Game 65 Preview Vs. OKC Thunder
Mar 12, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Thunder
Not a lot of time to get this up, so quickly to the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Russell Westbrook
Watching these two guys go at it is going to be fun. Westbrook uses his athleticism and Devin his speed, but both guys are fantastic at getting into the paint, and both are a little more scoring oriented than your average point guard. We could find ourselves in a situation where both guys just start going at each other trying to one-up the other. That could get very entertaining.
Advantage: Push
Courtney Lee vs. Thabo Sefolosha
According to Al Iannazzone Courtney Lee has a sprained thumb on his shooting hand, but he won’t be missing any time. That is probably what contributed to his first bad game in quite a while (4-12 shooting). Tonight, he is going against a pretty good defender in Thabo, but he won’t produce much in terms of scoring.
Advantage: Push
Trenton Hassell vs. Kevin Durant
If it was any other team, I’d be pushing to see Terrence Williams starting here, but Hassell is a better defender and that is what you need when going against Kevin Durant. Durant is going to make shots, and he is going to get points in transition, so if you want to have a chance against the Thunder, you are going to have to keep him off of the foul line. If the Nets do that, they have a chance.
Advantage: Kevin Durant
Kris Humphries vs. Jeff Green
Boone is a game time decision with a sprained back, so you will probably see Kris Humphries starting (and if not, he will be getting a bulk of the minutes). Green is a guy who can score inside and out, but I think Humphries will be able to handle him, as he did a fantastic job of defending Dirk last time. Humphries needs to contribute on the offensive end though, he is creating too many wasted possessions with his missed mid-range jumpers as of late.
Advantage: Jeff Green
Brook Lopez vs. Nenad Krstic
Brook Lopez struggled defending Nenad last time out, as he floated on the outside and knocked down a few jumpers. I think the Nets should counter by going inside and trying to get Krstic in foul trouble early.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Game 64 Preview Vs. Dallas Mavericks
Mar 10, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Mavericks
The last time the Nets played the Mavericks, it wasn’t pretty. At all. The Mavs might be missing a fair amount (Jason Terry and Erik Dampier are definitely out) of their pieces tonight, but Jason Kidd is still there. Before we talk to the game, I figured this was sort of Mavericks related and interesting. According to Wayne Winston (former stats guy for the Mavericks – see? Related) the Nets are on pace for 11 wins according to his rankings (more on that Friday). Wayne Winston is a pretty smart guy and these projections are pretty well respected, so take it for what it’s worth.
Now moving forward to tonight, the Nets are going to have to play a perfect to get a win tonight. They can’t do the little things wrong like take the foul-to-give early or going for steals that trigger fast breaks for the opponents. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Jason Kidd
Last year Devin Harris got the best of Jason Kidd (and the Mavs), so it looked like the Nets won the trade. This year the Nets are awful and the Mavs are good (and there was that blowout game in New Jersey) and now the Mavs are thought to have won the deal. My opinion? We still don’t know who we are getting with the Mavs pick, so the deal is incomplete and since it was a longterm deal for the Nets, it is way too early to judge.
Advantage: Jason Kidd
Courtney Lee vs. Caron Butler
Courtney Lee has been playing out of this world as of late, and while I don’t think he will average 30 points a game for the rest of his career, he is starting to show what Rod Thorn saw in him that he was willing to give up Ryan Anderson for him. Combine his scoring now with the ability to play lock down defense, and you have a solid starter and a solid piece moving forward.
Advantage: Caron Butler
Trenton Hassell vs. Shawn Marion
Trenton Hassell is probably going to start again, but we probably will be seeing a ton of Terrence Williams tonight, because I don’t think Hassell will be able to hang with Marion’s athleticism (even though that has declined through the years).
Advantage: Shawn Marion
Josh Boone vs. Dirk
Josh Boone might start (he did have a solid game against the Grizzlies), but I don’t think he is going to successfully be able to hang with Dirk, which means you might see a lot of Kris Humphries. While Humphries has struggled on the offensive end as of late, he still continues to work on the offensive end. It is going to be fun to watch Dirk and Humphries go at it, and Humphries might be able to use his experience in Dallas to his advantage.
