Nets Are Scorching

Position: SG/SF

Date of Birth: April 3, 1981

Hometown: Fresno, CA

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 218

Experience: 11 years

Drafted: 2000 1^st Round, 23rd by Utah

College: None

2011-12 salary: $2.5 million

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul are kicking off a four-city barnstorming tour in December, hitting Akron on December 1st, New Orleans on December 4th, Chicago on December 7th, and culminating in… East Rutherford’s IZOD Center on December 10th!

According to the report, Chris Bosh will play in all four cities, and each player will recruit for their specific regions: LeBron for Akron, CP3 New Orleans, Wade Chicago, and Melo in Not-New-York. This historic event marks the first time Carmelo Anthony has ever recruited players, including himself, to play in New Jersey.

The irony of this is just beautiful. Carmelo Anthony, who spent the better part of six months forcing Billy King into wrecking his franchise and held about a dozen futures hostage, all to make sure he didn’t have to play in Newark, is now going to be calling superstars to join him in East Rutherford, AKA The Meadowlands, AKA The Swamp.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday.

Obviously, this is a New Jersey Nets blog, however, the NAS crew absolutely love the NBA in general. So, every week, Mark, Devin, Justin, Danny, Vivek, and/or myself will answer questions regarding the L.

1) Has LeBron James turned a corner? He’s had ice water in his veins this postseason, so is this when he becomes legendary? Will he lead the Heat to the promised land?

Mark: How can you turn a corner when you’ve continually been the best for years? What about the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons? I know LeBron’s teams have flamed out spectacularly the past two years, but if there’s been any corner turned it’s tied-in to what people have been saying since July. LeBron has legitimate teammates now in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. He can take over a fourth quarter more easily because he’s not the only guy who can kill you. Trust me, I hate this. I hated Superfriends since Day One, though I’m secretly hoping that Nets can replicate it with Dwight Howard and Deron Williams in Brooklyn. But the fact is, anyone who didn’t see a Miami postseason run like this is crazy. LeBron is and will be a beast for years, and now he’s got two other top 10 players (including a top five guy in Wade) standing right next to him.

Devin: I’m with Mark. The guy’s been the best player in the league for years now. Before this year, when everyone decided that hate was worthy and Derrick Rose was God, LeBron James was your two-time reigning MVP and undisputed King. He had hit more than his fair share of clutch shots in the playoffs, though people seem to recall last year’s game 5 over his overall body of work. Those who cry ringless lose track of the team element of this game. I don’t know if Miami will win the championship, but I do know that we’ve been witnessing greatness for a long time.

Justin: I have never been a big believer in the “LeBron’s not clutch” argument. Let’s face it, he’s hit  game-winners in the playoffs against the Washington Wizards and the Orlando Magic. He had his 25 straight points in the win over the Pistons. He’s scored 40 points or more in eight playoff games (Kobe has nine since ’02) including a Game Seven and he’s gone to the NBA Finals once. This is just the best supporting cast he’s had, and yes I do think the Heat will be the champions this year. I predict LeBron wins three of the next five NBA championships.

DV: I never got that feeling about LeBron the way you did about Kobe in the playoffs. That “I’ll do anything and will my team to victory” type of feeling. Kobe over the years has proven that desire and effort, that assassin-type of mentality. You never got that feeling from LeBron… except now. His eyes light up now with excitement and looseness like he knows he’s going to break the other team’s neck, no question. It’s a different feeling nowadays and it will probably land the Heat another NBA title and LeBron’s first.

2) Mike Brown is the Los Angeles Lakers’ choice to replace Phil Jackson as head coach of the team. Is this surprising considering other candidates such as Rick Adelman and Brian Shaw?

Mark: I do not get the fascination with Mike Brown. It’s like “Hey, we’re a storied franchise that just got embarrassed, so let’s bring in the guy who watched his star quit on him last year.” Needless to say, I’m not a fan of Brown’s, nor was I even remotely interested when he was on the Nets’ radar last summer.

Justin:It was somewhat surprising just because I thought they would go with either Rick Adelman or Brian Shaw. Mike Brown, however, is a good choice and maybe his fresh approach will breathe new life into this Lakers squad. I don’t have any doubts about Brown’s ability to construct a game plan, I just wonder what type of relationship he’ll form with Kobe Bryant.

DV: I think Brown will bring in a strong sense of defense from the team because that’s where his strengths as a coach lays. However, offensively, I’m not sure what’s going to happen. The triangle offense has been such a part of the Lakers it will be weird to see them run anything else. I know this much, Brown better win over the veterans and the fans quick because he’ll have a short leash in LA in regards to support. That’s what happens when you replace a legend.

