<font color="navy">New Jersey Nets (25-21)</font> @ <font color="darkorange">New York Knicks (14-33)</font> Madison Square Garden, New York Wednesday, Feb. 8th 7:30pm, MSG, YES, NBALP <div align="center">@</div> <font size="2">Another day, another game, another loss. That?s the way its felt for many Knick fans, but today they?re battling for pride. Going up against their cross-town rivals, the New Jersey Nets, expect a more energized Knick team. The Nets have been on a roll as of late and are looking to be crowned kings of the Atlantic division. Will New York stop them or find themselves 20 games below .500?</font> [div=50%] <font size="3"><div align="center"><font color="navy">New Jersey Nets </font></div></font> Projected Starters <div align="center"> </div> Backcourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jason_kidd.jpg[/imgl]<font color="navy">PG ?Jason Kidd</font> 14.8ppg, 7.1apg, 42.0%fg Apparently, the ongoing talks between Marbury and Kidd haven?t ended. This just in: Kidd said Marbury can?t beat him in the playground because he?s bigger, stronger, and quicker than him. Too bad he won?t have a chance to prove it with Marbury sitting on the bench. Kidd can do it all (including shoot, well kind of). He can pass, rebound, steal the ball, and score when he needs to. Let?s see how he performs with Jalen Rose guarding him. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/vince_carter.jpg[/imgl]<font color="navy">SG ? Vincent Carter </font> 24.1ppg, 6.1rpg, 4.4apg Carter is a scoring machine. You just never know when he?s going to explode. There?s not a specific way to guard him. He can make tough shots, can drive to the hole, and even with some injuries taking away some of his hops, Carter can still get up there. Just ask Alonzo Mourning. FrontCourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/richard_jefferson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="navy">SF ? Richard Jefferson </font> 19.3ppg, 7.2rpg, 4.0apg Jefferson, another high flyer on the Nets roster, is, in my opinion, better than Vince Carter. He can get up just as high as Carter, plays better defense, is a better rebounder, and shoots a higher percentage. The Knicks must contain Jefferson on the perimeter because his shot still isn?t too reliable although very much improved when he was younger. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/nenad_krstic.jpg[/imgl]<font color="navy">C ?Nenad Krstic</font> 12.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 0.9apg I like Nenad Krstic, but he?s very foul prone and is a subpar rebounder. Can you picture a worse rebounder than Curry? Krstic is. He?s still has a nice touch from the perimeter and has some decent moves in the post. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jason_collins.jpg[/imgl]<font color="navy">PF ? Jason Collins </font> 3.4pg, 4.3rpg, 0.9apg I mean look at him. Doesn?t he just strike you as a thug? Jason Collins is solely out there for defensive purposes. Unless it?s pointblank range, I feel comfortable leaving Collins open. He?s a starter averaging 3.4 points and shooting 40% from the field. What makes it even worse is the fact that he?s 7-feet. If only I had that height? <u>Keys To Game</u> <font color="navy">Big Men, Step Up:</font> The Knicks simply don?t guard big men. Last night they let Chirs Kaman abuse them. Not to take anything away from Kaman, but the fact most of his points were off dunks and layups shows the lack of defense in the interior. If the Nets? big men do their job, it?ll only be more help for the big three. <font color="navy">Guard the Three:</font> The Nets allow their opponents to shoot 38% from three. Although struggling, Rose, Crawford, and Richardson are able to knock down the trifecta on any given night. [/div] <font size="3"><div align="center"><font color="darkorange">New York Knicks</font></div></font> Projected Starters <div align="center"> </div> Backcourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jamal_crawford.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkOrange">PG ? Jamal Crawford </font> 14.3ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.9apg Who knows what we?ll get out of Crawford today. One day he?ll be on fire, the next game he?ll be on ice. Hopefully we can get a good game from Crawford. The Nets kepy in check last meeting and he shot 34% from the field. Will Crawford use this as motivation to have a good game? [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/quentin_richardson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">SG ? Quentin Richardson</font> 7.4ppg, 3.6apg, 1.4rpg Richardson?s struggles are really getting on my nerves. Have any of you ever heard the situation with Juan Dixon? Do you think we can do that with Q-Rich and inspire him? I?m starting to expect misses from Richardson every time the ball leaves his hand. Hard to imagine a 31% three-point shooter is in the shootout on all-star weekend. Frontcourt [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jalen_rose.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">SF ? Jalen Rose</font> 19.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 7.0apg After the worst play I?ve ever seen from the Knicks this season, I think Rose will redeem himself tonight against the Nets. He?s capable of having a big game, especially if no one else is hitting their shots. Let?s see if he can be productive for a third straight game. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/eddy_curry.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">C ? Eddy Curry </font> 14.7ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.0bpg Curry was superb offensively, but that?s it. He only had three rebounds, 0 blocks, and two turnovers. Going up against Krstic, where he has the obvious advantage, Curry has to have nothing less than 15/7 in my opinion. I said it before I?ll say it again. We didn?t deal two second rounders, an unprotected first rounder, and rights to swap in 2007 for what he?s giving us now. Can?t really blame him though. If anything we should point the fingers at Isiah. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/maurice_taylor.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkorange">PF ? Maurice Taylor </font> 6.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 51.1bpg In addition to getting the rock to Curry, we must feed the ball to Taylor as well. Not only is Taylor a better offensive player, but he?s shooting 51% from the field. Involving him in our offense will only open the floor up for Rose and company to hopefully knock down some perimeter shots. <u>Keys To The Game</u> <font color="darkorange">Transition Defense:</font> With Kidd at the helm, you always know there?s going to be some running involved. His running mates, Jefferson and Carter, must be contained. Plain and simple. <font color="darkorange">Stop Carter:</font> In 19 games lost, Carter shoots 41% from the field, 32% from downtown, and only has 20 points. In games won Carter averages 46% from the field, 36% from downtown, and averages 27 points. This means stopping Carter is a must. Carter is a phenomenal scorer, but putting a hand in his face making things tougher for him will be better than just leaving him open. Prediction: Post them below.
Come on NY!!!! PLEASE WIN!!!! I need a NJ lost and the Knicks are a funny team because sometimes they will like they belong in the NBDL and on some nights they could beat Eastern Conference threats. So hopefully I'll see that performance tonight because I need them to win. I hope Curry gets 40 and 20 with Z-E-R-O fouls.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Avery:</div><div class="quote_post">Come on NY!!!! PLEASE WIN!!!! I need a NJ lost and the Knicks are a funny team because sometimes they will like they belong in the NBDL and on some nights they could beat Eastern Conference threats. So hopefully I'll see that performance tonight because I need them to win. I hope Curry gets 40 and 20 with Z-E-R-O fouls.</div> I actually think we'll lose by quite a bit. Prediction: Nets: 135 / Knicks: 62
