
Blogger previews from Howard the Dunk.
Over at NetsDaily, Net Income talks about a cryptic e-mail discussing new potential names for the Nets after they (presumably) move to Brooklyn. These include “New York Nets” or maybe something without “Nets” altogether.
CCTV focuses on Yi’s performance in the season opener Wednesday night.
Atlantic Yards Report talks about the lowball offer Daniel Goldstein (of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn) received for his Prospect Heights condo from the Empire State Development Corporation.
An opinion piece in the Star-Ledger talks about how the Nets in Newark could help “pay the rent” at the Prudential Center.