Thoughts on the Game: The Nets Can’t Defend, so I Won’t Defend Them
Feb 20, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Raptors, Thoughts On the Game
Hoopdata Box Score – Raptors Republic – View from the Couch
At 5 wins and 50 losses, it’s easy to say the New Jersey Nets don’t match up well with most teams in the NBA. But there’s something about the way the Toronto Raptors play basketball that really exposes the most damning flaws for the Nets, as was seen in last night’s 106-89 loss at the Izod Center.
Even without Chris Bosh, who missed last night’s game with an injury, the Raptors were totally content to make the Nets stop them from the perimeter, mixing in some back door cuts to get some points at the rim. The Nets are notorious for poor perimeter defense because they just don’t seem capable of ever rotating to the ball effectively. Meanwhile, because of the collective low basketball IQ of the Nets’ frontcourt, they are often befuddled by teams that run a lot of backdoor screens. Guys like Yi Jianlian, Kris Humphries, and yes, even Brook Lopez lose track of either the players their guarding, or where the ball is going, leading to all too easy buckets at the rim.
Two plays that stand out for me that truly bring home the Nets interior and perimeter defensive deficiencies both came in the third quarter – interestingly enough the only period where the Nets outscored the Raptors, making this game look somewhat closer at points than it actually was.
At the 3:05 mark DeMar DeRozan made a back door cut and was able to blow by Devin Harris on the right to get a wide open path to the basket along the strong side baseline. Josh Boone, Yi Jianlian, Terrence Williams and Keyon Dooling, the other four Nets players on the court at the time, all had their backs to DeRozan and seemed completely unaware that the play was either developing. It was such a shocking development for me that I rewatched the play a few more times and saw the same thing – outside of Devin Harris, who was able to foul DeRozan to prevent the dunk, I don’t think a single Net knew where the ball was – and if they did know where it was, they seemed completely disinterested in trying to be a help defender and either attempt to block the shot, draw a charge, or take DeRozan down to prevent the easy bucket. Four NBA players should not look so clueless on a play.
As for perimeter defense, at the end of the third quarter the Nets got punished for going with a small lineup of Boone-TWill-Dooling-Hayes and Devin Harris while the Raptors still had Andrea Bargnani and Amir Johnson – two big men, on the floor. On two occasions earlier in the quarter, Bargnani found his way into the post matched up with Terrence Williams and was able to score at ease. In the final seconds of the third, Bargnani found his way into the post against Williams again, and this time Hayes, who was guarding Calderon at the top of the key, left his man to double. Calderon naturally got the ball and Jarvis was in too deep to get back to him, leaving Josh Boone to desperately jump at him. Calderon calmly pump faked to get Boone out of the picture, and drilled the three.
Here’s some overall evidence of poor perimeter defense from the Nets. For the entire game, the Raptors shot 13-21 on their long twos (16-23 feet) good for 62 percent. Rasho Nesterovic was 6-6 on long twos just by himself. I guess there’s an element of luck to hit such a high percentage of lower percentage shots, but again, you don’t have to be a professional scout to know the Raptors like to shoot and shoot often. How the Nets were so ill prepared for this facet of Toronto’s game is shocking.
More thoughts after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Quick Recap: New Jersey Nets 89 – Toronto Rapters 106
Feb 19, 2010 Nets vs. Raptors, Quick Recap
In a game that was closer than the score indicated, the Nets ended up losing to the Raptors 106 to 89. The Nets were able to get the lead down to 7 at one point in the second half, but Jarvis Hayes missed a three and the Raptors responded with a bucket of their own, and that shut down any hopes the Nets had at winning.
- Jarvis Hayes had a night that he wants to forget. He was 2-10 from the field and only finished with 5 points. Hayes was only 1-8 from the three point line too. He had like 4 shots go in and out, and just struggled all around.
- Other than Hayes, the Nets shot good from three. T-Will went 2-2, Dooling went 2-3, Lee went 2-5, and Harris went 1-1.
- Yi was another one who struggled as he shot 2-13 from the field. Hopefully the Nets end up giving him a rest.
- Devin Harris has had his like 6th or 7th straight good game, and I think this is because he is finally healthy.
- No one guy killed the Nets, but it was an all around team effort as 7 Raptors were in double-figures.
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
Bloggers Talk: Toronto Raptors
Feb 19, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Bloggers Talk, Nets vs. Raptors
Sam Holako of Raptors Republic returns to answer a couple of quick questions about the Toronto Raptors before tonight’s game at the Izod Center.
