Nets Are Scorching

The Star-Ledger is reporting a possible sellout for tonight’s Nets-Knicks preseason game at the Prudential Center in Newark. According to the report, attendees are being advised to get there early and fans with a “Mayor’s Pass” voucher, may not get their four tickets honored because of the walk-up ticket demand.

One Prudential Center official said earlier Wednesday that the amount of fans buying walk-up tickets has been “incredible” thus far, according to the report.

A near sellout for any Nets game, no less a preseason one in a building where the team doesn’t even play is an interesting concept. I was impressed when I heard last week that nearly 13,000 people showed up for the first preseason game at the Prudential Center – but I think some of that surprise was tempered when it was revealed that a lot of those tickets were giveaways. So the question remains for tonight: are these tickets freebies? Are these Knicks fans crossing the river for some preseason basketball (though, as Celtic Hub’s Zach Lowe notes today, Knicks fans are necessarily flooding their own home, MSG, right now).  Either way, this is an interesting thing to look for tonight.

Alright folks, here is your open thread for the night.  Again, we apologize nobody was here to approve new comments, but one of us will be here tonight.  A few things to look for:

• Defending the 3.  This seems to be our biggest weakness on defense.  Jared Jeffries…let me repeat that Jarred. Jeffries. is making threes on us.  He hit 3 last year!  As a team the Knicks are hitting 39% of their 3s (23-59) against us and 23% against other opponents (33-142)
• CDR at the 3.  For the first time since the move to the 3, CDR will be playing against a quality 3 (Pierce sat out when we played the Cs and Harrington sat out last game against the Knicks).  Will he be able to defend a guy who has 50 lbs on him?  Will he be able to score on someone taller than him?  Will the physical nature of the 3 spot effect CDR’s shooting late in games?  All important questions.
• Can we continue to gel?  I want to see how the team looks on offense.  Are the passes crisp, smooth, and in the right spot?
• The rotation.  With 2 games left, we should hopefully see the end of the Bobby Simmons at the 4 experiment and see a more regular rotation…hopefully…

Ok guys, have fun tonight, remember to keep it clean in the comments!

Preseason Game 6 vs. New York (4-2)

Projected Starting Lineup

1. Chris Duhon: 6’1″ | 185 lbs | 36.8 MPG | 11.1 PPG | 7.2 APG | 42.1 FG% | 39.1 3% | 85.6 FT%

Pure point guard, looking to set up his teammates at all times.  Can’t leave him open though, hits open shots.  Streaky shooter…if he starts hitting, watch out.

2.  F.  Wilson Chandler – 6’8″ | 220 lbs. | 24.3 MPG | 13.3 PPG | 2.0 APG | 41.7 FG | 27.8 3 | 45.5 FT

He is a physical 2/3 hybrid who is a solid shooter but is more comfortable attacking the basket.  You can beat him offensively with quickness.

3.  Al Harrington: 6’9″ | 250 lbs | 35.0 MPG | 20.7 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 44.6 FG% | 36.2 3% | 80.4 FT%

A guard in a big man’s body.  He can handle the ball, he is a good shooter, and he can run on the break.  I would like to see CDR covering him, as I think his lankiness will disrupt him a bit.

4.  F.  Jarred Jeffries:  6’10″ | 240 lbs | 23.0 MPG | 5.3 PPG | 4.4 RPG | 43.2 FG | 24.2 3 | 58.6 FT

Big guy who feasts from the wing and the baseline at around 15/20 feet.  Awful free throw shooter, and if he is attacking the lane, just foul him.  Poor 3 point shooter very good 3 point shooter against the Nets.

5. David Lee:  6’9″ | 240 lbs | 34.9 MPG | 16.0 PPG | 11.7 RPG | 54.9 FG% | 0.00 3% | 75.5 FT%

Another offensive rebounding machine.  Brook should be able to handle him though.  Likes to live around the basket (which results in the ridiculously high FG%).  Must be physical with him and push him away from the basket.  On offense, we need to take advantage of his lack of size (for a center).  Brook should be able to muscle in on him and get some easy baskets.

