<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">CHICAGO - Nenad Krstic's impressive numbers indicate that he truly is coming of age. But his recent aggressive behavior has been the real indicator that the second-year big man is undergoing a transformation into a possible All-Star center. In two of the last three games, the normally laid-back Serbian has shown a feisty side. Frustrated by the way referees have dealt with him for the past season and a half, Krstic picked up a rare technical for touching a ref while complaining about a no-call against Atlanta. On Sunday, he went out of his way to bump shoulders with Jamaal Magloire after the Bucks center tried to intimidate him. "I think I have more confidence," Krstic said. "I'm going to stand up for myself. I feel good right now." Tonight, Krstic and the Nets return to Chicago, where the center had a career night in a 95-87 loss to the Bulls on March 7. He scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. That game ignited something in Krstic, who has averaged 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in his last 17 games. With Krstic playing at a higher level, the Nets have won 15 of those games. Not only has Krstic been burying outside shots and drawing double teams, he has finished transition dunks with the agility of a small forward. He also has refused to back down to officials. Earlier this season, a frustrated Krstic would just keep his head down and accept bad calls. He has stood up to opponents as well. Magloire, for some reason, has tried bullying Krstic every time they play. On Sunday, Krstic practically confronted him. The Nets realize that a fearless Krstic will be a major factor in the playoffs. "He is showing the league that he can accept the double team, he is starting to get a lot of attention," Jason Kidd said of the Most Improved Award candidate. "Him standing up for himself, him being recognized for his growth as a center, he wants to be recognized that he also can play at a high level." </div> Source
I like the new Krstic too. He is seems more aggressive and it's good to see him not backing down from players like Magloire.