Advantage: Dirk
Brook Lopez vs. Brendan Haywood
When I saw Brendan Haywood got traded to the Western Conference, I was happy because this means Brook Lopez gets to face him less than when he was in the East. Brendan Haywood had the two best defensive performances against Brook (in my opinion), and he might have another tough night if his teammates don’t make shots.
Advantage: Push
Game 63 Preview Vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Mar 8, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Grizzlies
Tonight the Nets are looking to get their first win streak of the season, but the Nets technically do have a win streak. The Nets have won 3 straight games on the road as they start a 4 game road trip. If the Nets are going to want to continue this streak, they are going to have to go down to Memphis and beat the Grizzlies.
The last time these two teams played, the Nets were able to jump out to a big time early lead only to fall apart in the second half. I think the Nets have gotten better/smarter when it comes to playing a full 48 minutes, so that means we should be getting a very interesting game.
Devin Harris vs. Mike Conley
Devin is coming off of another great game, and that is starting to happen more often than not, which is comforting to see. Meanwhile on the other end, Mike Conley is considered by a good amount of people as one of the worst starting PGs in the league. Here is what 3 Shades Of Blue has to say of him:
Mike Conley has picked up his game since the All-Star break and is starting to look more and more comfortable running the point but Memphis fans have seen similar stretches from Conley before only to watch him revert to the tentative PG who panicked at open shots.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. O.J. Mayo
When Lee went down with the ankle injury a few games ago, I was really worried because it looked like his shot was finally coming around and to see him go down with an ankle (an injury that really hurts jump shooters), all his work to get back could have gone down the drain. However, Lee came back Saturday night like nothing ever happened. He was sticking his shots all night.
Advantage: Push
Trenton Hassell vs. Rudy Gay
Yes, Trenton Hassell is still starting. This could be 1 of 2 reasons. The first is that Hayes is still being bothered by injury a bit. The second is that the Nets’ coaching staff believes Hayes is more of an effective shooter when he comes off the bench. Either way, Hassell has been doing a decent enough job, but the fact that he is starting really tells you about the lack of depth the Nets have.
Advantage: Rudy Gay
Kris Humphries vs. Zach Randolph
Humphries came to New Jersey like a bat out of hell. He came in and was hitting shots, grabbing rebounds, and doing just about everything you could ask of him (he even set his career high in points twice). He fell off, and you can blame Yi and Kiki from taking minutes away from him, but when it comes down to it, he hasn’t been hitting his shots. With all that being said, Humphries is the perfect match-up for a guy like Randolph. He isn’t going to let Zach Randolph push him around on the block or on the offensive board.
Advantage: Zach Randolph
Brook Lopez vs. Marc Gasol
Brook Lopez had his way with Marc Gasol the last time these two played, scoring 22 points in the first half of the ball game. However, he was held to only 4 in the second half because the Grizzlies decided to double on him. It is going to be interesting to see how the Grizzlies defend Brook. I think they will come out and double him from the start, and if this happens, hopefully the good shooting can carry over from last game.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Game 61 Preview Vs. Orlando Magic
Mar 5, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Magic
Sure last game against the Cavs ended up being a 20 point loss, but I liked how the team played. Essentially, the Nets played with the Cavs for three quarters, and you can say that the Cavs coasted, but I didn’t see it. The Magic are a team that runs hot and cold, and if the Nets catch them on a cold shooting night, then who knows what could happen.
As for Courtney Lee, I assume that he is pushing to play against his former teammates, but I just don’t think they will let him out there.
Devin Harris vs. Jameer Nelson
Devin Harris has had some trouble with his shot the last couple of games, and I think that has to do with him settling for outside jumpers a little more. Against Jameer Nelson, he is going against a PG who can’t match his speed. I see him getting into the paint and having a pretty successful game if he can finish.
Advantage: Push
Chris Douglas-Roberts vs. Vince Carter
Mark summed CDR’s performance as of late perfectly:
Chris Douglas-Roberts had a very short stretch in the third quarter where in the span of 2+ minutes, he took over the game offensively, and made three consecutive short runners in the lane – vintage CDR style. Sadly, they were the only three field goals made by Douglas-Roberts all game, missing his other 7 attempts. It’s just so frustrating because as a fan, you can see what CDR can accomplish, but you’re left wondering who that player on the court is the other 20+ minutes a game.
