Thoughts on the Game: Nets Do a Poor Job of Wooing
Mar 4, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Cavs, Thoughts On the Game
View from the Couch – Cavs the Blog – Fear the Sword
When you’re watching your team play the Cleveland Cavaliers, you absolutely expect LeBron James to completely dominate, and with Antawn Jamison now in the fold, I was prepared to see him have a big game last night against the Nets as well.
But when you get big games from those two guys, and then have to rummage through the carnage left by a player like JJ Hickson, that’s when you know your team is in trouble. Then again, it’s by no accident that the Nets have 53 losses on March 3 – no matter what Boston Celtics fans are currently telling you.
Despite playing the Cavs relatively well earlier in the season the Nets seemed destined to get smacked around in match No. 4, so the final 111-92 score was not a huge shock to me. But I’m still having a hard time getting over this Hickson thing. Filling in for the injured Shaquille O’Neal, and the absent Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Hickson, who’s averaging 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds for the season, is exactly the kind of player that can’t beat you. With 20 points and 13 rebounds, that’s exactly what he did.
What’s worse was how he did. In the first quarter, within the first 90 seconds of the game, Hickson was able to grab two offensive rebounds because of poor boxing out by the Nets. Unlike Yi Jianlian, who grabbed a ton of offensive rebounds on Sunday night but had zero points on cutbacks, Hickson got four points off those two boards.
Maybe you could have chalked the early Hickson buckets for the Nets being a tad unprepared to deal with him, but with about three minutes left in the third, Hickson jumped in for an offensive rebound again, untouched.
It was so frustrating, it almost made me overlook the performances by LeBron (26 points, 14 assists, 7 rebounds) and Antawn Jamison (19 points, 9 rebounds). LeBron was really pushing it early. I remember checking the box score at one point in the second quarter and saw he had 16 points already and I thought he could have gone for 50 if he wanted to, but the Cavs checked into cruise control, only revving the engine again when the Nets cut their lead down to 12 or 11 points.
When the Nets did go on their runs, Terrence Williams (21 points, 8-16 shooting, 7 assists, 5 rebounds), was the primary catalyst. In the second quarter, Williams made three separate plays in the span of four minutes, where he demonstrated what an absolutely dominant player he can be offensively, when he just focuses on scoring near the hoop. He capped off the scoring spurt with a one-handed dunk with about 2:30 left in the quarter. TWill was setting the offense at the top of the key, when he exploded with his first step, carving his way around the entire Cleveland defense before getting the dunk.
A player I was disappointed in was Brook Lopez. Lopez has been pretty successful against the Cavs when Shaq has been in the lineup, averaging 21.7 points in his three previous games. While he finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds last night, it was about as quiet of a double-double from Lopez as you could get. He struggled in the early going, while Hickson was doing his damage, and Lopez didn’t seem to get into a groove until the second half, when he scored 12 of his points.
Final thoughts after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »
Quick Recap: Cleveland Cavaliers 111, New Jersey Nets 92
Mar 3, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Cavs, Quick Recap
The Cavs went for the jugular early, leading by 20 after one, before cruising to a 111-92 victory at the Izod Center tonight, the Nets 10th consecutive loss at home, a franchise record.
- LeBron James was his usual awesome self, finishing with 26 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds, but it was JJ Hickson, filling in for Shaq, who helped put the Nets away early, finishing with 20 points and 13 rebounds, including 6 offensive boards.
- Brook Lopez overcame a slow start and finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds, including 8 offensive boards.
- Really rough night for Devin Harris, who was 4-13 from the field to finish with 11 points and only 1 assist.
- Career night for Terrence Williams, who had 21 points 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
- Nets grabbed 16 offensive boards, but were still outrebounded for the game 46-39.
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.
Thoughts on the Game: Switch Goes on For Cleveland, Out Goes the Nets
Feb 10, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Cavs, Thoughts On the Game
Cavs the Blog – Fear the Sword
If there was a way to stop all Nets-Cavs games after the first quarter, the Nets might be the team looking like the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
For the second consecutive match-up for these two teams, the undisputed worst team in the east took it to the best team. The Nets jumped out to an early 8-point lead in Cleveland last night, with Jarvis Hayes and Courtney Lee combining for 19 points in the first quarter. Hayes was especially sharp, drilling three treys in the first, while LeBron James was more methodical, waiting until the second half to erupt for his eventual game high 32 points.
