Thoughts On The Game: We’re Going Streaking!!!
Mar 27, 2010 Nets vs. Pistons, Thoughts On the Game
The Nets’ second half against the Pistons might have been the best half of basketball the Nets have played all season (it was the most points they scored in the half). Even with this surge, the Nets tried really hard to give the game away at the end. There was a few turnovers, combined with a few threes from the Pistons and the lead got cut to 6. After a steal from Keyon Dooling, the Nets were able to ice the game from the line.
The main reason the Nets were able to come away with the win was the play of their frontcourt. Brook Lopez put in 37 points, but the real surprise was Yi Jianlian. Right from the start, Yi looked aggressive and knew what he was going to do with the ball before he even got it. Yi was able to get himself to the line (7 FTA), knock down his threes (2-2), and he was knocking down his jumpers. Yi’s ability to have games like these is the reason the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him so high, and it’s why the Nets were willing to take on Bobby Simmons contract to get him. Yi has just been unable to take the next step, which is doing it on a consistent basis. When Yi has things working for him, it makes the game so much easier for Brook Lopez (and this is why I think a guy like Chris Bosh would be a perfect fit as a Net), and it really showed yesterday. In his postgame recap, Ben Couch had an interesting quote from Brook Lopez about it:
“He’s been really working. We really jelled together and it’s improved. Now we get to the point where you can have us both in the game at crunch time and play off the two of us.”
Devin Harris also impressed me with his play. Usually when you see him have a low scoring game, it is because the shot isn’t falling and he will end up with a 1-15 night or something like that. Last night, Devin felt the shot wasn’t working and decided to get his bigs involved. He only attempted 4 shots the entire night, but he was able to rack up 12 assists. I think games like these are important to his development as a “true” point guard. He was able to gauge the Nets’ offense and what was working and took advantage of it. He was also dedicated to getting Brook Lopez the ball throughout the game, not just in the first half (which is something that has happened all year). With another game against a small/injured front-court (the Chicago Bulls), hopefully we can see this again.
One more thing on the Nets’ near collapse. It was obvious that they were playing tight late, trying to hold onto that elusive ninth win. If the Nets end up in that situation once again, I think they will handle it much differently. Now that they got win number 9, all the pressure is off of their shoulders. You can sense it in the way they celebrated/congratulated each other after the game and when listening to Brook Lopez and Devin Harris talk to reporters after the game. Without the whole W.O.A.T situation hanging over their head they don’t have to think and they can just play basketball. That’s when the game comes easy. When you don’t have to think and you can just play.
Some more thoughts after the jump…
Quick Recap: New Jeresey Nets 118, Detroit Pistons 110
Mar 26, 2010 Nets vs. Pistons, Quick Recap
Despite the Nets best efforts to give this game back to the Pistons late, the Nets came away with their 9th win of the season and their first winning streak of the entire year beating the Pistons 118 to 110.
- Brook Lopez was spectacular tonight. Besides two mistakes in the backcourt late, he was nearly perfect going for 37 (on 14-17 shooting) points and 10 rebounds. His 37 points is a career high.
- Not to be outdone, Yi also set a career high going for 31 points on 12-16 shooting.
- Devin Harris didn’t have the shot working, but with Lopez and Yi going off, he was more than happy to take a back-seat (only 4 shots) and dish out 12 dimes.
- Terrence Williams went for 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Ho-hum, just another night for T-Will.
- The Nets shot a season high 57.1% and a large part of it was due to the assists. The Nets assisted on 30 of their 40 made baskets, also a season high.
- Terrence Williams, Brook Lopez, and Yi combined for 81 points. The rest of the team combined for 37 points.
Game 72 Preview Vs. Detroit Pistons
Mar 26, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Pistons
The Nets are coming off of a big win against the Kings, and they look to get their first winning streak of the year going against the Pistons tonight. This is probably the best chance that they have to get their 9th win, and if they get it I am pretty positive the Nets are going to get to 10 wins. The Nets when faced with late game situations have played tight the whole year, but I think once they get to win #9, they will loosen up and play better.
As for tonight, Terrence Williams should be back in the lineup. Here is what Ben Couch has to say about it (via @netsbasketball):
Officially, @therealtwill is a gametime decision. But #fortherecord he was laying in 20-pound medicine balls with the big men. #nets
So with the Nets at full strength tonight, I like their chances. Onto the lineups (a quick one because I don’t want to jinx it).
Devin Harris vs. Will Bynum
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. Richard Hamilton
Advantage: Push
Terrence Williams vs. Tayshaun Prince
Advantage: Tayshaun Prince
Yi vs. Jonas Jerebko
Advantage: Jonas Jerebko
Brook Lopez vs. Jason Maxiell
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Bloggers Talk: Detroit Pistons
Mar 26, 2010 Bloggers Talk, Nets vs. Pistons
It’s the Pistons last visit to the Izod Center tonight and here tonight. Could it end with win #9 for the Nets? Here to tell us about the future of the Pistons is Dan Feldman, from Piston Powered.
