Nets Are Scorching

An awesome effort by the Nets today against the Boston Celtics, holding a lead through the first three quarters before gassing out and letting the Celtics go ahead and hold the lead as the game wound down.  Something that Mike Fratello pointed out during the broadcast.  With only 8 healthy players, you can’t even practice 5-on-5 situations live, so the guys out there didn’t really know what each other would do.  This was amplified by the fact that most of these guys never played together.  Here are some quick immediate reactions from the game.  A more thought out recap will come tomorrow:

• While I am still on the topic of guys not really knowing where each other were playing, the Nets committed 23 turnovers (20 of which were steals from the Celtics).  However, the Nets did a good job of getting back on defense on those turnovers, only allowing for 24 points off of the turnovers.
• A look at the silly minutes some guys played.  We had 6 guys get over 30 minutes.  Trenton Hassell followed up a 46 minute game with a 37 minute game.  Brook Lopez had 41, and Rafer Alston lead the group logging 44 minutes.
• Sean Williams even got some minutes tonight, finishing with 4 points and one explosive dunk.  Would have liked to see him out there in the second half.
• For the second straight night the Nets won the third quarter.  It looks like they got whatever problem they were having straightened out.
• I know Brook made a ton of outside shots tonight, but does it make any of you uneasy that he floats on the outside a lot more this year?
• The Nets were successful running a pick and roll with Rafer and Boone, having Brook Lopez flash the low-post hard.  Brook got two easy buckets from it.
• Maybe the only benefit of this is that two young guys in the Nets’ future plans (Brook and T-Will) are taking their lumps and growing because of it.  Terrence Williams turned it over a bit today, but you can see he is becoming more comfortable.  A play that exemplifies that was with 5 minutes left in the 3rd T-Will caught a kick-out pass with 3 seconds left on the shot clock.  Instead of forcing up a 3, Terrence pump faked, took a dribble and kicked it out to Rafer.  Rafer drilled a 3 as the shot clock expired.
• While I am talking about Terrence Williams, remember all my clamoring about how he can effect a game even when not scoring?  Well tonight he was 4-14 with 8 points, but he did have 9 rebounds.  His offensive game has been a nice surprise, but even when he struggles to score, he can still be productive.
• Josh Boone played great, and I don’t like ripping him after a game like this (12 boards), but is there a big man that doesn’t finish around the rim like him.  He always seems to be falling away from the basket.  Just dunk it Boone!
• Need something to cheer yourself up?  As I am typing this, the Knicks are getting blown out of the water by the Bucks.

Right now, the Nets are up 2 going into the fourth quarter.  Maybe it is because CDR is cheering them on.  Check out this tweet:

Let’s go Netttsss!!! Cheering from the bed. I’m the flyest person who will ever have Swine Flu. |-DYes yess!!

Good stuff.  Get well soon CDR.

It was just announced on the pregame show.  Dave D has the report:

The Nets’ bleak medical condition actually managed to get worse Saturday.

Chris Douglas-Roberts has been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, Nets president Rod Thorn revealed in a statement Saturday afternoon.

The second-year wing has experienced flu-like symptoms since Thursday morning and was immediately quarantined, as per the precautionary measures mandated by the NBA.

Douglas-Roberts is believed to be the first player in the league to confirm publicly that he is suffering from the so-called “swine flu,” and it is unknown whether he received a vaccine prior to contracting it.

So CDR is the first player in the league to have contracted H1N1, and he will probably be out a little longer, because NBA officials are going to want to guarantee that he is 100% before putting him back out there.

Tonights starting lineup has been announced as well:

1. Rafer Alston
2. Trenton Hassell
3. Bobby Simmons
4. Josh Boone
5. Brook Lopez

Najera and Williams are going to be coming off the bench since they will be realistically backing up guys at multiple positions.  This one could get ugly.

So we are going into this game running nearly on empty, I mean yesterday we had Trenton Hassell play 46 minutes.  Rafer Alston played 40.  Brook Lopez played 44.  According to the Nets game notes, CDR is still out.  His Twitter page confirms:

To weak to stand up in the shower. Guess I’ll be taking a bath. Turning on the jacuzzi jets.