But like the previous games against Cleveland, once the Cavs were able to get ahead, there never was any doubt that they were going to have to look back. A common analogy used in sports is the “switch” a championship level team is able to turn on and off, especially during the regular season against lesser opponents. The Nets-Cavs dynamic this season embodies the “switch” comparison to a “T.” In this case, Shaquille O’Neal jammed home two points at the 9:52 mark in the second quarter, putting Cleveland up 32-31. From there, Cleveland’s lead was as high as 17, though the Nets were able to chip away down to 5 a few times, and managed to keep the final score within seven points.
On the surface, you could say the Nets have laid Cleveland surprisingly well this season – in their three games they’ve lost by 10, 10 and 7. But in all of these games, Cleveland’s lead in the second half just felt so much more insurmountable. The Nets were down 6 going into half when I realized that LeBron James had only scored 9 points. How could anyone reasonably expected the game’s leading scorer to have such pedestrian numbers for the entire game. Naturally, he didn’t. He scored on five of the team’s first eight possessions in the third quarter. At that point, I realized: there was no way the Nets were going to win this game. It was all about whether or not LeBron or the Cavs were interested in keeping it close or not.
To the Nets credit, they got some overall good performances from Courtney Lee (24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists), who’s starting to bunch more of the positive games together than bad, and Brook Lopez (23 points, 14 rebounds), who I was relieved to see smiling a bit during the fourth quarter’s final minutes. While some fans may bristle at their star player looking at ease when the team is about to lose its 47th game of the season, I’ve become so accustomed to the look of dejection and frustration on Brook’s face at the end of games, I’ll take a smile at this stage of the season. If we were charting the 7 stages of grief here, I think Lopez is finally at acceptance, or at the very least, he’s becoming more functional.
What was most concerning to me in this game was what a big fat flop the reserves were. With Keyon Dooling pushed into the first unit for the ailing Devin Harris, guys like Kris Humphries and Terrence Williams needed to step up their production, and they did just the opposite. While +/- numbers are not always the greatest indicators in small, 48 minute sample sizes, last night’s differentials were very telling: Tony Battie (-19), Trenton Hassell (-14), Chris Quinn (-11), Kris Humphries (-22) and Terrence Williams (-23). The starters meanwhile, all had positive differentials. A strong showing from some of these guys could have been the difference in a 7-point game if you believed the Nets were capable of catching Cleveland napping. As for a curious development for the bench – an “available” Chris Douglas-Roberts earned the nefarious DNP-CD.
Some final thoughts after the jump.
Quick Recap: Cleveland Cavs 104, New Jersey Nets 97
Feb 9, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Cavs, Quick Recap
The Devin Harris-less Nets continued their string of keeping games close, hanging with the Cleveland Cavaliers for most of the game, but inevitably falling 104-97 in Cleveland tonight.
- The Nets, who actually led for parts of the first half, got quality performance from three of their starters tonight with Courtney Lee leading the way with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Brook Lopez had a double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Jarvis Hayes recovered from his nasty collision on Saturday, scoring 19 points, including 3-6 from three.
- The Nets bench wasn’t so hot, scoring only 9 points collectively, while the Cavs reserves pitched in with 37.
- Both teams shot over 50 percent for the game, with the Cavs hitting on 52.7 percent of their shots and the Nets on 51.4 percent.
- A typical night for the king, as LeBron finished with 32 points and 11 assists. Jawad Williams had a career high 17 points off the bench for Cleveland and Anderson Varejao continued to be a thorn in the Nets side with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and a bunch of disruptive hustle plays. Take note Kris Humphries.