NAS: It’s hard to be a Pistons fan these days it appears, but Detroit is coming to town to face a team that’s endured even more misery this season. As a fan, it is easier to stomach the mess that the Pistons are currently, or challenging the worst record of all time like the Nets?
No question, I’d rather win more games like the Pistons have. But the Nets’ season has probably been less dissapointing because their expectations were lower. Nobody thought they would challenge Philadelphia’s record, but I didn’t see them in the playoffs. I thought Detroit would make it.
NAS: You posted on your site that Pistons GM Joe Dumars has openly said he will use the team’s mid-level exception this summer. On first blush, is there anyone out there worth the MLE that can turn things around quickly for Detroit?
With all the Pistons’ injuries this year, I’m not convinced they’re that far from the playoffs. Their roster is too guard-heavy, so they need a big man who can defend and score inside a little bit. Someone like Drew Gooden could fit the bill. He’s obviously not a game-changer, but the Pistons might not need one (or be able to get one, for that matter).
NAS: Other than the MLE, what are the top priorities for the Pistons this summer?
The top priority has to be the draft. The Pistons will pick in the lottery for the first time since Darko and only the second time in the Joe Dumars era (he also picked Rodney White, another bust). That means the Pistons have been fortunate enough to make the playoffs most years, but it’s also pretty remarkable they had such a great run without their own lottery talent. Look around the league, and nearly every team is built around a player or players it drafted in the lottery. It’s the simplest road to success, one Detroit will try to travel down this summer.
Thoughts On The Game: Pistons Out Shoot The Nets
Feb 7, 2010 Nets vs. Pistons, Thoughts On the Game
Advanced Box Score | Piston Powered
Going into last night’s game, the Pistons were the worst three point shooting team in the NBA. Against the Nets last night, the Pistons hit their first 7 threes, including a 4-4 first half from Charlie Villanueva. Now a few of them was due to defensive breakdowns, but 3 that Charlie Villanueva made were just plain silly fadeaway-with a hand in his face threes. Of course he saves them for the Nets. Someone else from the Pistons who was saving a big day was Jonas Jerebko. He scored 20 points on 9-9 shooting, including 2 threes. It was only in 24 minutes as well, he probably could have done more damage if he wasn’t in foul trouble. It looked like the Nets funneled things to Jerebko early on (which is a pretty sound strategy) but once he hit a few jumpers, the Nets couldn’t stop him.
For most of the game, the Nets offense just looked out of sync, they never really all that aggressive, and they never really hit a high point (like in past games), until the end of the third/start of the fourth. The Nets went on an 11-2 run, attacking the basket and playing some aggressive defense. I really liked the lineup that was in there, and I think that Kiki will be going to this lineup when the Nets need to make up points from here on out. The lineups was Terrence Williams,Devin Harris,Keyon Dooling,Kris Humphries, and Brook Lopez. What I liked about this lineup was that the Nets have 3 guys who can handle the basketball, and you just create mismatches.
Halfway into the fourth quarter, it looked like the Nets were going to put their 4th quarter woes behind them. They were attacking the basket and taking smart shots. In fact, this style of play got them a 1 point lead late. Then, for some reason, the Nets just reverted back to their old ways. Here are the shots they took after taking the lead:
- Keyon Dooling Missed a 25 foot three
- Devin Harris got to the line and made 1 of 2
- Brook missed a 21 footer
- Courtney makes a three
- Hayes misses a 24 foot three (rushed)
- Kris Humphries misses a 14 footer
Those were the shots before the injury besides Devin getting to the line and Courtney’s three (which was off of Devin’s penetration), there was nothing going to the basket. Here is what Kiki had to say of the Nets performance late, “Guys are playing hard, we need to play smarter late. That will come with experience.” Some more thoughts after the jump.
Quick Recap: New Jersey Nets 92 – Detroit Pistons 99
Feb 6, 2010 Nets vs. Pistons, Quick Recaps
In a game that ended horribly, the Nets lost 99 to 92. The Pistons went crazy from three, but even with that, the Nets were able to take a lead late. The shot selection got poor again though, and the Nets were unable to stay with the Pistons.
- The Nets actually got the ball on the play where the Devin and Jarvis ran into each other. Kris Humphries got caught in the air and tried to pass it to one of the fallen Net. Both guys were on the floor, and it turned into a 3 on 1 break.
- Until the injuries, Kiki sat out Yi (who was struggling) the entire third quarter. Good to see he was coaching to win.
- After tying the game, the Nets had 2 well drawn up sets going. But a bad pass and a dropped ball lead to turnovers.