No matter what CDR and his supporters say, it isn’t the system. He just doesn’t seem as aggressive as he used to be.
Advantage: Vince Carter
Jarvis Hayes vs. Matt Barnes
I think Jarvis will be back in the starting lineup since the Nets really need an outside shooting threat to help clear things up from Brook in the center.
Advantage: Matt Barnes
Yi vs. Rashard Lewis
Andre Blatche is like a poor man’s Rashard Lewis, and we saw what he did against Yi and the Nets.
Advantage: Rashard Lewis
Brook Lopez vs. Dwight Howard
Because Dwight is such a good defender, Brook might get single coverage tonight. Brook has been playing very well as of late, and hopefully that can continue.
Advantage: Dwight Howard
Game 60 Preview Vs. Cleveland Cavs
Mar 3, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Cavs
The Nets have had a couple days off (remember what happened the last time they had time off), and they return to action against LeBron James and the Cavs. I don’t have a ton of time to talk about the Wizards game or anything before we get to the lineups, but Courtney Lee is still out with his ankle injury. Anyone who has played basketball can tell you how much they suck, and I think the training staff will be conservative with Courtney. I think they will hold him out of the two games this upcoming weekend, bringing him back after that. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Mo Williams
This is a match-up Devin Harris should be able to win. Mo Williams is a terrific spot up shooter, but he doesn’t really attack the basket or provide anything else besides his shooting (he can do other stuff, but he doesn’t excel at it). If Devin attacks, gets himself into the lane, and to the line he could have a big game.
Advantage: Push
CDR vs. Anthony Parker
When looking at the boxscore from Sunday’s game (I wasn’t able to catch it live), I saw that he logged 31 minutes and smiled. “He’s back.” I thought to myself, because there is no way Kiki would play him that many minutes if he was playing well. He didn’t play well though (2-7 for 4 points). What this means is as long as Courtney Lee is out, CDR is going to get minutes and a shot to prove what he can do. Will he be able to take advantage?
Advantage: Anthony Parker
Trenton Hassell vs. LeBron James
A couple of weeks ago, Trenton Hassell was sitting on the bench, not really getting many minutes. The next thing he knows, he is defending LeBron James. Trenton one of the first guys I got to interview one-on-one, so maybe I am a little biased, but I think he is a true professional. When he got shuffled back to the bench, you didn’t hear a word out of him. All he does is come out and work when his name gets called.
Advantage: LeBron James
Yi vs. Antwan Jamison
Remember when Andray Blatche lit up Yi? Yeah, Antwan Jamison is better than Blatche, and with LeBron James drawing a ton of attention, Yi is going to be D’ing up Jamison up 1-on-1 most of the night.
Advantage: Antwan Jamison
Brook Lopez vs. J.J. Hickson
The Nets are missing their best shooter from the outside, so you can expect (hope) that the ball will go into Brook a ton. Also, Shaq is out, and Z is still waiting for those 30 days to expire, so Hickson is the only real center on the roster. Brook dominated Kendrick Perkins with consistent touches, so if the Nets give Brook a lot of touches tonight, I could see him having a very big game.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Update From Mark: No Bloggers Talk today everyone. Should hopefully resume Friday.
Game 59 Preview Vs. Washington Wizards
Feb 28, 2010 2009-2010 Open Threads, Game Previews, Nets vs. Wizards
The Nets are coming off their biggest win of the year and now have their first legitimate chance at a winning streak as they take on the Wizards (the Nets also have a chance to put themselves on pace to get the ever important 10th win). The Nets have gotten their last two wins after multiple days rest, but I think this back-to-back is actually beneficial for the Nets. Their game in Boston (and what made them successful) is fresh in their minds, and hopefully they continue to do the things that got them their win in Boston. Onto the lineups:
Devin Harris vs. Randy Foye
Randy Foye has put together a pretty nice season this year, but he is just an average player. Not too quick. Doesn’t have great size. On the other hand, Devin Harris has regained his All-Star form.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Keyon Dooling vs. Mike Miller
My guess is that unless Courtney has a remarkable recovery, he is going to be out for tomorrow. He seemed to roll his ankle pretty bad, and he was unable to put a ton of pressure on it as he was helped off the court. Keyon Dooling is probably going to get the start at the 2. He brings in his shot-making ability and his good decision making. Dooling’s threes yesterday were key in the win.