Game 51 Preview Vs. Cleveland Cavs
Feb 9, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Cavs
So the Nets have had two days to lick their wounds, and after playing a string of very winnable games (and only getting 1), they now have to deal with the Cleveland Cavs. Not only that, but they are dealing with a Cavalier team who have won 11 in a row. Oh yeah, LeBron scored 47 his last time out. Onto the lineups…
Keyon Dooling vs. Delonte West
A good number of Nets fans (myself not included) are excited to see Keyon in the lineup instead of Devin (who will probably be out due to that collision Saturday). I really don’t understand this. Now, we don’t have the numbers to tell us who is playing better with the starting unit (too small of a sample size), but I am thinking just the fact that Dooling is a true point guard makes it look like he is being more productive. The defensive end might have something to do with it too, though over the past two games, Devin’s defense has been much improved. To the point where I was working on a post talking about how Devin is finally turning to corner. We will see what happens when he gets back.
Advantage: Push
Courtney Lee vs. Anthony Parker
I think I said this last time the Nets played the Cavs, but I think Courtney Lee and Anthony Parker are similar type players right now. Both are very good defenders who can knock down the open three. Where I see Lee improving himself this year vs. last is his willingness to attack the rim. He is very aggressive when attacking, and on nights where his shots are falling, he is very tough to defend.
Advantage: Anthony Parker
Jarvis Hayes vs. LeBron James
LeBron James is a tough cover for everyone, especially for an older guy coming off of a badly bruised shin. This could get bad real quick.
Advantage: LeBron James
Kris Humphries vs. J.J. Hickson
Humphries is listed here because Yi is also questionable. His shoulder (the one he looked like he dislocated last Tuesday) is still sore. He tried playing through it, but the results were less than favorable. My guess is that he sits out the next two, getting him to the All-Star break and getting him a good amount of rest.
Advantage: Push
Brook Lopez vs. Shaq
Last time Brook went up against Shaq, he was able to use movement without the basketball to get him some looks. Expect to see that. Also, expect to see some more “long twos” unfortunately. This is the type of center where Brook tends to float and settle for them, hopefully that doesn’t happen tonight.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Game 33 Video Breakdown
Jan 4, 2010 Nets vs. Cavs, Video Breakdown, Xs and Os
Against the Cavs in the first half, the Nets had a great first quarter. The Nets held the Cavs to under 20 points in the first quarter and had a 7 point lead at the end of the quarter (this was the Nets biggest lead of the season after 1 quarter). The Nets ended up losing the game in the second and third quarters though, getting outscored by 16 points in those two quarters before playing even with them in the fourth.
The Nets did a very good job on the offensive end, their ball movement looked crisp, and they were getting open looks. But in what seems to be the theme of the Nets’ season, they just couldn’t knock them down. Securing defensive rebounds were also a problem. After the jump, we are going to look at a couple good plays and a couple bad ones, breaking them down.
A Second Look: LeBron’s “And One” Vs. the Nets
Jan 3, 2010 Nets vs. Cavs, Video
Per a request in the comment’s section, here’s a second look at yesterday’s basket and foul by LeBron James towards the end of the fourth quarter. Yes, LeBron being able to shake off two Nets defenders to power to the hoop and get the hoop is impressive, but take a closer look on the second and third replays of what James does. He clearly takes stiff arms Devin Harris on the way to the hoop. Should the basket have counted?
Thoughts on the Game: Nets Can’t Beat the Elite
Jan 3, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Cavs, Thoughts On the Game
Hoop Data Box Score – Cavs the Blog – Fear the Sword – View From the Couch
If Kiki Vandeweghe has an ounce of Stanley Kubrick in him, I hope at practice he sits the Nets down “Clockwork Orange” style – strapped in, eyelids clamped open, so they can rewatch their performance in the first quarter yesterday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Because it was some of the best Nets basketball we’ve seen all season.