- The best shot the Nets got in the final few minutes was a Courtney Lee 3. There was a Brook 22 footer and a Humphries 18 footer when the Nets were down 2.
- Jonas Jerebko really made me look stupid for my pregame comments. 20 points while not missing a shot.
- Last night, we saw a player get hot late. Tonight, Charlie Villanueva got hot early. He hit 1 three, and then couldn’t miss. I don’t think he was looking one time.
- The Pistons are the worst 3 point shooting team in the NBA (shooting under 30%). Tonight they shot 67%.
Game 50 Preview Vs. Detroit Pistons
Feb 6, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Pistons
Last week’s game against the Pistons was very similar to last night’s game against Boston. Three very good quarters and a sub-par one. The key for tonight is staying aggressive. For some reason, in the fourth quarter when teams make runs on them, the Nets get away from what works. They need to attack the basket for a full 48 minutes. If they do this, they have a very good chance to get a win. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Rodney Stuckey
Devin Harris had a great 47 minutes when the Nets played the Pistons earlier in the week. Unfortunately, that last minute was pretty bad. The Pistons don’t have anyone that can keep up with Harris’ speed, so if he stays in attack mode, he can get himself into the paint, and he can be effective.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. Richard Hamilton
With the new Pistons’ staff, Hamilton hasn’t been playing as well as he has in the past. Part of it is the new offense, back in their glory years, the Pistons would just run Hamilton off all of these screens, and he would get himself open for the shot. They just don’t do that anymore, and it makes Rip an easier cover.
Advantage: Push
Jarvis Hayes vs. Tayshaun Prince
It’s a shame that CDR’s move didn’t happen one game later. It would have been fun to see Tayshaun go up against Chris. That is a whole lot of lankiness and awkward moves attacking the basket. But that isn’t happening, and Jarvis will be going against Prince. Now if Jarvis struggles tonight, we shouldn’t look too much into it because Prince has the length to bother Hayes’ shots.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Jonas Jerebko
It is funny, I gave Yi the advantage before the last game because I didn’t really know Jonas or his game. After watching the Pistons game, I still don’t really know his game.
Advantage: Yi
Brook Lopez vs. Ben Wallace
Brook actually had a real solid game the last time these two teams met. What the Nets seem to be doing now is getting him in the post and sending cutters off of him. What the sending of cutters does, is it prevents double teams from coming. So at best, the cutter gets and open lay-up and at worst, Brook gets to go at his defender one-on-one. I like that the Nets are using this.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Thoughts on the Game: The Devin Harris Roller Coaster Continues
Feb 3, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Pistons, Thoughts On the Game
Hoopdata Box Score – Piston Powered – Need 4 Sheed – View From the Couch
It’s just been one of those seasons for Devin Harris. The guy comes back after missing four games with a wrist injury and probably has his best all-around game of the season last night, finishing with 24 points and 11 assists on 7-14 shooting, but one inexplicable play in the closing seconds makes him the goat.
With the Nets getting another gift via the missed free throw, trailing the Pistons 96-93 with 17.7 seconds, they opted to push the ball up the court rather than call the timeout. After getting the ball past halfcourt, Courney Lee handed the ball back to Devin who decided to take a very ill-advised three-pointer a good three or four feet away from the line, airballing it.
There were a number of things wrong with how that played shook out besides the fact that Harris didn’t even hit the rim on the shot. First, why not call the timeout after Kris Humphries recovered the rebound off the Richard Hamilton free throw miss? Second, if you wanted to push the ball and saw no play open up immediately, why not call the timeout then? Third, if you’re still eager to go for it all then, why is Devin Harris shooting the ball with 7 seconds a yardstick away from the three point line?
Just odd playcalling/decision making by one of the guys who’s supposed to be the veteran presence on this team. The Nets are now 1-6 in these close and late games, and that’s obviously not a surprise given the inexperience on the roster, but even in the midst of this awful season for the Nets, I still expected more from Devin. I can understand that he was brimming with confidence after his performance last night, and rightly so. He was doing a little bit of everything, and from the opening tip, he looked like he had an extra bounce in his step. He was drawing fouls (10-11 free throw line), finishing at the hoop and even hit a few midrange jumpers, an element of his offensive game that’s been missing all season. It was a performance that gives credence to the theory that his struggles this season are due in large part to the ongoing list of injuries he’s experienced. But still, that last play. It’s hard to just look past it.
The Nets finished this home stand against some of the league’s worst teams 1-3, their one win coming against the Clippers, probably the best team of the four they faced. In a season where the Nets are on pace to have the worst record in NBA history, losing the past three games because of mental errors and poor execution in crunch time situations feels like an opportunity lost. It’s hard to disagree with that assessment, but there were a number of positives to take away from the homestead.