NAS: Because exhibitions like the Slam Dunk Competition are what’s really important (at least when you follow a team with 5 wins), how would you rate DeMar DeRozan’s performance over All-Star weekend and do you have any ideas on how to improve on the dunk competition, which was universally panned this year?
I really thought DeMar had a great dunk off. The kid is a natural athlete, and has been putting down big dunks all year. It was good to see him get out there and get some attention on a national level. I’d do two things to improve the dunk competition: 1) Ban Nate Robinson from competing ever again 2) Transform it into a team competition where you have a dunkers and shot blockers, with regular NBA rules (fouls, travelling, etc), and see who wins. The dunk off has been lame since Vince Carter took things to the next level years ago, and will never be as good again.
NAS: How realistic of a goal is it for the Raptors and their fans to shoot for the #4 seed and overtake Boston in the East by season’s end? And how would the Raptors fare in a first round match-up against Boston? We know what happened the last time the Raptors won a division and faced an aging, but battle tested former Division winner in the first round of the playoffs (please allow me to relive some semblance of Nets glory here).
For the Raptors to sneak into 4th in the East, they will have to win 6 more games than the Celtics do, since the Celtics have already won all the tiebreakers. Considering the Raptors have 28 games left, and the Celtics have 31…it’s just impossible unless the stars align, and since we have Turkoglu running amok on the wing, I wont hold my breath. If you ask me, it doesn’t even matter if we take 4th since we have no chance of beating the Celtics in a 7 game series. Boston OWNS the Raptors; we’ve beat them only once over the last two seasons, I don’t see the playoffs being any different. I hate you for drudging up the past like that; sign of a guy who’s supporting the worst team of all time in professional sports.
Inside The Run – The Nets 20-3 Run Against The Raptors
Feb 5, 2010 Nets vs. Raptors, Xs and Os
The Nets haven’t gone on too many runs this year, but in their last game against the Raptors the Nets went on a 20-3 run that extended over 6 minutes. How did they do this? Is this something that they can use as a template in the future? Let’s take a look.
Thoughts On The Game: The Nets Are Back To Losing Close Games Again
Feb 4, 2010 Nets vs. Raptors, Thoughts On the Game
Advanced Box Score | RaptorsRepublic
The Nets are back to competing, and in my opinion that is a good thing. I know, the wins aren’t coming, but when you lose 44 of 48 games, you take what positives you can. The biggest reason why the Nets are competing is because there seems to be some stability in New Jersey. What do I mean by stability? Well, they have finally found a nice pace to play at (somewhere in the 92-95 possessions per game range), and they are selectively running now which is what this team can be very good at (27 fast break points tonight). What I mean by selectively running is when the opportunity is there, take it, but if it isn’t there slow it down. In the first 20 or so games of the Kiki era, he was forcing the Nets to run at any chance they get. The Nets aren’t good enough offensively to do that, and Kiki finally made the correct change.
The Nets are also becoming more stable when it comes to the rotation. Remember when guys like Hayes and T-Will had their minutes fluctuating like crazy? They would play 20 minutes one game then 5 the next. Now everyone is getting consistent minutes, and that makes things easier for the players. As an example, when Terrence Williams was getting limited minutes, he was going out there and forcing things. This is because he didn’t know when he was getting pulled, so he would try to make the most of his minutes, and that caused him to press. Now that he is getting 20 minutes on a regular basis (along with guys like CDR and Humphries), they can let the game come to them, knowing they will have numerous games to effect the game positively. This was proven tonight as the bench looked comfortable out there, and everyone who entered the game off the bench for the Nets had a positive +/-.
As for what the Raptors did to win last night, they hit the three ball. They were 10-19 from deep. The three point shot was a real problem for the Nets in the beginning of the year, but over the past couple of weeks, they have done a very good job defending the three point line. Maybe it was the teams they were playing (The Clippers, Sixers, Wizards, and Pistons don’t light it up from deep), but it was disappointing to see, and I think it cost the team the game. Some more thoughts after the jump.
Quick Recap: Toronto Raptors 108, New Jersey Nets 99
Feb 3, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Raptors, Quick Recap
In a back and forth game that saw both teams with double-digit leads in the first half, the Toronto Raptors had the last laugh, pulling away late and beating the New Jersey Nets 108-99 in Toronto tonight.