The Nets did a lot right in those first 12 minutes. They played crisply on the offensive end, totaling 26 points on 52 percent shooting, moving a lot without the ball, leading to some pretty-looking baskets like the backdoor cut by Brook Lopez which led to an alley-oop from Devin Harris at the 7:27 mark and then a thread-the-needle backdoor bounce pass from Brook to Chris Douglas-Roberts, which led to a reverse slam at the 4:46 mark. The Nets also played solid defensively, holding the Cavs to 19 points and 42 percent shooting in the quarter. LeBron James, didn’t score the first of his game high 28 points (along with 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 blocks), until just past the 6 minute mark of the first. The Nets were getting beat up a bit inside by Zyldrunas Ilgauskus and Shaquille O’Neal, but overall, the first quarter just felt like a tremendous effort, and after beating the Knicks Wednesday night in a game where they controlled from the second quarter on, I hope I’m not overstating things when I say I feel like maybe this team is starting to come together, even though they ultimately fell to Cleveland 94-86.
At 3-30 for the season now, moral victories feel like overtime losses in hockey – the Nets should get partial credit. While I petition the NBA for such a rule adjustment, consider that even when Cleveland stormed back in the second half, and had a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter, the Nets wouldn’t go away, like they’ve done in similar games this season (see last week’s loss to Oklahoma City). A free throw by Yi Jianlian, who was not at his best, shooting 2-13, but still managed to total 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, cut the Cleveland lead to 81-77 at the 4:39 mark. Cleveland followed that up with an 8-0 run, capped off with a LeBron James layup and free throw with 2:40 left, where he managed to get the bucket despite CDR and Courtney Lee hanging on the King (though LeBron also looked to push CDR off him during the continuation).
Yes, the Nets still had a hard time rebounding the ball. This time, they were outrebounded 52-38 and they gave up 16 on the offensive end, including 4 to the always annoying Anderson Varejao. And yes, after the hot shooting start to the game, the Nets end up shooting 33 percent for the remaining three quarters and 38.7 percent for the game. The Nets bench continues to be a black hole for the offense, only totaling 8 points on 3-13 shooting.
But here are some positives. The Nets were one Courtney Lee point away from having all five starters in double digit scoring for the second consecutive game, showing that this group of guys is starting to get the handle of playing together. I was impressed with how, with their offense struggling in the third, the Nets rode Brook Lopez in the third quarter, who totaled 10 points for the period, and got to the free throw line 10 times (converting 8).
The difference between the Nets and Cavs yesterday boils down to one very great player, doing just enough to carry his team over the top. LeBron James is that guy, and while I continue to have my doubts that he’ll leave Cleveland at the end of the season, he just commands so much attention and effort, that it allows players like Varejao and Mo Williams to total 15 and 18 points respectively. It’s because Cleveland has LeBron James, Daniel Gibson, who’s struggling for playing time, can hit a dagger of a three-pointer at the 3:05 mark in the fourth to stretch Cleveland’s lead back to 9, as the Nets were desperately trying to hang in this game.
More thoughts after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Quick Recap: Cleveland Cavaliers 94, New Jersey Nets 86
Jan 2, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Cavs, Quick Recap
The Nets hung with the Eastern Conference’s best team for three quarters, and were within four points with about 4:40 left in the fourth before the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away to win 94-86 in a matinee game at the Izod Center today.
- The Nets played a nice game defensively today, holding the Cavs to 39.5 percent shooting, including 4-14 from three-point land, but after shooting 52 percent in the first quarter and, the Nets only shot 33 percent for the rest of the game.
- The rebounding woes for the Nets continued as they were outboarded 52-38, and gave up 16 offensive rebounds.
- LeBron James had 28 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 blocks on Chris Douglas-Roberts.
- Solid game for Devin Harris, who finished with 22 points on 7-13 shooting, along with 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Brook Lopez also chipped in 20 points, getting 8 of them from the free throw line.
- Lopez had 4 assists, including a great backdoor pass to Chris Douglas Roberts, threading the needle between LeBron and Zydrunas Ilgauskas for the dunk. CDR was hanging tough with LeBron James early, but injured his ankle in the third quarter and looked to be hobbling around throughout the rest of the game. He finished with 16 points on 8-14 shooting.
- Yi Jianlian probably had his worst game since returning from injury, scoring 11 points on 2-13 shooting as the Cavs were playing him to drive most of the game and he couldn’t get his jump shot going. Yi also had 8 boards and 3 block shots.