Advantage: Push
Trenton Hassell vs. Al Thorton
Trenton Hassell gave the Nets some good minutes yesterday, but I am expecting to see CDR get a good chunk of the SF minutes tonight (If Hayes is still out). Not only because he played very well yesterday, but because Hassell has logged a bunch of minutes, so you can expect to see fatigue setting in.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Andray Blatche
You might remember Blatche as the man who went off on the Nets in their first meeting. Eduardo Najera isn’t on the Nets anymore, so you can’t expect him to put up the same numbers, but Blatche has been playing well since the trade, so you can expect him to get some things done against Yi, who is still struggling.
Advantage: Andray Blatche
Brook Lopez vs. JaVale McGee
Brook Lopez could be poised for a big game against the Wizards now that Brendon Haywood isn’t on the team anymore. I think Haywood has done the best job on Brook all year, so seeing him in Dallas is pretty refreshing. McGee is a long athletic center, but I don’t think he has the strength to match up with Brook on the inside.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Game 58 Preview Vs. Boston Celtics
Feb 27, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Celtics
The Celtics come into this game really struggling. Everyone is calling them old, and without Paul Pierce they don’t really look fluid on offense. Without Pierce, Marquis Daniels has been starting as the Celtics go small. As for the Nets, they are coming off of a very good half of basketball against Portland and they have had 4 days off, 2 straight days without practice as well because of the snow. The last time there was a long break in games, the Nets came out and beat Charlotte, so who knows what will happen. Also, expect to see a lot of subs as Kiki manages minutes with a winnable game coming up tomorrow. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Rajon Rondo
With both of these guys at 100%, this is going to be real fun to watch. These guys are just going to fly up and down the court back and forth. Rondo has been playing real well as of late, but fatigue seems to be setting in with him late in games. With Pierce out, Daniels who usually handles back up point duties is forced to start, and that means more minutes for Rondo. You saw what happened in Cleveland, he just wore down.
Advantage: Rajon Rondo
Courtney Lee vs.Marquis Daniels
Courtney Lee played great in the second half of the Portland game, but the biggest problem for him last year is consistency. He has never really been able to put two or three games together, and if he can play well tonight, the Nets might have a chance.
Advantage: Push
Jarvis Hayes vs. Ray Allen
After sitting out the last game, Hayes will be back. Though you could see a fair amount of Trenton Hassell if Ray Allen starts to go off. Since the trade deadline passed, that has been happening plenty.
Advantage: Ray Allen
Yi vs. Kevin Garnett
It’s funny, when Yi came back he was playing great, but the rest of the team seemed to be struggling. Now, for the most part the rest of the team is playing well, but Yi is struggling. If he can hit a couple jumpers and stretch the defense, that is all we need from him at this point.
Advantage: Kevin Garnett
Brook Lopez vs. Kendrick Perkins
This right here is going to be the match-up of the night. Perkins is a nasty person (it seems like that at least), and his play matches that. He is physical and tries to beat the opposing center down. Brook has struggled with physical centers in the past, but I think the 4 days rest could help Brook.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Game 57 Preview Vs. Portland Trailblazers
Feb 23, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Trailblazers
Before I get to the game preview tonight, I just wanted to talk about something real quick. Things are starting to get chippy again in the comments again. I know that this is a tough season and it is wearing everyone’s patience pretty thin, but you guys still need to be respectful to each other. Just do me a favor and check out the commenting constitution one more time. Thanks.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about tonight’s game. Portland is coming off a tough loss Sunday night against the Jazz where they held a pretty big fourth quarter lead and gave it away, allowing the Utah Jazz to send the game into overtime, where the Jazz won. There is no question in my mind that Portland is going to come out like gangbusters tonight. If New Jersey can whether the first burst, I think they can hang with them for the duration of the game. If they get down double-digits early, this isn’t going to go well. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Andre Miller
With Steve Blake now in L.A. playing for the Clippers, Andre Miller and Jared Bayless have been getting the majority of time at the point. Miller isn’t going to blow by anyone at this point in his career, and he struggles with the outside jumper, but the one thing Miller does well is playing with his back to the basket. I see Miller posting (or at least trying to) Devin up a lot tonight. On the other end, Devin needs to use his quickness to get into the lane and make plays.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. Brandon Roy
Brandon Roy is Portland’s go to guy. Late in the game, if the ball is in his hands, Portland is usually in a good spot. So the goal of the Nets’ defense tonight is to keep the ball out of Roy’s hands. I think that this can be done. Courtney Lee is a very hard worker and a real good defender, so if the Nets decide to deny Roy, they could have a chance at shutting him down.