- The Nets had a balanced scoring attack, with six players in double figures, but they only shot 44 percent from the field, including a 4-17 performance from Devin Harris, who finished with 15 points.
- Strong bench performances for the Nets, led by Kris Humphries with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Terrence Williams had 5 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes and Chris Douglas-Roberts looked much better off the bench with 8 points and 5 rebounds.
- Former Net Antoine Wright burned his old mates for 18 points.
- Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani each scored 20 points for Toronto.
- The Raptors were 10-19 (53%) from three.
Game 48 Preview Vs. Toronto Raptors
Feb 3, 2010 2009-2010 Open Threads, Game Previews, Nets vs. Raptors
Before we get to tonight’s game, I did a post on last night’s Nets-Pistons game for my other website NBAPlaybook. You can check it out if you want, but it basically comes down to the Pistons executing and the Nets no executing.
As for tonight, well, tonight is going to be tough. I don’t expect to see the type of blowout that happened the last time the Raptors and the Nets met, but with the Nets coming off a tough home loss last night then hopping on a plane and having to play again today, things could get messy (especially with the Raptors a team that loves to run it up and down the floor). No word on Keyon Dooling yet, but expect to see some Tony Battie, Josh Boone, and more of Chris Quinn tonight as the Nets regulars made need more breathers. Onto the lineups:
Devin Harris vs. Jarrett Jack
For 47 minutes and 45 seconds, Devin Harris looked really good. Those last 15 seconds, not so much. Still we shouldn’t discount the rest of the game for those final few seconds (even though that was a really really bad shot). Devin looked great, he was getting into the lane and either finishing or getting the ball to teammates in position where they can score. What I really liked is that Harris was looking to score when he got into the lane. Sometimes Harris gets into a mode where he is exclusively looking for the foul call and just throws stuff up there while trying to draw contact. The refs haven’t been giving him that call, and it seems like Harris has finally made the adjustment.
Advantage: Push
Courtney Lee vs. Sonny Weems
A lot of CDR fans are pointing to Courtney Lee and saying that he should be the one moving to the bench instead of CDR. Well, a quick stretch in the fourth quarter last night shows why he is on the court. Lee hit a spot up three, and in the next possession, he got a steal, one that lead to another basket for the Nets. Even when Courtney isn’t getting the ball, he is still out there working hard and making things happen, and that is why he is on the court.
Advantage: Push
Jarvis Hayes vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Hayes had another solid game, and at some point during the game, Mike Fratello said of Hayes, “It just looks like it is going to go in every time he shoots it.” Whenever Hayes is in the game, the defense needs to pay attention to him, because he can shoot it. That makes it easier for everyone else. He has his work cut out for him tonight. Turkoglu is a solid player on both ends, and his height can, and probably will, give Hayes problems.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Chris Bosh
This is going to be a tough match-up for Yi, and if he starts out cold, I can see Humphries getting a good amount of the minutes, just because he is a guy who will try to body up Bosh on the defensive end. If Humphries can even contain Bosh just a little bit, I think the Nets have a chance tonight.
Advantage: Chris Bosh
Brook Lopez vs. Andrea Bargnani
Bargnani is the type of player who can give Brook some trouble on the offensive end, so if Brook is covering him, he is really going to have to work to close out and get in Bargnani’s face to prevent easy three point shots. Also, the Nets are going to need to go to Brook into the post and force Bargnani to cover him down low. Make him work and he should tire by the end of the game. Also, who knows? The Nets may be able to pick up some fouls on him as well.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Bloggers Talk: Toronto Raptors
Feb 3, 2010 Bloggers Talk, Nets vs. Raptors
We got a bonus edition of Bloggers Talk today, as the Nets hit the road for Toronto. Here’s Sam Holako from the great TrueHoop Ratpors site, Raptors Republic. I also answered some questions for him over at his site, so as good citizens of NAS, you should check it out.
NAS: A 7-13 start caused a little bit of panic in Raptor-land but the team has settled in nicely and is now above .500 and in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Is there anything you can credit for the turnaround?
The turnaround was due to an improvement on a couple fronts: 1) Bargnani just seemed to turn it on in December, and played the fiercest defense we have seen from him. He has also made a real effort to crash the boards, which has been one of his biggest knocks 2) Calderon went down, and Jack moved to starting unit bringing a bit more defense 3) Production from the bench has increased dramatically. Beinelli and Weems are legitimate threats to score, Wright is our version of Bruce Bowen and Amir Johnson is the best big man we’ve had coming off the bench ever.