3) How much of an impact will Jerry West make in the front office of the Golden State Warriors?

Mark: Well, the guy is a winner, though how much say will he ultimately have? That’s still not entirely clear. And while I would take either one on my team as a scorer, a backcourt with both Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry is not the cornerstone of a prospective playoff team. One of those guys needs to go for a frontcourt piece.

Devin: You ever play NBA 2K11 and start a franchise with the Timberwolves or the Clippers, just for the hell of it? While the financial incentive is obvious, and his impact is yet unstated, I do think Jerry West loves a challenge. The Warriors have a lot of moves to make, and West is a brilliant basketball mind. Larry Riley would be foolish not to listen to him. I think the direction of the team will be more solidified by draft day: Riley has to make moves to improve that frontcourt and their defense, and the Warriors definitely have the assets. We’ll see if Jerry West helps them turn Golden State into gold.

DV: I think it’s a great PR move and, obviously, West knows how to construct a winning team. However, how deep will his involvement be? Trades will probably go down and perhaps a change in offensively philosophy with more stress on defense. Yes, it actually does exist, Warriors. West has a brilliant basketball mind, but how many brain cells will he actually put into use with the Bay Area squad?

Obviously, this is a New Jersey Nets blog, however, the NAS crew absolutely love the NBA in general. So, every week, Mark, Devin,  Justin, Danny, Vivek, and/or myself will answer questions regarding the L.

1) Who wins the respective Conference Finals?

Mark: In the East, my heart says the Chicago Bulls, but my brain says the Miami Heat. The Heat seemed to have figured out that whole “how will they close out a game” situation in the postseason, and I’m starting to think a team just can’t win a close game against these guys. And given that one of Chicago’s better scorers in Carlos Boozer is also perhaps their biggest liability defensively, I just don’t see how they’re going to score enough in the fouth quarter of a close game to keep pace with Miami.

In the West, I think the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to find a way to take down the Dirk-momentum train and the Dallas Mavericks. It’ll go all seven games, but I have to think a team with younger, fresher legs is going to prevail there.

Devin: Firstly, I think the Mavs win, no question. The way Dirk Nowitzki’s been playing, I can’t imagine Dallas not making it to the NBA Finals. I know Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have been great, but Dallas’ attack was bordering on unstoppable before Dirk Nowitzki scored 48 points on 24 free-throws and 12-15 shooting. As for the East, I picked the Bulls before the playoffs started, but now I couldn’t tell you. The only thing I’m sure about after these two games is that this series is going to seven. Miami has two unstoppable scorers finally working in tandem, and Chicago has had an excellent defensive formula and ballerina/wizard Derrick Rose running the point all season. They’re as evenly matched as it gets. For what it’s worth, I do think the winner of the ECF will be your eventual NBA champion.

Justin: Miami and Dallas. Miami showed in Game 2 they can tighten the screws on defense, and Chicago doesn’t have a lot of answers for that. The Heat have enough length and athleticism to make finishing around the rim tough for Derrick Rose and Lebron and Wade can make enough plays on offense for Miami to win.

I saw enough from Dallas against the Lakers to pick them before this series started and game one only cemented those thoughts. While I think this series will stretch to at least six games, OKC has no answer for Dirk, and he’s crafty enough to continue getting himself to the foul line where he’s made 50 of his last 51 attempts.

Danny: Now that the Heat have stolen home-court advantage, Udonis Haslem is officially back, and they seem to have found a way to contain Derrick Rose, I’ll stick with my original prediction of Heat in seven. As for Thunder-Mavericks, I obviously loved Dirk’s Game 1 performance, but the fact that the Thunder hung so close in the game regardless was alarming. Still, I’ve got the Mavericks in six.

Vivek: The way things are looking right now, I would go with the Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Mavericks. Originally, I felt that the Heat could take down the Bulls in six, but I clearly underestimated Tom Thibodeau. The guy has stopped LeBron and Wade before and I believe that he can do it again. As for Dallas, Dirk is just unstoppable right now. He won’t get 40-50 a night (or at least, he shouldn’t), but the guy is a near lock to score 30 points against any team in the playoffs. The Mavs have the perfect combination of star power and depth, so this is their year in the West. However, KD will be back soon.

DV: I believe in the Chicago Bulls, especially since it seems like they haven’t peaked yet during the postseason. I know it’s in them and Derrick Rose isn’t the MVP for nothing. They have enough length in the frontcourt, especially from Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, in order to make an impact. Interior play will be the key, both with how players get to the rim and how players defend it.