Brook Lopez continued his string of solid games, getting off to a hot start from the field and finishing with with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. He even hit a straightaway jumper from about 20-feet out with 3 minutes remaining that had me cringing when he released, but was right on target, to put the Nets up by 4.
I thought Courtney Lee also had a nice all-around performance, finishing with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. He was 3-4 from three pointers, his one miss coming with less than a minute to go. But I thought he was very active on the defensive end, doing the best you can do against a guy like Rip Hamilton who just moves so well without the ball. There seems to be a lot of hand-wringing over the benching of Chris Douglas-Roberts with some fans asking why CDR got demoted over Courtney Lee. I honestly think it’s games like last night’s that keep Courtney in the coaching staff’s good graces. He very quietly does a lot of little things that help the team win.
And on the topic of CDR and starting rotations, I thought Jarvis Hayes settled into the starting five nicely. He hit a couple of jumpers early, and had a nice bucker in the first when he cut to the basket and got the layup off the Devin Harris assist. CDR on the other hand, looked tentative again, and was limited to just 10 minutes. Read the rest of this entry »
Quick Recap: Detroit Pistons 97, New Jersey Nets 93
Feb 2, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Pistons, Quick Recap
The Nets lost their third consecutive close game, falling to the Detroit Pistons 97-93 at the Izod Center tonight.
- The big story for the game was the return of Devin Harris, who had 24 points and 14 assists on 7-14 shooting. But he airballed a three in an attempt to tie the game with plenty of time left on the clock.
- Brook Lopez was equally big with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.
- Rip Hamilton carried Detroit down the stretch and finished with 22 points and 7 assists. Rodney Stuckey contributed 21 points and 8 assists.
- Really rough night for Yi Jianlian who finished with 3 points on 1-12 shooting.
- The 6th man era for Chris Douglas-Roberts got off to a rough start, as he was held scoreless in less than 10 minutes of play.
- Solid game for Courtney Lee with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
- Jarvis Hayes had 11 points on 5-10 shooting in his first start of the season.
- In a new note, Dave D’Alessandro is reporting that assistant coach Del Harris has opted out of his contract and leaving his position on the team.
Game 47 Preview Vs. Detroit Pistons
Feb 2, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Pistons
Pregame Update: Keyon Dooling is out with a sore hip. This isn’t anything major, as Dooling is saying that it is just a day-to-day thing. Devin is starting, but we still aren’t sure how many minutes he is going to get, so expect to see T-Will running the show for parts of the game.
—
Before we get to the game, a little more on CDR’s move to the bench. Ben Couch (a favorite around these parts) tweeted a few quotes from the key players at this move. First, CDR:
“Whatever it is to help this team. We’re struggling, so you have to shake things up a little bit, and I was the first one.”
“If it helps this team win, then it really doesn’t matter to me.”
From Jarvis:
“Kiki just told me to play D like I did against Philly and the couple of games before that. And shoot the ball.”
Finally, from Kiki:
“The only reason is to get Chris more involved with the offense. Maybe with the second group, then he can be more aggressive. “
It seems that everyone involved is on the same page here. CDR seems to understand the move, and Kiki seems to acknowledge that this move is to try to get CDR going. Hopefully this works. I strongly believe that it will. Devin Harris is a game time decision for tonight’s game. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris/Keyon Dooling vs. Rodney Stuckey
In my opinion, if Devin Harris plays, he won’t be getting a lot of minutes. Which is why I threw Keyon Dooling in here too. Keyon is probably a better match-up for Rodney because Stuckey is one of those “thick” point guards who are good at using their bodies. If Harris is playing though, look for him to attack the lane and trying to get his teammates involved. I wouldn’t expect to see him taking too many shots if the wrist is still bothering him.
Advantage: Push
Courtney Lee vs. Richard Hamilton
With the new Pistons’ staff, Hamilton hasn’t been playing as well as he has in the past. Part of it is the new offense, back in their glory years, the Pistons would just run Hamilton off all of these screens, and he would get himself open for the shot. They just don’t do that anymore, and it makes Rip an easier cover.
Advantage: Push
Jarvis Hayes vs. Tayshaun Prince
It’s a shame that CDR’s move didn’t happen one game later. It would have been fun to see Tayshaun go up against Chris. That is a whole lot of lankiness and awkward moves attacking the basket. But that isn’t happening, and Jarvis will be going against Prince. Now if Jarvis struggles tonight, we shouldn’t look too much into it because Prince has the length to bother Hayes’ shots.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Jonas Jerebko
Alright, I am going to be honest here, I don’t really know much about this guy Jonas, so I am going to give Yi the advantage because he has been playing well.
Advantage: Yi
Brook Lopez vs. Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace has been one of the better players for the Pistons this year. He is getting his 5 points and 9+ rebounds, but he is doing a good job on the defensive end, and this could mean limited opportunities for Brook.
Advantage: Brook Lopez