Also, those game notes still have Courtney Lee starting.  He is listed day-to-day.  If he doesn’t play I would imagine that Terrence Williams would be starting at the 2, because the only other actives are Josh Boone and Sean Williams.  Look for multiple 48 minutes played on the boxscore.  As if we are piling on, this is the second night of a away/home back-to-back, which takes its toll on players.  The Celtics are coming off their first loss of the season, and they could be angry.  Oh and all of their starters are healthy (Big Baby is out, but the C’s haven’t really missed him).  The Celtics are a very good defensive team, 2nd in Defensive Efficiency with 91.2 points allowed per 100 possessions.

The one good thing the Nets got going for themselves?  The Celtics are an old team and they themselves are coming off a home/away back-to-back stretch.  That should keep the Cs from beating the Nets by 30.

This is your open thread tonight guys.  I will be around to chat with you guys.

Nets Starting Lineup

1. PG – Rafer Alston
2. SG – Courtney Lee
3. SF – Trenton Hassell
4. PF – Eduardo Najera
5. C – Brook Lopez

Celtics Starting Lineup

1. PG –  Rajon Rondo
2. SG – Ray Allen
3. SF – Paul Pierce
4. PF – Kevin Garnett
5. C – Kendrick Perkins

Their Mismatches

Paul Pierce vs. Terrence Williams/Trenton Hassell – I realistically could have put a number of different match-ups here.  But I am going with the one glaring hole.  If Courtney Lee does in fact play, Williams will be logging a ton of minutes.  He is big enough to defend threes, but Paul Pierce is a man.  Trenton Hassell used to be a great defender, but age is starting to take his toll.  I see Pierce getting 25 easily.

Nets bench vs. Celtics bench - If Courtney Lee doesn’t play (I got my money on that since the Nets have 3 days off after this game, so why risk Lee getting hurt), the Nets are only going to have two guys coming off the bench.  Josh Boone and Sean Williams.  Remember that wildcat lineup we were talking about?  Well, we could try the reverse tonight.  Imagine Sean Williams playing the three.  The Celtics have guys like Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels, and Sheldon Williams coming off the bench.

Our Mismatches

Brook Lopez vs. Kendrick Perkins – Perkins is a physical big, but Brook Lopez has the post moves to get him in foul trouble.  If that happens, they don’t really have a back-up center who can defend Brook.

Matchup Of The Night

Rafer Alston vs. Eddie House – I know…I know…I am reaching here.  But check out this video:

If these two go at it again, it can bring some excitement to a crowd that will probably watching a Celtics blowout win.

Keys To Victory

Make Shots - You saw it a bit yesterday.  The Nets were hitting shots when Brook passed out of the doubles, and that gave him some room to operate.  He responded with a good night offensively.

Keep It Close – The Celtics can’t let the Nets blow them out early.  If they can hang around, you don’t know what can happen.

Stay Healthy - This one should be obvious, but the Nets don’t seem to know.  You can play a game without getting hurt.  Let’s try it tonight.

Prediction

Current Prediction Record: 3-3

7 guys or 8 guys, it doesn’t really matter.  The Celtics will run the Nets out of the building.  It could be a 30/40 point loss if the Celtics want it to be.

Game 7 vs. Boston (6-1)

Projected Starting Lineup

1.   Rajon Rondo | 6’1″ | 171 lbs. | 33 MPG | 9.9 PPG | 9.9 APG | 56.9% FG | 0% 3 | 50% FT

Not the best outside shooter, wants to use his speed to get in the lane.  He can hit the floater and can finish in traffic.  He also does a very good job of setting up his teammates once he gets into the lane.  He is  Solid defender who uses his length and speed well.

2.  Ray Allen | 6’5″ | 205 lbs. | 34.3 MPG | 15.1 PPG | 2.9 APG | 46.1% FG | 37.5% 3| 85.7% FT

One of the league’s best shooters, and if starts hitting his range is 30 feet plus.  Age has slowed him down a bit, so you want to close out hard on him, forcing him to put the ball on the floor.  Average defender.  Run him through a lot of screens in an attempt to tire him so he won’t be effective on the offensive end.