Thunder up! I’m a big Durantula fan (who isn’t?) and if Westbrook can play under control, the Thunder will go far. What’s really good about the Thunder is that Eric Maynor is capable of running the team and James Harden off the bench can be devastating. Nothing against the Mavs, but OKC all the way.

I believe both series will go the full seven games.

Read more…

After a 24-58 season, the New Jersey Nets will have to make some changes heading into 2012. This week, Nets are Scorching takes a closer look at some soon-to-be-available names.

Name: Luc Mbah a Moute

Stats: 79 G, 26.5 MPG, 6.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 BPG, 0.9 SPG, .463 FG%, .000 3p%, .707 FT%, 11.51 PER

Why Billy King Should Be Texting Him Right Now: With wing players such as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony currently residing in the Eastern Conference, it’s going to be important for the Nets to possess players on their team who can defend those like. I believe Luc Mbah a Moute (LMaM) is just that. At 6-8 LMaM is a live, athletic body to throw at the elite wings of the world. Last season LMaM ranked 58th in the league in isolation situations, holding his opponent to just over 32% shooting. LMaM also allows improves the depth of our frontline with his versatility as he is able to defend SG’s, SF’s and PF’s on most nights. He’s also a good leaper and an active offensive rebounder (2.1 pg).

Don’t Risk the Fine: For his great energy and defense he provides, LMaM is rather limited offensively. With Milwaukee, most of his offense pertained to spot up situations (35.2% of his offensive plays). With that, his range is fairly limited. In his three year career he’s attempted 28 three-pointers (seven last season). It may be unwise for the Nets to give money to another player expected to play a swing position for us who can’t shoot. (See Outlaw, Travis).

And the Winner Is…Tamper: If the price is right, I would absolutely be thrilled if the Nets were able to add a player like Mbah a Moute. However, it would need to be understood that LMaM is just once piece to a much larger puzzle. Adding Mbah a Moute alone would not make us a playoff team, but Mbah could be a valuable role player to a very good team – which is what we’re trying to become. Despite his limitations on offense, LMaM would have the luxury of playing with a point guard who can make anyones game look nice, especially an energetic and athletic player such as Mbah a Moute.

Have you ever watched Jack Johnson box? If not, take a few minutes to watch the video above. The man graced the ring with such power, force, and dominance. He was virtually unbeatable. It’s not a shot in the dark to compare him to the Miami Heat of today’s NBA — so vicious yet so hated. Johnson faced wrath merely because of his race. LeBron James and the Heat are loathed because of The Decision.

In some ways, the Heat’s win over the Nets yesterday was emblematic of Johnson’s fights. While Johnson was markedly better than basically anyone he ever faced in the ring, he had a habit of toying with his opponents: taunting them, egging them on, making them feel like they had a chance to win. Well, the Heat embraced that school of thought on Sunday.

That the Heat would emerge victorious from this game was essentially an afterthought, and they proved that in the early going. James was a man among boys on the offensive end, beating Sasha Vujacic about six different ways for his first six field goals. In fact, he, Dwyane Wade, and Erick Dampier started the game 12-of-12 from the field. Meanwhile, the Nets couldn’t get even a trace of offense going. Alas, by the end of the first quarter, the Heat were up 34-18, and it was looking like an old-fashioned blowout. The Heat shot about 70 percent in the period (I’m rounding here) and the Nets fired about 30 percent.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on where you stand on the Nets re glass-half-full or glass-half-empty at this point in the season), the Heat weren’t content with just winning by a country mile. Maybe James, Wade, and Chris Bosh actually wanted to play in the second half, so they kept the margin out of hilarious territory. And the Nets started to “fight back.” In fact, they outscored the Heat 51-45 in the second and third quarters.

It helped that Wade missed a large chunk of the first half with a leg injury, and it didn’t hurt that Travis Outlaw (17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-of-12 shooting) took his blindfold off to play this game. That said, probably my favorite part of this game was watching Mario West play. And I really doubt that those words have ever been said before in that sequence.

No, he’s not going to give you any offense or rebounding. But, as John Hollinger put it on Twitter:

“Nice to see former Hawk Mario West getting some run w/ Nets. No skill at all, but nobody in lg. plays harder.”

And Hollinger even sells him a little short if this game was any barometer. West proved to be the only Net capable of inhibiting LeBron at all, hounding him on the ball and keeping him from exploding on offense. West is no long-term fixture of the team, but it’s nice to see someone display some interest in defense for a team that hasn’t shown up on that side of the ball since November.

