Well this will go down as one of the more interesting weeks of the 2010-11 season. The Nets had 4 games, won 2 of them and made the most news by bailing out of the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes. As I said in my recap of the Jazz game Wednesday, I like what owner Mikhail Prokhorov did by finally ending this speculation and all these rumors. I will continue to maintain that I don’t think the Anthony rumors are the reason this team was losing, but coincidence or not, they have been playing well since Billy King and Prokhorov announced that Carmelo was no longer in the Nets’ sights.
Last Monday I wrote about how the Nets had some very winnable games on this 5-game home stand, and it would be nice if they went 3-2. And while they’re already 2-1 with games left against the Cavs and Grizzlies, they could easily already be 3-0. The Nets played a real tough game against the Mavericks Saturday night, but fell 87-86 after Dirk Nowitzki hit a game-winner from the middle of the lane. This game reminded me a lot of the game at home against Orlando in mid-November. The Nets played well enough to win against one of the better teams in the NBA, but lost by 1 (both games were also coincidentally on Saturday nights).
So the Nets are 12-32 and have 38 games left in the 2010-11 season. These last few games may just be fool’s gold and what I’m about to say is probably a bit out there; but it is not completely unrealistic to think this team can still be in the playoffs. Now before all you commenters close out of this article, let me give you some numbers to think about. As ridiculous as this sounds, the Nets are only six games behind the 8th-seeded Bobcats and seven behind the 7th-seeded 76ers. There is no other way to say it: the bottom of the East is just awful this season. The 7 and 8 seeds are on pace to win 32-35 games, which is why it isn’t inconceivable that the Nets could actually make a run at the playoffs.
Now here are the problems with getting there. For one the Nets have not showed that they can consistently win in this season at all. They have not won more than two games in a row all season, and it seems as though every time they win a few games, a 5-6 game losing streak comes next. The other problem is the number of teams between the Nets and the 8-spot. 6 games back with still nearly half the season to play is nothing insurmountable, but to hop over 5 other teams to get there will be pretty tough. So while no part of me thinks this team will even contend for a playoff spot, when you look at the standings they really aren’t out of it. But they will need to do something they haven’t done all season, and that’s get on an extended winning streak.
This coming week should see the Nets go 2-2 in my opinion. Tonight they’ve got a game at home against Cleveland that they have to win, then home for Memphis Wednesday and at the Pacers and Bucks over the weekend. Of course it would be nice to take both of these games at home and then go split the two in the Midwest on the road, but I’m not going to get greedy yet. Win tonight and go from there…
The Nets haven’t played in four days but have been in the news nonstop, of course because of the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors. Who knows where this deal is now and frankly I’d like to either have something done or just forget it, but the team will have to try and put that aside tonight against the Suns. For any of you who have not been paying attention to the proceedings out West so far this season, this is not the same Phoenix Suns team of the past decade. They are six games under .500 and are 2-8 in their last 10 games. So the Nets should theoretically have a chance tonight, theoretically.
Distractions. This will easily be the biggest factor in tonight’s game if you ask me. Two-thirds of the roster have been rumored in trades over the past three days so you have to wonder what some of these players are thinking right now. Avery Johnson addressed the issue the other day and said he does not think any trade will happen during the team’s four-game road trip, but to think that this deal hovering over the team will not be a distraction is just naive.
The Brothers Lopez. Brook goes up against his brother Robin for the first time this season, and the two should be matched up at center for the majority of the game tonight. Brook’s rebounding struggles have been well documented, and I couldn’t help but laugh the other day when Avery said he doesn’t dream about getting Carmelo, he dreams about his center getting 10 boards. I know where you’re coming from there Coach, and I’d love to see the same thing.
Keep it Close and Give Yourself a Chance. Last week the Nets had what was probably their best win of the season over the Chicago Bulls, and then promptly got destroyed by the Wizards and Bucks on back-to-back nights. I realize the team’s floor leader Devin Harris did not play against Milwaukee, but the Nets were not even competitive without him in the lineup. Because of everything going on with this team, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see it get ugly tonight, but I hope I’m wrong and they have a chance to win in the 4th quarter.
For more of the Suns, check out TrueHoop affiliate Valley of the Suns.
Well the losing streak is over. It wasn’t pretty last night as the Nets blew a huge first half lead, but they were able to outlast the Wizards and break their eight-game losing streak. It was mostly the Devin Harris show last night (with a sprinkle of Kris Humphries) and while the Nets point guard didn’t shoot a very good percentage from the field (in fact he was awful at 7-25), he got to the line 17 times. Now the key is trying to back up last night’s win with one tonight in Toronto, and avoid going on another losing streak.
Some things to keep an eye on:
The Revolving Starting Lineup: The Nets have struggled with finding a consistent starting five over the last 10 games, mostly because of inconsistency and injuries. Last night Avery Johnson went small with Harris, Farmar, Quinton Ross, Hump and Brook, and at least early on it worked out well. Say what you want about Ross but his production has dwarfed Travis Outlaw in the past few weeks. Look for the same lineup to start tonight’s game north of the border.
The Free Throw Line: The clear key to last night’s game was the Nets getting to the free throw line 47 times. Without that they certainly might not have won. Good teams get free points at the line and especially considering the Nets offensive struggles throughout this season, it will be critical for them to keep getting easy points. I don’t expect them to match last night’s total, but 30-35 attempts is something they should aim for tonight.
Frontline Play: While Brook Lopez had a very strange game last night (only 26 minutes and was told to sit back down on the bench by Avery Johnson when he went back in), Kris Humphries was tremendous with 12 points and 17 rebounds. There is no doubt that Hump has given this team a lift and whatever the reason may be for his strong production, hopefully it will continue. But just because he gets 17 boards doesn’t mean that Brook should only have 5. The Nets front court play has been very erratic this season, and it would be encouraging to see them back up last night’s performance.
Before this season I thought Toronto would be the worst team in the East. They have far exceeded my expectations at 9-17 and have played pretty well at times. That being said, I expect the Nets to play well and be in position to win the game tonight. We’ll see if that happens…
There is no need to sugarcoat the past two games Nets fans. They have easily been two of the worst losses the team has had in the still young season. Wednesday night against the Thunder they certainly played well enough to win but couldn’t get it done in three overtimes. And then there was last night. What a disaster. This team has been in nearly every game they’ve played this season but sooner or later you need to pick up some W’s. So who do they see tomorrow in the midst of a three-game losing streak? Only the team with the best record in the East, the Boston Celtics.
- The Return of Devin Harris: All reports have said that the Nets starting point guard will be back in the lineup tomorrow against Boston. While they were able to play pretty well offensive without D. Harris against OKC, they struggled big-time without him Friday night against Charlotte. Say what you want about him but he is the catalyst of this team. Considering that Rajon Rondo is one of the best point guards in the NBA, the Nets could use a big effort out of Harris tomorrow in his return to the lineup.
- Brook Lopez and Rebounding: We at NAS have examined the low rebounding numbers that the Nets’ starting center has put up through the first 20 games but it is really time for Brook Lopez to start rebounding the basketball with more ferocity. In 53 minutes Wednesday night he had 11 boards and last night he had only two. TWO?!?!?!? Forget about your skill as a rebounder, I can’t figure out the physics of how a 7-footer can only have two rebounds in 39 minutes. Time to pick it up on the glass Brook.
- Power Forward: Friday night in Charlotte the Nets’ power forwards didn’t exactly have their best game. 60 combined minutes for Humphries, Murph and Favors and they could only muster 9 points. The team’s offense was absurdly bad the other night and against a team like Boston, the Nets will need more production out of the 4 position, especially going against The Big Ticket, KG.
For more coverage of the Boston Celtics, check out TrueHoop affiliate CelticsHub.
It was a tough end to the Nets West Coast road trip to say the least, and they’re back in action tonight against the Atlanta Hawks at The Rock. After beginning the season 2-0 (both wins at home) the Nets have now lost 9 of 11 and although they have been competitive, they have not been able to get the W’s. The Hawks are coming off of an embarrassing loss at home to Celtics, where they lost by 23 and were outscored 39-13 in the first quarter. Aside from a Halloween loss to the Heat, the Nets 3 other losses at home have come by a combined 5 points. I’m sure they will continue to be competitive and keep games close but they need to start winning, especially at home.
Morrow and Outlaw. Mark wrote about the Nets starting shooting guard and small forward last week, and one of the team’s major issues has been getting these two to play well on the same night. Against Denver they each scored in double figures but shot a combined 10-25 from the field, not exactly a sparkling percentage. It would be nice to see a game where both of these guys shoot the ball well and contribute consistently.
The Nets Frontcourt. It is no secret that Kris Humphries has been a completely different player over the past few weeks and has really helped the Nets down low. But the Nets overall production in the paint Saturday against Denver was very impressive and is something they should build upon. Humphries, Brook Lopez and Derrick Favors combined for 44 points and 24 rebounds against the Nuggets and although Atlanta has a solid post player in Al Horford, the Nets will need consistent numbers from their inside players to get a win tonight.