3.  Paul Pierce | 6’7″ | 235 lbs. | 35 MPG | 19.1 PPG | 5.7 RPG | 50% FG | 51.6% 3 | 85.7% FT

Boston’s captain and best player.  Can hit the three, but would much rather pump fake, take one dribble, and hit the pull up jumper.  Not the fastest SF, so you want use your speed against him when on offense.  Clutch.  If the game is close, he is taking the shot.

4.  Kevin Garnett | 6’11″ | 273 lbs. | 30 MPG | 13.4 PPG | 7.6 RPG | 50.6% FG | 0% 3 | 54.5% FT

Celtics emotional leader.  DO NOT give him a reason to get fired up…because if he is, all bets are off.  Great from 15 feet in with a terrific back to the basket game.  Must attempt to be physical with him.  On offense we need to try and stretch him out and lure him out of the lane so he can’t help on the drive.

5.  Kendrick Perkins | 6’10″ | 280 lbs. | 26 MPG | 9.6 PPG | 5.7 RPG | 62.2% FG | 0% 3 | 55% FT

Must keep a body on him and keep him off of the offensive glass.  His offensive game is limited to inside of 10 feet.  On defense, he is a shot blocker.  Pump fake him and get him into foul trouble…he tends to pick up a lot of fouls.

Bench

G.  Marquis Daniels | 6’6″ | 200 lbs. | 21.7 MPG | 5.7 PPG | 2.9 APG | 47.1% | 25% 3 | 53.8% FT

Capable scorer, your generic backup PG.  Compliments Rajon Rondo very nicely.  A better shooter than Rondo, but not as quick.  He has eased into this team’s backup PG role.

F.  Rasheed Wallace | 6’11″ | 230 lbs. | 21.6 MPG | 10.7 PPG | 4.6 RPG | 41.5 FG | 37% 3 | 66.7 FT

Rasheed is probably one of the most talented players in the league, but he is way too passive at times.  He can hit the 3 ball, can hit the midrange jumper, and can play with his back to the basket.  Maybe the only flaw in his game is his handle.  You must make him put the ball on the floor!

G.  Shelden Williams | 6’9″ | 250 lbs. | 16.3 MPG | 6.7 PPG |5.4 RPG | 59.1% FG | 0% 3 | 84% FT

Undersized center in college trying to play forward.  Has been hitting the defensive boards pretty well, proving himself to be a pretty nice acquisition.

G.  Eddie House | 6’1″ | 175 lbs. | 17.7 MPG | 7.7 PPG | 1.3 APG | 47.6% FG | 46.2% 3 | 100% FT

Shooter.  That is it, close out hard on him, and he won’t even drive, he will just pass.  When he catches the ball, it is either straight shoot of the catch, one dribble and shoot, or one dribble and pass.  Knows his limitations and doesn’t try to play beyond itself.

G.  Lester Hudson | 6’3″ | 190 lbs. | 9 MPG | 3 PPG | 1.3 APG | 60% FG | 100% 3 | 50% FT

Unsigned draft pick who made the Celtics roster after a very strong preseason.  He is showing himself to be a capable shooter, but all of his minutes have come in blowouts, hasn’t been in a close game, so if he gets in pressure him.  He may not be able to handle it.

G.  J.R. Giddens | 6’5″ | 215 lbs. | 4.5 MPG | .5 PPG | .3 APG | 33.3% FG | 0% FT | 0% FT

Athletic wing.

F.  Brian Scalabrine | 6’9″ | 235 lbs. | 4.5 MPG | 2.5 PPG | 0 RPG | 100% FG | 100% 3 | 0% FT

Generic white guy on the bench

F.  Glen Davis | 6’9″ | 289 lbs. | No Regular Season Stats

Out.  Fisticuffs.

G./F.  Tony Allen | 6’4″ | 213 lbs. | No Regular Season Stats

Out.

G/F.  Bill Walker | No preseason stats

Out.