Speaking of which, the Brandan Wright experiment encountered yet another road block Sunday. He got the start with Kris Humphries out, but that didn’t last long. Just three minutes into the game, Avery Johnson was so fumed as his lack of defensive effort that he pulled him for the remainder of the evening. I understand wanting players on the court who care about defense, but NO ONE on the Nets cared about defense in this game. Is it really fair to pick on Wright for maintaining the status quo, however terrible it is?

Oh, well. This was a bad game for the Nets at a point in the season when the games rarely matter at all. There’s nothing to get terribly upset at. Hey, at least those who watched the game got to see this doozy:

The New Jersey Nets lose to the Miami Heat for the third time this season — maybe I should hold off on that until they actually play the game, though, to keep things spontaneous. The Nets and Heat play tomorrow evening at 6 PM eastern in the Prudential Center. The Nets have lost nine of their last 10 games, and the Heat have won 10 of their last 12. Here are a few keys to the game:

No one on the Nets can guard LeBron James: Regardless of what Avery Johnson might tell you, Stephen Graham can’t guard LeBron James. Neither can Travis Outlaw. Neither can Sasha Vujacic or Anthony Morrow. He’s going to score, and he’s going to score a lot — that is, unless Erik Spoelstra pulls him after playing 20 minutes because the Heat are up by 40.

No one on the Nets can guard Dwyane Wade: You get the idea.

Brook Lopez and Deron Williams might have good games: If there are any weaknesses to the Heat, they are at point guard and center. Fortunately for the Nets, their two best players also play those positions. The Heat are going to have some trouble containing Lopez in single coverage, so expect them to double team him a fair amount, opening up shots for Morrow and Vujacic.

For Deron Williams, it’s likely he’ll put more effort into getting on the scoreboard himself, taking whoever is guarding him one-on-one rather than dishing to a player besides Lopez who will have a tougher defensive matchup.

For more on the Miami Heat, check out the Heat Index.

Eastern Conference bliss, huh? Tonight, the 22-47 New Jersey Nets take on the 17-56 Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s a combined 103 losses and 27.5% winning percentage. Needless to say, this game will be highly entertaining, provided you’re a masochist that hates everything about basketball.

The Nets are still without two starters – point guard Deron Williams (wrist) and small forward Damion James (foot), while the Cavs are even more snakebitten – Anderson Varejao (ankle surgery) and Antawn Jamison (left pinky surgery) are both out for the season, Semih Erden (multiple injuries) will not play, Baron Davis (back) is listed as doubtful, and on top of all that, LeBron James will not be in a Cleveland uniform tonight either (lack of supporting cast, ingrown South Beach). So, this one will be a tough viewing, but take solace: I’ll be watching too.

Here are a few things to look out for in tonight’s game.

Jump on them early on both sides of the floor. Cleveland is a sad, sad team right now. As mean as this sounds, jump on them early. Ram the ball down their throats. Don’t take possessions off. Don’t give them hang around and give them a chance to win this game. The Nets have a tendency to not close out, and this is one team that the Nets absolutely should not lose to (as they have once this season already). This means attacking defensively, too. If the Nets force turnovers, the Cavs are statistically the worst team in the league at defending in transition (1.26 points per possession against). Create this victory, New Jersey.

Do (almost) anything on offense, just run plays. The Cavs are weak literally against every set – they’re not strong at defending the pick & roll, they don’t get out to spot-up shooters well, and they’re terrible in transition (as mentioned). Strangely, the one thing they’re good at is defending in the post – they’re 9th in the NBA there. But, as we’re all aware by now, Brook handles the post against Cleveland pretty well. So even that’s something the Nets should exploit. Just don’t bog it down with unnecessary turnovers and isolations.

Anthony Morrow, please go nuts. I mentioned in passing a few times that I’d love to see the Nets let Anthony Morrow shoot 20 3′s in a game, just to see what happens. What’s the worst that could happen? 7-20, maybe? That’s 21 points on 20 shots. That’s still pretty good.

On a related note, the Cavs allow 42% shooting from beyond the arc by their opponents. That’s last in the league by a very wide margin. For comparison’s sake, the difference between the Cavs and the 2nd-worst team (Utah, .379) is bigger than the difference between the 2nd and 28th-worst team (Los Angeles, .339). That’s out of 30 teams. They’re not just bad, they’re historically bad. They may be the worst perimeter defense in NBA history. Anthony Morrow has the second-best three point shooting percentage in NBA history. Run screens for Morrow all day, please. This is not rocket science. Tonight’s the night, New Jersey. Let him rain.

For more info & analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers, check out the incomparable John Krolik & his team on Cavs: The Blog.