Projected Bench

G.  Nate Robinson: 5’9″ | 180 lbs | 29.9 MPG | 17.2 PPG | 4.1 APG | 43.7 FG% | 32.5 3%  | 84.1 FT

Crazy athletic.  Shoot first mentality and also a streaky shooter.  Taller guards must take advantage of him in the post.  Must look out for him on the fast break…either in terms of attacking the basket or spotting up on the wing.

G/F.  Danilo Gallinari:  6’10″ | 225 lbs | 14.7 MPG | 6.1 PPG | 2.0 RPG | 44.8 FG | 44.4 3 | 96.3 FT

Hurt a lot of last year.  Has a feathery touch around the basket and is a fantastic shooter built in the Dirk mode.  Not tough or exceptionally quick though.  Can be pushed around when on offense and when on defense whoever he is guarding needs to go after him.  Hard.

G/F.  Larry Hughes:  6’5″ | 185 lbs | 27.5 MPG | 11.2 PPG | 2.6 RPG | 39.0 FG | 38.5 3 | 79.4 FT

Streaky shoot first guard.  Doesn’t attack the basket, and he shoots in bunches whether he made the last 10 or missed the last 10.  Terrific defender despite losing a step, great on and off the ball defending and gets a good number of steals.

G.  Toney Douglas:  6’1″ | 200 lbs | Rookie:  No professional Stats

Hybrid guard who can play both guard spots.  Strong with the ball and can get into the lane.  Streaky shooter and a bunch scorer.  Willing to find his open teammates though.

F/C.  Darko Milicic:  7’0″ | 275 lbs | 17.2 MPG | 5.5 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 45.4 FG | 0.00 3 | 58.8 FT

Another poor foul shooter.  If he has a lane, might as well foul him.  More of a shooting big man than a banging inside big man, and he is effective on the break.

Jordan Hill:  6’10″ | 235 lbs | Rookie:  No professional Stats

Jordan Hill is an offensive rebounding machine.  I would like to see the Nets zone rebound (box out areas rather than players) to deal with him and David Lee, because I think Hill will eat Yi alive.   Guards really need to help and pinch on him when boxing out.  Offensively he can he the 10 footer, but that seems to be the limit of his range.  On defense he is tough inside, but slow, Yi can take advantage of him on the outside.

G.  Gabe Pruitt:  6’4″ | 170 lbs | 7.4 MPG | 2.0 PPG | 0.8 APG | 32.1 FG | 28.3 3 | 78.3 FT

Last name close to mine so awesome.  Other than that generic back-up PG.

G.  Sun Yue:  6’9″ | 205 lbs | 2.8 MPG | 0.6 PPG | 0.2 APG | 27.3 FG | 0.00 3 | 0.00 FT

TALL generic PG…from China…

F/C.  Chris Hunter:  6’11″ | 240 lbs |  Rookie:  No professional Stats

Coming from the NBDL

G.  Ron Howard:  6’5″ | 200 lbs | Rookie:  No professional Stats

Coming from the NBDL…not to be confused with Richie Cunningham

G.  Joe Crawford:  6’5″ | 210 lbs |  Rookie:  No professional Stats

Coming from the NBDL…not to be confused with official Joey Crawford

Warren Carter:   ?? | ?? | Rookie:  No professional Stats

Doesn’t have a NBA player page.  Not related to Vince Carter…I think…

Marcus Landry: 6’7″ | 230 lbs. | Rookie:  No professional Stats

Undrafted Rookie.  Brother plays in the NBA…Marcus plays exactly like him…except he wears Recspecs…

G.  Cuttino Mobley -

Out

C.  Eddy Curry -

Out, Fat Very Fat

Offensive Tendencies:

This team likes to run, and will try to out score you rather than stop you.  A lot of ball-hog type players who shoot first…keep them from getting hot and we should be ok…

Defensive Tendencies:

They don’t have any good defenders besides Larry Hughes.  Undersized pretty much everywhere, so we need to take advantage of the size.

Keys To Victory:

Keep them from scoring over 100 points, if we can do that, they are so poor defensively we can outscore them.  We need to keep them off the offensive glass and prevent their streaky shooters from getting hot.  We also need to take advantage of their size and try to score inside.

Team Name: Philadelphia Sixers
Last Year’s Record: 41-41 (2nd, Atlantic Division)
Head Coach: Eddie Jordan
Comings: Jason Kapono, Rodney Carney, Primoz Brezec, Royal Ivey and Jrue Holiday (no. 17).
Goings: Andre Miller and Reggie Evans.
Blogger Thoughts, Jordan Sams of Liberty Ballers:

I predict the Sixers go into the Eastern Conference playoffs as the fourth or fifth seed, and advance to the second round for the first time in seven seasons. When healthy they will be one of the top 5-10 teams in terms defense and rebounding. Combine that with Eddie Jordan’s intricate Princeton Offense and big season awaits Andre Iguodala and the Philadelphia 76ers.

On the Nets:

It’s hard enough to follow one team’s every move, so when it comes to NBA teams not named the Sixers, I know nothing. Based on my gut feeling, I think the Nets will be mediocre — not as bad as some think, but not good either. I also think Courtney Lee will emerge as a borderline “star” in this league.

Read more…

Programming Note: Now that we’re getting into the full-swing of the season, NAS is going to attempt to give you Nets on the Net in the a.m. so you can catch up on your reading with your Cheerios.

Julian Garcia of the Daily News reminds us that after Devin Harris, the only proven scorer the Nets have is Brook Lopez.

Terrence Williams is a very good dunker.

Did Rod Thorn meet with Mikhail Prokhorov yesterday?

Chris Douglas-Roberts thinks the team could be tougher and fight more in practice.

Sean Williams realizes his window in this league may be closing.

Bloggers talks about the merits of the Prudential Center in Newark.

Fanhouse jokes on the Nets’ newest marketing promotion where you can rent a player for an hour if you spend about $25k in courtside tickets.

Atlantic Yards Report talks about how the newest lawsuits could impede forward progress at the Barclays Arena site in Brooklyn and whether or not project opponents will seek an injunction once/if construction begins.

Jac of all Nets looks back at Netstoberfest:

Just wanted to congratulate Reginald D. Alberto who won contest number two.  He got the answer right, and I will let him tell it to you:

Coach: Kevin Loughery

finished 22-60 …yuck

Yuck indeed…

Devin Harris: Still injured.

Jon Barry asks, “Is this an NBA roster?” Marc Stein says, If they can get Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov approved as their new owner, you have to believe that pretty much nothing else matters this season.” Yes, ESPN has a rather dark and stormy outlook for this years Nets.

New York Magazine’s “Sports Section” is rooting for Mikhail Prokhorov to become owner of the Nets so badly, they are dedicated a new weekly column to him: Mikhail Prokhorov Theater.

Yes, the crowd last week at the Prudential Center was sure nice, but it looks like a large chunk of those tickets were freebies.

Can Yi be the third option for the Vince Carter-less Nets?

On a team full of youth and potential, Eduardo Najera and Tony Battie are the crusty old vets. What role will they play on the team this year?

An SI analyst sees a possible “20 and 10″ year for Brook Lopez this season.

Video of Newark Mayor Cory Booker before last week’s game in Newark.

Thanks to everyone who participated this morning, we got a bunch of answers and the winner today was Adam T. Kennis who sent in the correct answer of Kenyon Martin first.  For those who didn’t win, no worries!  We got another question for you.  Here we go the question after the jump:

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