NAS: Obviously all eyes continue to be on the Chris Bosh situation. Is there any shot he stays in Toronto beyond this season, and do you really see a suitable trade partner out there if the Raptors want to go in that direction?
The only way Bosh wont be in a Raptor uniform next season is if he comes out and says that he wants to be traded. Given his tone the last few weeks and his comments during the summer (how he considers Toronto home), I don’t see him wanting out. Once you factor in the Raptors reversal of fortunes, and this being his team, and his country, it is tough to leave that and go. Also, if he doesn’t resign, he leaves $30mil on the table, that’s a lot of dough with the CBA coming up ant the end of next season.
NAS: A lot of Raptors fans were seemingly pumped for Andrea Bargnani entering this season (including a few who took umbrage with our site ranking Brook Lopez ahead of him at the C position). Are you happy with the progression he’s show this season or do you still feel like he has room to grow?
The comparison between Lopez and Bargnani is interesting. I bet Thorn wouldn’t trade Lopez for Bargnani if he was offered. Bargnani started the year scoring well, but has really picked up the defense since early December. He is a beast in the paint, just ask Duncan and Howard. The sky is really limit for the guy; if he can rebound at a higher rate (8-9 a game) and take a few more shots a game, that extension he signed in the summer (5yr/$50mill) will be one of the best contracts in the league.
NAS: Putting aside the contract if you can, are you happy with Hedo Turkoglu’s performance so far this season?
The Hedo signing was absolutely terrible. Triano is having trouble getting him enough touches since he, Calderon and Jack all need the ball to be effective on offense. Aside from giving the greatest post-game interview in NBA history (ball), he hasn’t lived up to that contract. It’s hard to separate the contract from whether I am happy with his performance since if he was making the mid-level, I would be super happy. He hasn’t helped his own cause with poor shooting from the perimeter. I’m just bitter with the whole Hedo situation…
Thoughts on the Game: What do the Nets and the Hindenberg have in common?
Dec 19, 2009 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Raptors, Thoughts On the Game
Raptors Republic, Chris Douglas-Roberts Interview
Last night there was a basketball game scheduled between the New Jersey Nets and the Toronto Raptors. I don’t think anyone alerted the Nets, because they never showed up.
As for the guys wearing Nets’ jerseys in Toronto and participating in some kind of athletic exhibition last night which featured the Raptors scoring 70 points in the first half, and getting 60 of their total 118 points in the paint – it’s hard to seriously sit here and recap their performance. The Nets had a very winnable game on their schedule, with the downward spiraling Raptors losing 4 of their last 5, and came out of the gate with no energy, no defense, no offensive cohesion, and no fundamentals. Brook Lopez (14 points, 8 rebounds), who has looked like an emerging superstar as of late, resembled a struggling youngster, picking up two quick fouls in the game’s first two minutes. He left with the Nets trailing 9-4, he returned in the second quarter with his team down 39-15. The Raptors had shot 67 percent from the field while the Nets struggled to hit 37 percent of their shots, and turned the ball over 7 times to boot.
Starting at the 5:16 mark in the first, the Raptors made six consecutive shots starting with a 17-footer by rookie DeMar DeRozan (16 points). The Nets called a 20-second timeout, and came on the floor looking confused on offense and ended up settling for a missed 16-foot jumper from Sean Williams – who was only in the game because Brook, Josh Boone and Eduardo Najera had picked up two fouls each. While Williams ended up having a nice game (10 points, 5 rebounds), I’m guessing that Kiki Vandeweghe and the rest weren’t planning on riding him in that fashion to stem the tide of the Raptors’ onslaught.
Chris Douglas-Roberts was trying his damnedest out there to keep it competitive, going for 16 points on 7-12 shooting. He even had the honor of shooting the first free throw for the Nets for the evening – at the 4:12 mark in the second quarter. At least he was taking it inside and drawing contact. The same can’t be said for anyone else who suited up for the game.
On the bright side, Nets fans got to see Chris Bosh up close tonight, who absolutely killed the Nets in the opening 4 minutes, scoring 8 points quickly, all on the inside. He finished the game with 16 points and 8 rebounds in 26 minutes, leaving Nets fans dreaming about how much money it might take to get him over here next season as the starting four, flanking Brook Lopez. Hey, a boy can dream.
A few final thoughts of the atrocity after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »