Starting Lineups Jason Kidd vs Steve Nash James Jones vs Jeff McIniss (If Carter doesn't play) Raja Bell vs Richard Jefferson Shawn Marion vs Cliff Robinson Kurt Thomas vs Nenad Krstic <u>Spotlight Matchup</u> Jason Kidd vs Steve Nash Two great point guards are against each other. They are both key players for their team and are the main playmakers. Kidd brings better defense while Nash brings better shooting. It will be interesting to see both play against eachother. <u><font color=""Blue"">Nets Keys to the Game</font></u> Contain Marion- He is a great player and is Nash's main option to pass too. If you contain Marion, Nash will need to get other players going which will be harder because Stoudamire isn't here. Fastbreak defense and offense- Both teams love to run the floor and they are really good at it. When the Suns are on a fastbreak, the Nets will need to play good defense and prevent a basket. When the Nets are on a fastbreak they have to make sure they get a basket rather a miss. With Kidd it makes this easier Bench- With every game the bench has been improving. They are playing better and if Carter and Collins are out they will need to bring more. They will get more minutes than usual and they have to make sure they play well <u><font color=""DarkOrchid"">Suns Keys to the Game</font></u> Get off to a good start- If the Suns can get everyone off to a go start it will be easier for them to win . Marion is Nash's main option and if other players get involved the Nets will need to pay attention to more than Marion. Stop Jefferson- Once again , if Carter doesn't play the Suns will have less problems. If they contain Jefferson it will be really hard for the Nets to win. Nets will need players to step and if they don't then a sure win for the Suns. Fastbreak defense and offense- I know this key is the same but both teams are so alike. Suns will need to do the same exact thing that the Nets will try to do. Im sure the team who does it better will win. <font size=""5"">Predication</font>- This game can go either way. It all depends whoch team will get off to a quick start and which team will control tempo Sorry guys for this kind of preview. I have been busy with schoolwork and other things this whole week. I couldn't do this thread tomorrow becuase I am going somewhere for the whole day. After this week I will have more free time so, I will make a better preview for the next game.
Nice effort Baller, we understand its a very busy week for all. But one thing that is interesting will be the Cliff Robinson/Shawn Marion matchup. I love what Clif brings to the table..but honestly doing work on the glass and boxing out in rebound situations is a glaring weakness in his game and has been for a while.....that leaves the Nets very exposed to the athletic Marion, who does alot of work on the boards....If he kills us in that area creating 2nd chance opportunites for that Suns offense, we will be in for a long night. I think you will see the Nets go extremely small alot in this matchup, using basically a 4 player perimeter matchup at times with McInnis, Kidd, Planinic and Jefferson. That way you get Jefferson matchup with Marion which gives the Nets the best chance...then you can rotate Robinson, Krstic and Jackson in & out at the 5 position through out the game...because the Suns use pf's as Centers with Grant and Thomas.
2 minutes left anf the score is 44-24 Suns. I just can't wacth this game. They are playing horrible and it's just starting to get annoying.
Well, we made a nice comeback in the 4th...got it down to 4. But then two quick baskets led to more, and we just sort of let the game slip after that. RJ missed a dunk and then 2 free throws, and that was about the end of the game for us. Vince was magical, he played really well for us the whole game, but the rest were bad. We played some of the worst basketball I've seen for a long time in the first half....and the bench was terrible. We shot around 3-20 sometime in the first half, and the Suns kept hitting threes...we were lucky to have 30 at half time. I was impressed by Krstic's post play, he got some nice buckets in the paint off hooks and turnaround. But we gave so many points to the Suns because of foolish fouls or bad rebounding. Phoenix's ball movement was too much for us, too. Anyway, anybody know what's up with Marc Jackson? I didn't see him suit up at the game...
We went back to our same old pattern withthe lack of bench production...also Coach Franks is not getting the best out of the motion offense right now...to much one on one with everybody else on the floor besides the man with the ball, just watching. The body and ball movement have to get better. BTW, Marc Jackson probably didnt play for matchup reasons....phoenix plays small so Jackson really doesnt matchup well with any of their bigs except maybe Kurt Thomas, but you put Krstic on him, so he doesnt have to matchup with the moble Marion, so in a matchup with the Suns its really no where to hide another guy without lateral quickness.