Advantage: Brandon Roy
Trenton Hassell vs. Martell Webster
It’s funny, the day Mark decides to talk about CDR and why everyone continues to discuss him, Hayes is going to be out and CDR is being talked about everyone again. According to Dave D, Trenton Hassell is starting, but CDR is going to be in the rotation:
Vandeweghe said Trenton Hassel will start at small forward in Hayes’ absence. Chris Douglas-Roberts, who did not get off the bench in Sunday’s game, will not start but be in the playing rotation tonight, Vandeweghe said. The coach said CDR’s DNP Sunday was the result of “an internal matter,” though CDR had a puzzled look on his face when asked about this “internal matter.”
Advantage: Martell Webster
Yi vs. LaMarcus Aldridge
Aldridge is a very talented and athletic big, and the exact type of player that gives Yi a ton a trouble. Aldridge doesn’t really work out of the post, but that doesn’t really effect his productivity. On the other hand, Yi had a decent game last night, but I expect him to struggle tonight.
Advantage: LaMarcus Aldridge
Brook Lopez vs. Marcus Camby
Brook Lopez had a tremendous game last time out, but it was actually a bit of a disappointment if you watched the game. Brook had 22 points in the first half, and only finished with 26. There has been a lot of talk about who is at fault for the lack of touches Brook gets. I have heard Brook needs to demand the ball more, Devin needs to force it into him, and Kiki needs to call more plays for him. Those are all valid arguments, but in my opinion it is the lack of shooting on this team that really hurts him. Late in games, you see teams playing zone against the Nets or doubling Brook right on the catch, because nobody else on the court scares opposing teams. Look at the games where the Nets shot well from the outside, and I guarantee you will see Brook have good numbers in that game.
Advantage: Push
Game 55 Preview Vs. Toronto Raptors
Feb 19, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Raptors
Before we get to the game tonight, I wanted to talk about a contest that the Nets are holding real quick. There is a Jay-Z concert on March 6th at the Izod Center. The Nets are giving away free tickets, and it is pretty easy to qualify for a chance to win. According to the site:
All one has to do is follow the Nets on Twitter (@netsbasketball) or Become a Fan on Facebook by March 1st, and retweet a message (Twitter) or fill out a brief form (FB).
Just thought some Nets fans would be interested in this info.
As for the game, no Chris Bosh tonight for the Raptors. Nets’ fans shouldn’t really be celebrating yet, because Bosh’s great play isn’t the reason why the Nets have been losing to the Raptors. Don’t get me wrong, he has been a factor, but the Raptors running and gunning is what has been giving the Nets problems. We shall see if the Nets can keep this from happening tonight. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Jarrett Jack
Mark summed it up perfectly earlier today. Devin Harris is back, and it isn’t just because of the numbers either (I believe sometimes the numbers can lie to you), but if you watch him, he just looks better now. He looks like the same player as last year, and that is important.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. DeMar DeRozan
Courtney Lee had a really good game in the Nets’ win against Charlotte. He then had a truly awful game against the Heat. That seems to be Courtney’s problem this year, consistency. It is understandable though. Last year, as the 5th or 6th option on that Magic team, Lee could afford to have a bad game here or there because the Magic weren’t relying on him. The Nets rely on him. He is this team’s third option, and he is going to have to be more consistent for the Nets.