Offensive Tendencies:

A lot of good options on offense, they have guys who can score from outside, score from inside.  A set they like to run is ISO Pierce at the high post and give it to him and watch him work.  If you see Pierce starting to set up there, deny him hard.  Force him away from his sweet spot.

Defensive Tendencies:

Besides Rondo, speed is an issue.  Must use your quickness to get around the defenders.  

Keys To Victory:

Hope that Boston’s best 6 players are having off nights offensively.  Playing in the second night of a back to back, and with some injuries they look to be thin.  Try to get them into foul trouble.

With the defending Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics coming to town tonight, Nets Are Scorching gets the skinny from Zach Lowe, of the dynamic Celtics TrueHoop site, Celtics Hub.

NAS: With his contract extension, it looks like Rajon Rondo is in the Celtics’ long-term plans. Over the summer, there was a rumor of a Rondo-for-Devin Harris swap. Do you see the logic of this trade from the C’s side and if  you were GM, would you have done it?

Lowe: No. I don’t like the idea of shaking up a championship contender to that degree. Rondo fits the rest of this roster better than Harris does, in that he doesn’t need to control the ball or take a ton of shots. Adding Harris at the expense of Rondo only makes sense–at least to me–if you’re overhauling the roster in a larger way.  If you’re committed to Allen-Pierce-KG and defensive dominance, Rondo fits. Three years from now, would Harris fit better? That’s impossible to know and not really relevant.

NAS: Another Celtic linked to the Nets this summer was “Big Baby” Glen Davis. Have the Celtics missed Davis at all since he went down with an injury to start the season?

Lowe: I mean, not in any serious way. The team is undefeated (note: this interview was conducted before Boston’s loss last night to the Phoenix Suns), KG’s playing fewer than 30 minutes per game and Shelden Williams is mostly doing what the team is asking him to do. But would the team be better and deeper with Big Baby taking minutes from Williams, Sheed and KG? Absolutely.

NAS: How has Rasheed Wallace fit in with the Celtics so far?

Lowe: Exactly as expected. His presence and 45 percent shooting from deep have loosened up the team’s second unit offense. The team can run three-man pick/pop plays with Ray Allen, Eddie House and Sheed. That is damn near impossible to defend. His defensive activity comes and goes, but it has mostly been there. He hasn’t gone down on the block as much, but he has shown the ability to hit 12-footers down there when the situation demands it. Really, I couldn’t be happier with his play.

NAS: Besides age and health, is there anything/anyone who can stop the Celtics this year?

Lowe: Sure: The Lakers, Cavs, Magic and Spurs. None of those teams has gelled as quickly as Boston so far, but it’s June that matters most.

The Nets are kind of a mess right now, as duly noted by NBA Fanhouse.

In his Nets notes, Al Iannazzone talks to Rod Thorn who says there is no immediate help on the way via a trade.

The Atlantic Yards Report, quoting ESPN’s Marc Stein, said Mikhail Prokhorov could buy the Nets even if they don’t end up in Brooklyn.

Prior to joining the injured ranks last night, Dave D’Alessandro scribed a piece about Courtney Lee needing to step up with the absence of other players.

Brett Yormark strikes again: Nets players who are too injured to play will mingle with fans at the Izod Center.

Ian Thomsen at Sports Illustrated looks at why LeBron James will probably not leave Cleveland.

Inside Shaun Powell’s column at NBA.com, Rod Thorn says the team is not going to be too rash to fire Lawrence Frank.

It looks like the goin injury isn’t as bad as we initially thought, though he’s still questionable to play in tonight’s game against the Celtics.

As quoted by Dave D’Alessandro:

“It’s not bad at all. Rest as much as possible. Go from day-to-day,” the winger said. “It wasn’t a tear. They said it was a micro-tear below my groin. So it’s day-to-day. It’s minor through.”

Either way, it looks like the Nets will likely suit-up eight players tonight, nine tops. The timing of this is impeccable as the Nets are coming off the second half of a back-to-back against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference (who were handed their first loss last night).

To quote Dave D. – “Either way, it’s a kerfuffle.”