Get an Early Lead. The Atlanta Hawks started the season 6-0 but have lost 6 of their last 8 and their effort has been questioned in some recent losses. The Nets are desperate for a home win tonight and the Hawks could be the perfect opponent, but they need to start fast. Coming off of a poor performance last night, Atlanta will be looking to start fast, and it will benefit the Nets to get an early lead and demoralize the Hawks.
For more coverage of the Atlanta Hawks, check out ESPN’s TrueHoop affiliate Hoopinion.
*Ed. note: After this article went up, it was learned that Terrence Williams will be inactive tonight for disciplinary reasons. More information to follow as details become available.
The Nets 4-game homestand to start the season began about as well as fans could hope for. They were 2-0 and awaiting a game against the Miami Heat. But after two straight losses (one blowout and one gut-wrenching game they gave away) they begin a back-to-back tonight in Orlando. Here are some things to keep an eye on.
Field Goal/Three Point Shooting Percentage: The Nets have struggled big-time shooting the ball over the last two games. Against Miami on Sunday they shot just 35% from the field and a dreadful 21% from the three-point line. It wasn’t much better the other night against Charlotte and they will need to be more efficient if they’re going to pull the upset in Orlando.
Injury Issues: It was something to look out for before the game against the Bobcats and injuries are still a bit of a nagging problem for this team. Troy Murphy struggled in his season debut and Devin Harris did not practice yesterday while nursing a shoulder injury, which he suffered in Wednesday’s game. Harris insisted he will play tonight but the Nets will need to be at full strength the next two nights against two of the best in the East.
Brook vs. Superman: One matchup I am very excited to watch tonight is Brook Lopez versus Dwight Howard. There is no doubt that Brook is one of the best young centers in the NBA, but as Avery Johnson said when talking to reporters, he still has a ways to go to be on Howard’s level. The Nets center has put up some very impressive numbers in the first four games, averaging 22.8 points and 2.25 blocks per game. He’ll need a similar effort tonight if he’s going to best Howard.
Name: Terrence Williams
Position: SG-SF
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 220 lbs.
Birth Date: June 28, 1987
Birth Place: Seattle, WA
Number: 1
Drafted: 11th pick of the 1st Round in 2009 by the New Jersey Nets
Contract: $2,214,480
On Offense:
To put it bluntly there is not much that Terrence Williams can’t do on the offensive side of the floor. He is one of those guys that brings a lot to the table and as long as he can play under control, he should have a great future ahead of him. In just 22 minutes per game last season, T-Will averaged 8.4 points and 2.9 assists per game. If you project those numbers over 30-35 minutes per game instead of 22, you will have a very productive player on your team. One of the best things about Williams is his versatility. He’s 6’6” but can handle the ball like a point guard and his athleticism is through the roof. Last season he showed Nets fans plenty of highlight dunks and there will only be more to come this year.
The most positive thing I’ve seen from Williams in the preseason is his improved shooting stroke. He clearly put in a lot of work over the summer and I think it will pay off this season. The only thing that T-Will needs to be careful of is overshooting and not distributing the ball. He’s averaged over 13 points per game in the preseason but has done so while taking a lot field goal attempts. Williams has all the offensive talent in the world to score, rebound and dish the ball, and as long as he limits his turnovers and plays unselfishly he should be a major offensive force for this team.
On Defense:
Say what you want about Rod Thorn and his abrupt decision to leave the Nets, but the guy can evaluate talent. When the team drafted Williams in 2009 one of the main things they liked about his game was his defense. After playing in the Big East for four years at Louisville, T-Will got the reputation as one of the better defensive players in the conference. With his size and athleticism he can body up bigger players while also having the quickness to stay in front of them. He did not make a huge impact on the defensive end in his rookie season but I expect that to change in 2010-11. With a player like Williams defense comes down to effort. If he puts as much effort into his defense as he has with his shooting stroke, he could be the defensive stopper that the Nets will desperately need.
Miscellaneous:
T-Will changed his number from 8 to 1 this season. In college he said he wore number 1 because he “wants to be the ONE.” He is a bit of a shoe junkie, as he owned over 130 pairs of sneakers at the University of Louisville, and has plenty more now. Williams’ updates his twitter account, TheRealTWill, on a daily basis and has almost 25,000 followers.
Comment:
Terrence Williams should be ready for a breakout season in 2010-11. He showed signs of greatness last season and should see a lot more playing time this year. While he won’t begin the year in the starting lineup, I would not be surprised at all if he cracks the starting 5 by the middle of the season. The biggest concern for T-Will is going to be playing in control on the offensive end. Turnovers have been a problem for him at times and he needs to make sure he has good shot selection and doesn’t force it. It may be a bit bold but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Williams contend for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award this season.
More on T-Will:
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