Advantage: Push
Jarvis Hayes vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Hedo Turkoglu is one of the biggest flops (in terms of Free Agent signings) this year so far, and part of it is the way that he plays on the Raptors. Hedo is a guy who is at his best with the ball in his hands, he just seems more comfortable with that. The Raptors have a true-point guard, and they like to run their sets (not saying it is a bad thing), but this kind of keeps Hedo out of the loop.
Advantage: Hedo Turkoglu
Yi vs. Amir Johnson
I think Amir is going to be the guy who is going to replace Chris Bosh tonight, thought I am not really positive. Johnson might end up being a nightmare match-up for Yi, because he is a very athletic guy, and those are the guys who seem to give him the most problems.
Advantage: Push
Brook Lopez vs. Andrea Bargnani
Andrea Bargnani is going to present a unique problem for Brook Lopez. Bargnani isn’t going to bother him on the defensive end, but when on offense, Brook is going to have a tough time covering Bargnani. He said it himself (via @netsbasketball):
Brook, on Bargs: “It’s tough b/c he can shoot the ball, he’s big and can play in the post. You’ve got to try to make him rely on counters.”
To offset this, Brook really needs to get working in the post on the offensive end. Hopefully the contact and all that will tire Bargnani out and that will end up leaving his shots short. If not, this can happen.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Game 54 Preview Vs. Miami Heat
Feb 17, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Heat
So a win huh? That was pretty exciting. I said it in the comments of one of the posts today that we shouldn’t shrug off a win against the Bobcats as the Nets beating a crappy team. The truth is that the Bobcats are a pretty quality opponent, and their loss to the Nets last night actually dropped them back to .500. Oh and they beat the Heat by about 40 points a month ago (now I am not saying the Nets are 40+ points better than the Heat but this is just to say that the Bobcats are good). So how did the Nets beat a quality team? Well, they have been doing the same thing that they have been doing for the most part during this 7 game stretch. The only difference was last night they did it for 4 quarters instead of three.
Moving onto tonight. The Heat beat the Nets by 1, and they needed two incredibly lucky three pointers to do so. I think that this is another game that the Nets can win, only if they play another full 48 minutes though..oh and oh yeah, the return of Rafer Alston!
Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Rafer Alston
Devin Harris looked like his former self last night. The numbers don’t really show it, but he was under control, and more importantly only tried to take over when he needed to. He ran the offense correctly and was finding guys in proper spots. He will be going against Rafer, who actually has been playing pretty well in Miami. Hopefully all the bad vibes he had in the Izod Center return to him now that he is a visitor.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Dywane Wade vs. Courtney Lee
Dywane Wade is playing some really good basketball, and he scares the crap out of me. However Courtney has been playing well on both sides of the ball, so he might be able to hold Wade down.
Advantage: Dywane Wade
Jarvis Hayes vs. Quentin Richardson
Mark pointed out to me that Hayes is averaging 10.6 PPG as a starter. The most important thing to me is that he seems to be a stabilizing factor for this Nets lineup. You know exactly what you are going to get from him. A couple of threes, a couple of jumpers, and hard work on the court. I love CDR and think he should play more, but he has been so inconsistent as of late. You don’t know if you are going to get the attacking CDR (that puts up a lot of points) or the passive CDR who only takes 2 shots in 30 minutes. I think that is why Kiki is sticking with Jarvis here.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Micheal Beasley
Beasley looked pretty good during the rookie-sophmore game, but his biggest problem is that it takes him a ton of shots to get his points. With Dywane Wade on the same team as him, he isn’t going to get the shots he needs to be a 20+ PPG scorer. He still is a dangerous player though, and if he gets hot, he can really hurt the Nets. Also, Yi seems to be the best match-up for him (I think he is too athletic for Hump), so that really scares me as well.
Advantage: Micheal Beasley
Brook Lopez vs. Jermaine O’Neal
Brook was on his way to a really special game, but foul trouble seemed to derail that. He gets another favorable match-up tonight too. Jermaine O’Neal is too small to defend Brook in the block, so if he gets the ball in the post (and stays out of foul trouble) he has the chance to have a really big game.
Advantage: Brook Lopez